The «Donate your fencing gear!» program, launched in 2017 was reconducted in 2018, at the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the FIE, the programme will be continued, with a special focus on new and developing federations.
The program had been promoted on the social networks and the official FIE site, as well as through communications ad hot to the Athletes Commission, Coaches Council and Fencing Manufacturers.
Second-hand equipment was collected in the course of two FIE events:
- Junior and Cadet World Championships, Verona (ITA)
- Senior World Championships, Wuxi (CHN)
- In Verona, 29 athletes and 2 manufacturers gave a total of 500 pieces of equipment, distributed among 8 countries;
- In Wuxi, 39 athletes donated a total of 183 pieces of equipment, distributed among 8 pays.
Donors:
All the donors received a certificate of participation and an “I donated my fencing gear” bracelet. In addition, an ad hoc album was created on the FIE Facebook page, with photographs of the donors.
The equipment was distributed to 8 countries each of which submitted 7 fencing solidarity and development project:
Benin
Ecuador
Morocco
Mexico
Philippines
Paraguay
Samoa and American Samoa
At each event, a SEMI delegate was responsible for checking the donated equipment to ensure that the items are safe to use.
Were appointed the following SEMI Delegates:
Verona: Gamil Elzeftawi (EGY)
Wuxi: Gudjon Ingi Gestsson (ISL)
Media coverage
The stand attracted the attention of the Chinese press that devoted an article to the project.
The same article was published on two different websites in English:
- Wuxi China
- Jangsu Now
An article on the project was publised on the Olympic News article sur le projet est apparu dans les Actualité Olympiques (n.1255, 3rd of September 2018) in the section «International Federations».