For Thomas Bach, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee and an Olympic fencing champion, fencing has never been just a sport. It is a lifelong influence that shaped not only his athletic career, but his outlook on life.
“I wanted to become a football player until my parents introduced me to fencing. I quickly became excited about this wonderful sport. In the end, fencing changed not only my sporting life, but my entire life.”
Like most young fencers, Bach began his journey with the foil, the weapon which led him to Olympic gold. “You usually start with foil, and when you are successful, you tend to stay with it,” he explains. Yet his own path also included sabre, where he won his first junior regional title, an early indication of Bach’s prowess for the sport.
A Faster, More Athletic Sport
Looking back to his Olympic gold medal won in team foil in Montreal 1976, Bach notes how dramatically fencing has evolved. “Like all sports today, fencing is much faster and much more athletic,” he says. “You can clearly see the impact of modern nutrition, equipment, training programmes and psychological support. All of this has changed the sport completely.”
Watching today’s elite fencers compete in Doha, Bach is struck by both the physical and mental demands of modern fencing. The speed, intensity and tactical sophistication on display underline how far the sport has progressed — and how demanding it has become for those aiming to reach the top.
Lessons Beyond Victory and Defeat
Despite his achievements, Bach’s message to young fencers is grounded and universal. “Never give up,” he says. “Try to live your dream, but always keep perspective. Defeat is not the end of everything — you can learn from it. And victory is not forever, nor does it make you superior to others.”
Quoting a familiar saying, he adds: “Defeat is the mother of victory. This is true in sport and in life.”
Dakar 2026 and the Road to LA2028
With the Olympic cycle now firmly underway, Bach sees events such as the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games as an important stepping stone towards LA2028. “Athletes already have the Olympic Games in mind,” he says. “This is the beginning of a very decisive period — a time to test, to improve skills, and to prepare to reach peak performance.”
He believes younger athletes are increasingly competitive earlier in their careers, benefiting from structured pathways and international exposure. Dakar, he notes, will play a key role in inspiring the next generation and accelerating their development.
Sustainability as a Shared Responsibility
Looking to the future, Bach emphasises that sustainability must play a central role in shaping international sport. “Nobody can fight climate change alone,” he says. “Only if everyone comes together can real progress be achieved.”
For international federations, this means rethinking event organisation, travel patterns and calendar structures. “We must always consider how to reduce our carbon footprint — through more regionalised events and smarter planning,” he explains. “This responsibility applies not only to institutions, but to everyone involved in sport.”
For Bach, fencing’s future is inseparable from the values that helped shape his life’s path — respect, discipline, resilience and responsibility. From the foil piste to the Olympic Movement, his message is clear: the sport continues to evolve, but its ability to shape lives remains as powerful as ever.