MANAMA, Bahrain, Nov. 22, 2025 – The International Fencing Federation (FIE) 2025 Annual Congress met in Manama, Bahrain, with 123 of its 157 national federations present and 16 represented by proxy.
Several international and local dignitaries offered in-person and video greetings to the Congress. Welcoming the attendees and officially opening the Congress, FIE Interim President Abdelmoneim El Husseiny remarked, “I would also like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the President of the IOC, Ms. Coventry, for her support and for the thoughtful address she has shared with us. Our gratitude likewise goes to the President of ASOIF, Mr. De Vos, for his inspiring message, which reflects the strong partnership and encouragement of the wider Olympic family.”
“We are equally honored by the support of the President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, Sheikh Khaled Bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Your valued contribution is a testament to Bahrain’s commitment to fencing and to the Olympic movement. It is further a privilege to welcome Mr. Faris Mustafa Al-Kooheji, Secretary General of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, whose warm hospitality during our meetings at the Olympic Committee we recall with deep appreciation. I wish also to recognize the dedication of Sheikh Ibrahim Bin Salman Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Fencing Federation, whose leadership has been instrumental in making this gathering possible.”
Elected and currently self-suspended FIE President Alisher Usmanov visited and greeted the Congress, at the personal invitation of Interim President El Husseiny. Mr. Usmanov did not participate in any work or proceedings of the Congress.
Rome, Italy was voted on and awarded the 2028 Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships. A call was made for organisation and hosting of the 2029 Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships as well as the 2027 and 2028 Veteran World Championships.
Among other decisions made at the Congress, the qualification system for the LA 2028 Olympic Games was approved and Great Britain’s Patricia Aiyenuro was elected as a new member of the FIE Executive Committee.
Several presentations were delivered at the Congress and, notably, included a report on significant and positive progress made on the FIE 2025-2028 Strategic Plan by FIE Secretary-General Gulnora Saidova, as well as a presentation on “Fencing for the Planet” and its achievements in promoting and developing sustainability and environmental efforts throughout the fencing world.
A presentation and report were also given on the development and successful launch and execution of FencingTV.com, the FIE’s new video livestream platform, including new video content for it and social media that is real-time linked to competition data. FencingTV.com debuted during the 2025 Tbilisi FIE Senior World Championships, already surpassing five million minutes watched and over 35,000 registered users during just two events.
The FIE set up a Fair Play Council at its 2015 Congress in China and actively promotes the ideals of sportsmanship at all competitions. The 2025 annual FIE Fair Play Award was given to senior men’s epee team from Argentina by the FIE Executive Committee, based on proposals from the Fair Play Council.
An annual award was given to the junior and senior top-ranked individuals and teams, including the following:
Individual Juniors
- Women’s Epee:Anna Maksymenko (UKR)
- Men’s Epee:Mahmoud Elsayed (EGY)
- Women’s Foil:Matilde Molinari (ITA)
- Men’s Foil:Abdelrahman Tolba (EGY)
- Women’s Sabre:Gulistan Perdibaeva (UZB)
- Men’s Sabre:Vlad Covaliu (ROU)
- Women’s Epee:Ukraine
- Men’s Epee:Egypt
- Women’s Foil:USA (tie)
- Women’s Foil:Italy (tie)
- Men’s Foil:Italy
- Women’s Sabre:Uzbekistan
- Men’s Sabre:USA
- Women’s Epee:Sera Song (KOR)
- Men’s Epee:Gergely Siklosi (HUN)
- Women’s Foil:Lee Kiefer (USA)
- Men’s Foil:Chun Yin Ryan Choi (HKG)
- Women’s Sabre:Misaki Emura (JPN)
- Men’s Sabre:Jean-Philippe Patrice (FRA)
- Women’s Epee:Italy
- Men’s Epee:Japan
- Women’s Foil:Italy
- Men’s Foil:Italy
- Women’s Sabre:France
- Men’s Sabre:Hungary
- Cadets:USA
- Juniors:USA
- Seniors:France
- Veterans:USA