LAUSANNE, Switz., Sept. 4, 2025 – The International Fencing Federation has announced its 2025 Hall of Fame inductees, who will be formally recognized at the forthcoming November Annual FIE Congress. The inductees include Andrea Borella (ITA), Alexander Massialas (USA), Gyorgy Nebald (HUN) and Sanguk Oh (KOR) in the “Athletes” category and Michele Torella (ITA) in the “Fencing Family” category.
Andrea Borella (ITA, b. 23 June 1961): As part of the Italian men’s foil team, Borella won a gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. In 1979, Borella was the junior world champion, going on in 1986 to win the Senior World Championships and silver in 1990. In team, he earned gold medals at the 1985, 1986, 1990 and 1994 World Championships. Borella was a World Cup champion in 1987, 1989 and 1994 and the University Games champion in 1981 and 1983. A 12-time Italian champion in men’s team foil, he also became the individual Italian national champion in 1988 and took gold at the European Championships in 1981 and 1983.
Alexander Chen Massialas (USA, b. 20 April 1994): A four-time Olympian, Massialas first competed in the London 2012 Olympics in individual men’s foil, going on to win a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics. He also is a two-time Olympic bronze medallist in men’s team foil in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. He led the USA men’s foil team to its first-ever World Championships victory in 2019. In 2015, Massialas won an individual silver medal at the Senior World Championships, has earned three Grand Prix titles, and won the Cadet World Championships twice (2010, 2011) and the Junior World Championships in 2013. In 2025, he was named as the head coach of the Stanford University fencing programme.
Gyorgy Nebald (HUN, b. 9 March 1956): As a member of the Hungarian men’s sabre team, Nebald won three Olympic medals, including gold in Seoul (1988), silver in Barcelona (1992) and bronze in Moscow (1980). Individually, he won two Senior World Championships (1985, 1990) and the 1976 Junior Worlds, and overall has won 11 World Championships medals. Nebald also has four team World Championships titles (1978, 1981, 1982 and 1991). He was elected president of the Permanent Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2001. Nebald is also a member of the Hungarian National Olympic Committee. He has received numerous accolades, including being named the Hungarian Fencer of the Year four times.
Sanguk Oh (KOR, b. 30 Sept. 1996): Oh was the Paris 2024 Olympic champion in individual men’s sabre and won two Olympic gold medals in men’s team sabre in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. He is the first Asian fencer to win gold medals in individual and team events at the same Olympic Games. The individual world champion in 2019, he also won four World Championships gold medals in men’s team sabre (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022) as well as five Grand Prix titles. According to the Korean Fencing Federation, his Olympic and world victories have inspired a new generation of fencing in Korea, and his “foundational contributions” to Korean Fencing have contributed significantly to the growth of world fencing.
Michele Torella (ITA, b. 18 July 1960): After beginning in fencing as the parent of an athlete, Torella became an experienced manager of fencing events. He has chaired the organising committee for the Turin World Cup since 2009, which in 2014 became the Turin Foil “INALPI Trophy” Grand Prix. Torella was the president of the organising committee for the Turin Women’s Foil World Cup from 2008 to 2012, and was a member of the organising and promotion committees for the 2006 Turin World Championships. From 2003 to 2017, Torella was the organiser for numerous national and European fencing events. He was awarded the Italian NOC Silver Star for Sporting Merit and the Silver Badge of Honor by the Italian Fencing Federation in 2024, as well as the 2018 Italian NOC Sports Executive of the Year, among others.
About the FIE Hall of Fame
Established in 2013 during the FIE’s centennial celebration, the FIE Hall of Fame honours outstanding contributions to fencing worldwide — both on- and off-the-piste. It pays tribute to exceptional athletes and key figures in the “fencing family.”
Since 2014, each year’s class includes up to five new inductees — four athletes and one fencing family member. This is limited to two individuals per country each year (one athlete, one family member).
Categories
- Athletes: Past or present competitors recognized for exceptional performance
- Fencing Family: Coaches, officials, administrators and other contributors to the sport
Nomination and Selection Process
- Athlete nominations are submitted by their national federations (typically medallists)
- Family nominations can come from any national federation that employed the nominee
The FIE President and Executive Committee are also allowed to present candidates, particularly for the “Fencing Family” category.