About our sport
Commissions and panels
World Para Fencing supports the development of the sport around the world, ensuring the rules are applied, involving athletes and experts and helping Para fencing evolve.
World Para Fencing does this with the support of Commissions, Councils, and Panels. These work independently and together to carry out different roles but all with one aim – to help the sport grow.
Athletes' Council
The Athletes’ Council is the voice of fencers within World Para Fencing
Its mission is to examine all issues that concern the athletes and present suggestions or recommendations to any of the Wheelchair Fencing Commissions. Elections take place every four years with the next due to take place at the World Championships in 2027.
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Yu Chui Yee (HKG) | Member |
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Andrii Demchuk (UKR) | Member |
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Judith Rodriguez (ESP) | Member |
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Emanuele Lambertini (ITA) | Member |
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Moez El Assine (FRA) | Member |
Chairperson
Promotion Commission
The Promotion Commission is responsible for promoting Para fencing.
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Lauryn DeLuca (USA) | Member |
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Ksenia Ovsyannikova (CRC) | Member |
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Anastasiia Lytvyniuk (UKR) | Member |
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Jingjing Zhou (CHN) | Member |
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Daria Marchetti (ITA) | Member |
Referee Commission
The Referee Commission is responsible for training referees. It establishes educational programmes and maintains the different levels of referees for the sport. It supervises the functioning of the referees at all official competitions and the strict application to the rules and regulations by the referees.
It will propose to the Rules Commission, if necessary, the modifications of the rules as a consequence of refereeing. It maintains a permanent file of referees, their categories, dates of their diploma and performance, and organises training seminars.
The Referee Commission makes proposals to the Executive Committee on which referees should be appointed to take part in official competitions, when they are required. The chairperson of the referee commission may not act as referees in official competitions.
Email Address: [email protected]
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Carolina Anzolin (BRA) | Member |
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Fabian Filaire (FRA) | Member |
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Gerald Chi Hung Cheng (HKG) | Member |
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Dora Deli (HUN) | Member |
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Jon Moss (USA) | Vice Chairperson |
Chairperson
SEMI Commission
The SEMI Commission will develop the regulations that the sport equipment used in Para fencing must meet.
It will establish the necessary protocols, so that the various pieces of equipment can be homologated by the World Para Fencing Executive Committee. The commission establishes all sport equipment for official competitions and sets up the test type programme for this equipment.
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Alberto Cruz Garcia (CRC) | Member |
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Anka Chiu (HKG) | Member |
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Stephane Denoyelle (FRA) | Member |
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Gregory Gross (ISR) | Member |
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Kathy Walters (USA) | Member |
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Kai Ziegler (GER) | Co-opted Member |
Chairperson
Coaches' Representative
The Coaches’ Representative is an elected position and is the voice of Para fencing coaches.
Disciplinary Panel
The Disciplinary Panel is responsible for dealing with all infractions of the regulations, of the discipline or of sport ethics in Para fencing.
It will develop a disciplinary ruling for athletes, referees, organisers and all other entities involved in Para fencing in compliance with those of World Abilitysport.
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Cesar Abatti (ARG) | Member |
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Rudy Chung (HKG) | Member |
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Gil Pezza (USA) | Member |
Rules Commission
The Rules Commission reviews and proposes rule changes in collaboration with the WPF Executive Committee and relevant commissions and councils.
It reports to the Sport Congress, proposes implementation dates, and ensures urgent changes – such as those related to safety – are enacted quickly, pending ratification. The commission includes members from the Referee an SEMI Commissions, the Coaches’ Representative, along with World Abilitysport staff.
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Alessia Tognolli (ITA) | Referee Commission Representative |
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Peter Huggins (GBR) | SEMI Commission Representative |
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Ivan Schwantes (BRA) | Coaches’ Representative |
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Udo Ziegler (GER) | WPF Staff member |
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Sean Shumate (USA) | Co-opted member |