Impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) agreed with the EFC to ban Russian and Belarusian fencers, and reallocated competitions that were due to be held in Russia and Belarus.[2]
In June 2022, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President, was removed from his position as European Fencing Confederation President at an Extraordinary Congress following a unanimous vote of no confidence in Pozdnyakov in March 2022, due to his xenophobic conduct in the wake of the invasion.[3]
On 10 March 2023, the FIE became the first Olympic governing body to officially reinstate Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials, in time for the start of the qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[4] Protesting this decision, Denmark,[5] France,[6] Germany,[7] and Poland[8] cancelled upcoming World Cup fencing events to prevent Russians and Belarusians from participating.
In April 2023, it was revealed that the European Fencing Confederation had sent a critical letter to the FIE, outlining their opposition to the FIE's plans to strip the countries, that had indicated they would not grant visas to Russians and Belarusians, of hosting rights and impose sanctions on them.[9]
In June 2023, the federation banned all Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials, and suspended the Russian Fencing Federation.[10]
