Estonia likely to forfeit hosting top fencing event over opposition to Russian competitors
Estonia will likely lose out on hosting the fencing European Championships over its opposition to allowing Russian competitors to take part.
The sport's governing body in Europe, the European Fencing Confederation (EFC), is demanding that the Estonian government allow athletes from aggressor states Russia and Belarus to take part in the competition.
Refusal will result in Tallinn being stripped of hosting the June event, Aivar Paalberg, Secretary General of the Estonian Fencing Federation, said. The organization has "made it clear that the European Championships will be taken away from Estonia," Paalberg said.
"Officially, this has not yet happened, but it is unlikely that the global political situation will change radically within the next six months. Consequently, we are proceeding on the assumption that the European Championships will not be held in Tallinn next year," he added.
The international governing body, the International Fencing Federation (FIE), has taken the same line. Delfi reported the organization stated that if Estonia wishes to host an international competition, its government must provide a written confirmation, bearing signatures and seals, stating that no one wishing to participate in the tournament will be discriminated against and that they will be allowed to cross the border regardless of nationality or military rank.
A delegation from the EFC meanwhile visited the Estonian Ministry of Culture, under whose remit sport falls, to sound them out on whether a confirmation letter like that would be forthcoming.
After consulting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the culture ministry's response was unequivocal: There is no such possibility.
"The Estonian state cannot provide a confirmation letter guaranteeing that everyone wishing to take part in the European Fencing Championships will be allowed to cross the border," said Raido Mitt, the ministry's deputy secretary general for sport.
"The government's position has been clear: Visas will not be issued to athletes from aggressor states. Zero tolerance applies, and no exceptions will be made," Mitt continued.
Paalberg added that while the EFC's president, Pascal Tesch, had said after the visit that all was in order with the organizational side of the event, "one requirement remains unmet — namely, that all athletes may not be able to compete — and that it is not possible to deviate from the principles of the European Fencing Confederation."
Tallinn won out by 24 votes out of 42 at last fall's EFC congress to decide who would be hosting the next championships.
Estonia has seen success in fencing in recent years, particularly in the women's epee category. The team won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, with one team member, Katrina Lehis, taking bronze in the individual event at the same games. Nelli Differt was just outside the medals at the Paris Olympics last year.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Henrik Laever
