THE SWORD OCTOBER 2019 World Silver for Mepstead President’s Report pp4–5 World Championship Report pp6–11 Interview with Marcus Mepstead pp12–13 OCTOBER 2019 THE SWORD 1 OCTOBER 2019 Editor: Karim Bashir British Fencing 1 Baron’s Gate WELCOME TO THE SWORD 33–35 Rothschild Road London W4 5HT T: 020 8742 3032 E: [email protected] Print Cambrian Printers Llanbadarn Fawr Aberystwyth Ceredigion SY23 3TN T: 01970 613059 Typeset by: JS Typesetting Ltd T: 01656 788551 E: [email protected] Advertising World Champs Men’s Foil Podium (Augusto Bizzi) Karim Bashir M: 07855 252546 E: [email protected] British Fencing accepts no 4 PRESIDENT’S EPORT responsibility for the contents of advertisements and reserves the INTERNATIONAL NEWS right to refuse inclusion. 6 World Championships 2019 Report The Sword, a quarterly magazine Johnny Davis – Team Manager founded in 1948, is distributed to Jon Salfied – Head Sabre Coach all individual and club members of British Fencing and its affiliates. Maxine McCombie – Aspiration Manager It can also be obtained on subscription – UK £20. Overseas 12 FEATURES airmail £26 – direct from HQ. Behind the Mask with Marcus Mepstead Contributions are welcome. We talk to Marcus Mepstead about life, fencing and Photographs should include the his World silver medal names of those pictured and the Gillian Donaldson, MBE photographer. Great Britain’s only fencing Olympic Gold Medallist Views expressed in The Sword shares her story do not necessarily reflect those of British Fencing. No part of the 17 DEVELOPMENT magazine may be reproduced without permission from the Clubs & Regions editor/photographer. Education Coaching Cover photo: World Silver for ROUND UP Marcus Mepstead 30 Photo: Augusto Bizzi 33 REVIEWS Safeguarding Hotline Liz Behnke, Equality and RESULTS Safeguarding Manager 35 M: 07526 003030 BRITISH FENCING twitter.com/britishfencing Follow us on Facebook www.britishfencing.com NEXT DEADLINE: 4th NOVEMBER 2019 OCTOBER 2019 THE SWORD 3 PRESIDENT’S REPORT PRESIDENT’S REPORT Our International Relations (IR) team off in 2012, has remained in place. Like continues to make its contribution to Peter he has no plans to retire from his the future of fencing and I am always FIE role and he also continues at home as pleased and proud to see GBR playing its the Chair of the BF Rules Committee. part. These professional and committed Steve was appointed as an FIE Member individuals – from GBR and around the of Honour in 2013. world – work quietly away, often behind the scenes and there’s no doubt that Dr Clare Halsted has served on the FIE without such people the sport of fencing Medical Commission since her election would no longer be able to flourish. in 2004. This commission has a wide range of responsibilities of which safety In previous issues I have often made is always high on the agenda. An example reference to the vital contribution made is their recent push for an assessment of by all our volunteers but on this occasion Peter Jacobs ways to decrease the risk of injuries from I’d like to shine a spotlight on our four broken sabre blades, which is now being long-serving FIE post-holders – Peter The FIE recognised Peter’s sterling investigated by the SEMI Commission. Jacobs, Steve Higginson, Clare Halsted service by appointing him as a Member of Another topic always on their agenda is and Janet Huggins. Honour in 2000. Forty-two years and still the complicated issue of gender change. counting is a remarkable achievement. This is reviewed every year, or as and Steve Higginson is a stalwart of the when appropriate, with the FIE currently Rules Commission and is currently its following the IOC guidelines. President. The Rules Commission is In addition to her Medical Commission largely a reactive commission, reacting activities Clare was appointed as Head to proposals for rule changes and giving of the Anti-Doping Panel in 2018. As such an opinion prior to the Congress at which she is responsible for: the changes will be voted upon. • Ensuring that the FIE complies with all In addition Steve’s recent activities have WADA standards which has required included the setting up of the new Rules the expansion of the FIE Anti-Doping Steve Higginson, Janet Huggins, Peter Restructuring Working Group for which Education programme in preparation Jacobs & Clare Halsted he has arranged and chaired a number of for the new WADA education standard meetings both in the UK and Switzerland. is our longest-serving • Ongoing liaison with the International Peter Jacobs Steve reports that the Technical and FIE post-holder. His current role is on Testing Authority to manage the FIE’s Organisation sections are now complete the Legal Commission and includes Anti-Doping testing programme and he is currently working on the responsibility for maintaining and Materials section. As always, Clare is a very busy bee: updating the FIE statutes, establishing disciplinary committees, reviewing the A fluent French speaker, Steve is • She is the lead person for the updating statutes of prospective new federations often asked for translation services, of the Medical Handbook for World and dealing with any legal issues that not only for the output from his own Championships come up within the FIE. commission but also for other ad hoc • She is a member of the working group requests such as data for referee exams. for mask security, ensuring that Peter is also a member of the Rules He also acts as an FIE Supervisor at regulations are updated in order to Restructuring Working Group and World Cup events with his most recent make mask fittings safer the Safeguarding Working Group. He trip being to the women’s foil event in regularly acts as Supervisor at FIE World Tauberbischofsheim in May. Cups and last season travelled to events in France, Spain and Germany. Steve was elected to the Rules Commission in 1989 and other than a year With continuous service for 42 years I think it’s worth listing Peter’s FIE history: 1977 – 1984 Statutes Commission 1984 – 1988 Executive Committee & Statutes Commission 1988 – 1992 Statutes Commission 1992 – 2000 Executive Committee 2000 – 2012 Executive Committee as Treasurer 2012 – present day Legal Commission Steve Higginson Clare Halsted 4 THE SWORD OCTOBER 2019 • She is the Medical Commission delighted to be invited to this prestigious representative on the Safeguarding event and to assist with presenting some working group of their spectacular trophies at the gala • She is the Medical Commission dinner. I was also pleased to be asked to representative on environmental field a President’s Team in the triangular issues following the IOC and UN initiatives regarding the role of International Federations and has recently delivered a session about this to the FIE Commission and Council Meetings in Bucharest • In June she delivered an Anti-Doping briefing session to a group of FIE Supervisors in order to improve the Janet Huggins Anti-Doping processes at World Cup events and she updates the FIE’s Anti- Doping Rules along with information on mask safety systems, sabre gloves and foil chest guards soft outer layer the FIE website. President Philbin presenting the In addition Clare is frequently appointed Janet is regularly invited to attend Inter Services Triangular trophy as a Medical Delegate at the FIE’s major World Championships, either as a SEMI to the Captain of the RAF team championships and last season found delegate running weapon control and the Flt Lt Greensides the time to officiate at the 2018 Veterans call room, or in order to run the stand for World Championships in Livorno, Italy the FIE’s Equipment Donation project. and the 2019 Cadet and Junior World She has recently returned from the Championships in Torun, Poland. Senior World Championships in Budapest and was the FIE Supervisor at events in Taking into account her numerous BF France and Switzerland. activities at home, one might reasonably ask Clare when she finds the time to eat At home – along with husband Peter or sleep! – Janet is a tireless worker providing weapon control facilities at numerous BF Janet Huggins has been in post on the events. Long may that continue! SEMI Commission since 2008 and – like Clare – is a busy bee with a diverse role. As usual much of our IR liaison takes place at the major FIE and EFC events, A major responsibility of this commission where there are opportunities to talk to is homologation (ratification and the Presidents and General Secretaries of President Philbin presenting the Master approval) of all new equipment including the other member countries. During the Swordsman trophy to LCpl Sadiq blades, clothing, masks, video refereeing past season I attended: systems and management software. After the equipment has been tested • the FIE Annual Congress in Paris, as matches on the following day. (A full the technical analysis is sent to each Head of Delegation report appears later in this issue.) • the Junior & Cadet World member of the SEMI for scrutiny and Finally – and saving the best till last – I Championships in Torun checking. Members then vote for have to mention another spectacular • the European Fencing Confederation approval or raise their concerns and the result from our men foilists. Having (EFC) Congress in Dusseldorf – followed agreed recommendations are forwarded watched Richard Kruse gain his silver by the European Championships – as to the FIE Executive Committee for final medal in last year’s World Championships Head of Delegation approval. in Wuxi, I had the enormous pleasure • the Senior World Championships in of seeing Marcus Mepstead follow suit In addition to her normal responsibilities Budapest Janet serves as the secretary for her in this year’s World Championships in commission which includes taking Georgina Usher, as CEO, attended the Budapest.