Since the annoucement by the FIE that they were planning on adding Women’s Sabre to the Athens Games (2004) and, as a result, eliminate the Women’s Foil and Men’s Sabre Team events from the Athens Games, there have been numerous protests led by leading women’s foilists. The IOC (International Olympic Committe) and FIE seem to be backpedaling on this issue. What does that mean for Women’s Sabre status for future Olympics?

It looks like the FIE is backpedaling on the decision to include WS in the next Olympics. Perhaps the demonstrations and protests by the women’s foilists had some impact: Sunday, 26.Mai 2002 @ 20:17:23 CEST

Kuala Lumpur – The admission of the women’s sabre in the program for the 2004 Olympics becomes more improbable. The executive committee of the international olympic committee (IOC) postponed a decision in Kuala Lumpur over the olympic fencing program IOC vice-president Thomas brook.

The international fencing federation (FIE) had asked the IOC in a letter for this delay. The reason for this is the continuous protests of the athletes. Numerous World Cup tournaments were boycotted by the fencers in the past weeks. The FIE had decided in April to suggest to the IOC women’s sabre as a new olympic discipline for 2004 and to eliminate the team competitions in the women’s foil and men’s sabre.

In view of the attitude of large fencing nations such as France, Italy, Germany and Romania speaks even more loudly for keeping the 2004 program as previous programs without women’s sabre. Only in Peking 2008 should a new schedule be devised. Each discipline would have to sit out an event in the Olympic cycle which can be specified in additional planning.

The IOC Representative stressed again that the IOC will remain with the maximum number of 10 competitions and 200 athletes.

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