“We are here to play sports”, reacts the president of the French Federation after the reintegration of Russians and Belarusians in competition

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) voted Friday, March 10 the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian fencers, under neutral banner, in competition. “It does not mean that they will participate in the Olympics” of Paris 2024, delays on franceinfo Bruno Gares, the president of the French Fencing Federation (FFE). “They will certainly be able to participate in qualifying, but we are waiting for the decision” of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The President of the FFE, also a member of the Executive Committee of the International Federation, adds that at the “level of the votes, we end up with 136 countries which voted, out of 150. 89 wanted the Russian and Belarusian athletes to resume, 46 voted against”, explains Bruno Gares. But for him, “it is not up to the federations to take a position, but to the IOC. We are not here to play politics but to play sports.”

Date of IOC decision still unknown

The president of the French Fencing Federation also underlines the “work” Russians to resume competition. “We cannot wipe out the old Russian governance with a wave of a magic wand”, he says, referring to the oligarch Alisher Usmanov who led the FIE for 14 years. “We see that Russia has the means to have allies in different countries. Even in Europe, it votes Russians”.

At the moment there is no definite date for the decision of the IOC.