FIE and Olympic Solidarity support Africa’s Next Generation of Fencers
In preparation for the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, the International Fencing Federation (FIE), supported by Olympic Solidarity, has launched a series of international training camps aimed at accelerating the development of young African fencers.
Three one-week preparation camps were held in strategic locations, each taking place immediately ahead of a Cadet and Junior World Cup event:
- Istanbul, Türkiye, prior to the Cadet and Junior Foil World Cup (October)
- Hammamet, Tunisia, prior to the Cadet and Junior Sabre World Cup (November)
- Cairo, Egypt, prior to the Cadet and Junior Epee World Cup (January 2026)
In total, 13 young fencers representing 12 African national federations took part across the three camps.
The project also reflected the FIE’s continued commitment to diversity and inclusion. Nearly half of the participating athletes were women, and one of the three appointed coaches was female, supporting the objective of progressing towards a 50 per cent gender balance across FIE development programmes.
The initiative was designed to strengthen athletes’ preparation by placing them in high-level training environments connected to international Cadet and Junior competitions. By combining structured training with direct competition experience, the programme enabled participants to enhance their performance, gain valuable international exposure, and develop new technical and tactical skills on their pathway towards Dakar 2026.
Each camp was led by experienced coaches, including coaches from Africa, who delivered the training programme and provided guidance and technical support during competitions.
Looking ahead to 2026, the FIE plans to organise a final preparation camp for African fencers who qualify for the Youth Olympic Games. Scheduled for early November, this final stage will aim to provide selected athletes with an additional performance boost in the weeks leading up to the Games.
The FIE would like to express its sincere appreciation to the Turkish Fencing Federation, the Tunisian Fencing Federation and the Egyptian Fencing Federation for their valuable support and local organisation, which played an essential role in the success of these camps.