Over the last year, an expert group of athletes, coaches and World Para Fencing Executive Committee Members has focused efforts on consolidating national best practices into one, international, set of rules for the discipline. 

These will now undergo their first big test at the 6 Trofeo Internazionale “Citta Di Milano” in Milan, Italy, on 24 October, which will act as a pilot competition. 

Christina Massiala, the Executive Committee Member who has been a driving force behind the ambitious project to take a discipline from various individual systems to a single set of rules, said: 

“We are so grateful to the community of fencers, coaches and staff who have committed their time and expertise to this venture. It is a true demonstration of the passion and energy that exists in Para fencing and I would like to thank every single person who has been involved and believes that fencing is for everyone. 

“The pilot competition in Milan represents a big step towards bringing vision impaired and blind fencing to the international stage under World Para fencing and ensuring that the sport is even more inclusive. There is a lot more work that needs to be done but, with the continued support we are lucky to have, we are ready to use this as a springboard for the coming months and years as we continue to develop this exciting discipline.” 

Following the 6 Trofeo Internazionale “Citta Di Milano” Milan, the draft rules will be reviewed before a final version is put before the World Para Fencing Sport Congress in December.  

The key next stages of the discipline’s development include classification and a competition structure, adding to the World and regional Championships, World Cups and Satellite Tournaments that take place in wheelchair fencing. With an accepted international rule book, these crucial elements will become the focus of the work. 

Vision impaired and blind fencing has been evolving in clubs and countries for a number of years. A survey carried out amongst World Abilitysport Members and national fencing federations as part of this early research and development phase revealed that there are more than 100 fencers with vision impairments in 12 countries around the world, with new nations already starting their programmes. 

Members and national federations interested in the rules can contact [email protected]. Entries for the 6 Trofeo Internazionale “Citta Di Milano” Milan are open until 30 September. All enquiries about the competition are to be sent to [email protected].