International Fencing Federation 91st Congress

2. Address by the President of the FIE 
 
 
Alisher Usmanov (RUS):
 Good morning everybody. Dear guests, dear delegates and dear friends, I 
welcome you in Moscow and because we have our congress, our election congress, I would like to tell 
you a couple of words before the elections of the new leaders of our federation for the next Olympic 
cycle. The past four years gave new impulse, direction and substance to the work of our federation. 
And I am grateful to the Executive Committee members, Commissions members and Directorate, and 
of course personally to Nathalie Rodriguez, our CEO. Our teamwork and efforts were critically 
important for our success and achievement to develop fencing all over the world.  
Our main challenge today is to turn the initial success into new achievements. For sure we must 
continue our fight for two Olympic medals. We shall also significantly modify our rules to make fencing 
more visible and exciting and to bring fencing back to its roots. 
We need to elect the best leadership team for our federation. And I know that you will make your 
decisions seriously, with responsibility. And I hope, I am sure we will elect the best candidates. I wish 
to everybody success and good time in Moscow.  
And I ask Nathalie to chair the work of our congress.  
Thank you very much to everybody. 
 
Applause. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez
: Thank you Mister President. Ladies and gentleman I would like to announce that 
we have very important authorities with us, and first of all, I would like to call Mister Pavel Kolobkov, 
who is Deputy of the Russian Federation Minister of sport.  
 
Applause. 
 
Pavel Kolobkov (RUS)
: Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank the President and I 
will read the address of the Minister of Sports: "I welcome everyone here at the FIE Congress. 
Fencing is one of the most ancient and refined sports. This FIE congress which takes place here from 
December 7 to 9, gather more than 300 representatives of one hundred thirty six federations. This is a 
lot. It is here in Moscow that you will determine the future main ways of the development of fencing in 
Russia but also all over the world. I am very glad of this. So the growth of fencing visibility and its 
attractiveness is very important for us. I wish all participants of the Congress all success and a 
productive work." 
 
I would like to say a few words from me personally. I am a former Olympic champion and I belong to 
your community, I am very happy that this Congress be held in Moscow and of your work to develop 
our sport and to send your athletes to all our competitions. We will develop fencing because fencing is 
our priority and has huge perspectives. I wish you success in your work and at the Congress. Thank 
you. 
 
Applause. 
 
 
Maxim Paramonov (UKR): 
Dear guests, dear colleagues, let me announce another high eligible 
person who will present a speech, Mister Alexei Vorobiev, Head of Moscow City Department on 
Physical Culture and Sport. 
 
Applause. 
 
Alexei Vorobiev (RUS): 
Dear Mister President of the International Fencing Federation, Mister 
Usmanov. Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to welcome you in the Capital of the Russian 
Federation, in the name of the Moscow Department and in my personal name. Moscow is the key 
sports city of this country. In this congress of the FIE in Moscow, many federations are present and 
this contribute to the development of the sport. I wish you a very constructive Congress. I can see that 
you are all in a high and constructive spirit and I wish you all the best in your work, Moscow will always 
welcome you and we will always expect you in Moscow. Thank you.  
 

 
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Applause. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez
: Thank you. Mister Vladimir Vasin, who is Honorary Vice-President of the 
Russian Olympic Committee.  
 
Applause. 
 
Vladimir Vasin (RUS)
: Dear ladies and gentlemen, Dear Mr President. As a former Olympic 
Champion, and on behalf of the Executive Board of the Olympic Committee of Russia, I am happy to 
welcome you in Moscow. 2012 is coming to an end, and it was a very special year for the sports 
community because of the Olympic Games in London. We now try to finalise and to look at the results. 
Thank you for organising your congress in Moscow. Fencing is a priority sport in the Olympic program 
and in the Russian federation. Fencing is a remarkable sport, and we are sure that you will evaluate 
the achievements of your sport and its perspectives. I hope that the number of medals in fencing will 
increase at the Olympic Games. I wish you a nice stay in Moscow, and a constructive work in view of 
the development of fencing world. Thank you.
 
 
Applause. 

 
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Nathalie_Rodriguez'>3. Ratification of the new federations 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez
: I wish to inform you that Nigeria arrived. Nigeria should receive a voting set. We 
have now one hundred thirty seven countries. 
First of all, all items on the agenda, except the elections, will be done by electronic voting. You will 
remember that you have to press one for yes and than valid, two for a no and then valid, and three for 
abstention and then valid. Each time you vote, you have to press valid. You have received an 
explanatory document. I will open the vote and then close the vote.  
So we move to item three, which is the ratification of the new federations. During this year, we have 
affiliated Madagascar, Mauritius, Jamaica, and this week we have affiliated Rwanda.  
 
The vote is open. Remember: one for yes, two for no, and three for abstention. 
 
The vote is closed.  
 
The new federations are approved.  
 
Applause
. 
 

 
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4. Approval of the report of the 2011 Congress in 
Philadelphia (USA) 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez: 
We move to the next item, which is the approval of the report of the 2011 
Congress in Philadelphia (USA). I did not receive any comment on this report, so I suggest that we 
move to the vote. 
 
The vote is open.  
 
The vote is closed.  
 
The report is approved. Thank you. We move to next item, which is the annual report of the Executive 
Committee. 

 
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5. 2011-2012 report of the Executive Committee 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Again, we did not receive any remark on that report so I suggest to... Yes, Mister 
Van de Flier?  
 
Bert Van de Flier (NED): 
Thank you. I read it last night and I have a small remark. I noticed on page 
6, on the top of page 6, that there were seven candidates in epee, and eleven of them passed. Maybe 
it should be seventeen candidates, not seven. It should be checked. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez: 
It will be checked and corrected. Thank you. So, with this remark, we will move 
to the vote on the annual report.  
 
The vote is open. 
 
The vote is closed. 
 
The annual report is approved. 
 
Maxim Paramonov (UKR): 
Dear friends let me announce something about the annual report. 
Everybody knows that this year our federation suffered the loss of several very important persons and 
friends. This year we lost Merih Sezen (TUR) , Vratislav Janda (CZE), Vladimer Aptsiauri (GEO), 
Edoardo Mangiarotti (ITA, MH), Mark Petrovitch Midler (RUS), Arun Kumar Vij (IND), Carol Wengraf 
(GBR), Fady Tannous (LIB).
 
We express our deepest sympathy to the families, and federations of the 
deceased. I invite you to commemorate their memory. 
 
Minute of silence
. 
 
Thank you very much. And now we continue our work. 
 
Nathalie
 
Rodriguez
: So for the next items I give the floor to the treasurer, Peter Jacobs. 

 
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6. Financial report, study of the accounts for 2011/2012, 
report of the auditors
 
 
 
Peter Jacobs (GBR, MH):
 Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I will now go trough the various 
aspects of the financials reports. To begin with our results for the financial year, from July 2011 until 
June 2012. First of all, with the income and expenditure account, where our results were better than 
we had budgeted, and with an excess of income over expenditure of roughly 92,000 Swiss francs. And 
we were therefore able to spend more money on development plan for the confederations and 
federations, supported particularly by the donations from the president and his generosity as usual. 
And so this is a satisfactory result for the year. The results when we come to our balance sheet, for 
the end of last year, as financial condition was fully satisfactory to maintain the long-term reserves, as 
requested and supported by the president. And with the income and expenditure budgeted for the 
forthcoming period, to maintain the FIE finances in a healthy state. So the result for the year, was I 
think, fairly satisfactory. The auditors in analysing our accounts, were also completely satisfied with 
the state of our accounting system and our financial report according to Swiss law for this twelve 
months period, and therefore gave us a completely clean bill of
 
health once more with which we are 
very happy. 
 
Unless anybody has anything specific to ask, I would suggest that we move immediately, if you are 
content with that, to approve the accounts for the last financial year. 

 
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7. Approval of the accounts, discharge to the Executive 
Committee and to the auditors 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez
: The vote is open. 
 
Peter Jacobs (GBR, MH):
 I should add that I will ask you at the same time to therefore discharge the 
Executive committee and the auditors of their responsibilities obviously in relation for these accounts 
in your approval. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez
: The vote is closed. 
We approved the accounts and discharged the Executive committee and the auditors. We move to 
item eight. 

 
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8. Budget for 2013/2014 
 
 
Peter Jacobs (GBR, MH):
 
I will give a little more explanation. This budget for 2013-14 approved by 
the Executive Committee in September, assumed we would receive a 11.7 million Swiss francs, from 
the IOC for the London Games, which was considerably higher than we estimated one year ago when 
we made the budget for 2012-13. So, this new budget for 2013-14, together with the revised estimate 
for 2012-13, proposes with this Olympic moneys together with the continuous and very generous 
donations of the president on other revenues of FIE raises, to increase our long-term reserves by 6.5 
million Swiss francs, to increase slightly the development plan expenditure and supporting 
competitions of the FIE, and to fund the centennial celebrations of the FIE in 2012-2013, helped by a 
very generous additional donation from the president. And finally to balance our books over the next 
Olympiad. To show this more clearly, some of the moneys in budget are put into what we have called 
a short-term reserve, to be released over each year of the Olympiad, in order that you can see each 
year more clearly in the future, how this is being achieved.  
For the good news in fact, is that the IOC moneys from London have been even more generous than 
was budgeted, we now have slightly more than 13 million Swiss francs received from the IOC. So we 
are happy indeed about this. And with these good news, I will ask you to approve the FIE's budget for 
2013-2014. Thank you. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 The vote is open. 
 
Maxim Paramonov (UKR):
 Just to put your attention on the fact that, all of us, a most impressive 
majority of us, can remember the amount of budget that we had during previous years, before 2008. It 
looks like it is considerably higher than it was previously. And it looks like we managed all this money 
well. I hope so. So, we are looking for the approval of this budget. Thank you.  
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 The vote is closed.  
 
The budget is approved. 
 

 
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9. Designation of the auditors 
 
 
Peter Jacobs (GBR, MH)
: And finally, almost finally... As ever, I ask you to approve for next year, the 
continuation of Ernst & Young as our auditors, which we are obliged to do every year according to our 
statutes. So please, will you approve Ernst & Young to continue as the auditors of the FIE? 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez: 
The vote is open. 
The vote is closed. 
 
The auditors are approved for next year. 
 
Peter Jacobs (GBR, MH)
: And finally, I would like to say that this concludes the financial component 
of this 2012 congress. I thank you for your attention, and this also, in fact, ends my last presentation to 
you as treasurer of the FIE. May I thank you all for your support, for your cooperation and friendship 
with me, in my work, over the last 12 years. Thank you. 
 
Applause
. 
 
 
 

 
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10. Voting to award the World Championships
 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez
: We now move to item ten, which is the vote to award the World Championships.  
 
For the 2013 Junior and Cadet World Championships, we have received the candidature of Poreč, 
Croatia. The dates will be 6 to 15 of April 2013.  
You will remember that we sent you an urgent letter on this issue, saying that by accepting Poreč, you 
will also accept first to hold each weapon on two days, the preliminaries on the first day and the table 
of 32 on the second day. And, second, that the World Championships will last ten days, in total, 
instead of the usual 9 days. So, if you agree on this, we will move on to the vote.  
 
The vote is open. 
 
The vote is closed.  
 
The 2013 Junior and Cadet World Championship in Poreč and the conditions mentioned before are 
approved. 
 
Applause
.  
 
Then, the second vote. The unique candidature we have for the 2014 Senior World Championships is 
Sofia, Bulgaria. I am still missing the exact dates for these World Championships, but I am sure that I 
will receive them very quickly. If you agree we will move to the vote for the 2014 Senior World 
Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. 
 
The vote is open. 
 
The vote is closed. 
 
The 2014 World Championships are awarded to Sofia, Bulgaria.  
 
Applause 
 
The next item is the 2013 Veteran World Championships, and the candidate is Varna in Bulgaria, 1 to 
6 October 2013. If you agree, we move to the vote.  
 
The vote is open. 
 
The vote is closed. 
 
Applause. 
 
The 2013 Veteran World Championships are awarded to Varna, Bulgaria. 

 
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11. Candidatures for the World Championships
 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez: 
We move to item eleven, which is the candidatures for the World 
Championships.  
 
So far, I have not received any candidature for the 2014 Junior and Cadet World Championships. Is 
there any candidate? For the 2014 Junior and Cadet World Championships? Yes? 
 
Maxim Paramonov (UKR)
: Do you like to present a candidature? Ok. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Can you take the microphone please? 
 
Hadiwijoyo Rohmad (INA)
: Yes, Indonesia is willing to be candidate for the 2014 World 
Championships, in Bali and Indonesia.  
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 So, Bali Indonesia is candidate for the 2014 Junior and Cadet World 
Championships.  
 
Then, is there any candidate for the 2015 Senior World Championships?  
 
Alexander Mikhailov (RUS)
: The Russian Fencing Federation wants to be candidate for the Senior 
World Championships 2015. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Will it be in Moscow? Is Moscow candidate? Ok.  
 
Alexander Mikhailov (RUS)
: I think it will be in Moscow. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Is there any other candidate? 
 
Donald Anthony (USA)
: Thank you. The United States of America would like to be a candidate for 
the 2015 World Championships. We are looking at a number of cities including Washington DC, 
Philadelphia and possibly New Orleans, Louisiana. 
 
Alisher Usmanov (RUS)
: I am especially grateful to the United States Federation because of the 
promise of the US Olympic Committee and National Fencing Federation. Thank you very much, you 
did not forget your promise to me in Philadelphia. Thank you.  
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Is there a third candidate? No. Thank you. 
 
Then for the 2014 Veteran World Championships I have received the candidature of Mauritius, in the 
city of Port Louis, and the dates will be in October. Is there any other candidature? Yes?  
 
Sam Cheris (USA, MH):
 The United States will present a candidature for 2014 and we will give you a 
list of places later on. 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Thank you very much. So for the 2014 Veteran World Championships, we have 
two candidates Mauritius and U.S.A.  
 
We have finished with that part of the agenda, and now we will move to the elections. 
 
Yiannis Hadjiarapis (CYP):
 Good morning. Nice to see you. I am the representative of Cyprus I want 
to ask: is the voting compulsory?  
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 The voting compulsory? No. The vote is a right and not an obligation. 
 
Yiannis Hadjiarapis (CYP):
 So a federation can vote yes, no, or abstention, and the fourth one is 
blank? 
 

 
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Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Yes 3 possibilities, yes, no and abstention.  
 
Yiannis Hadjiarapis (CYP):
 So the total number of voters is 137? 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Yes. The total number is 137.  
 
Yiannis Hadjiarapis (CYP):
 So if some people do not vote, it is blank? 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez: 
Yes, it is blank.  

 
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12. Elections 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez: 
So we move to the elections. And we will start with the election of the President. 
The election of the President must be effectively held, even with one candidate, because our statutes 
provide that the President, the Executive Committee and the commissions must be elected. You will 
receive a voting slip. Please put a cross in front of the name of the candidate. No zero, no V, it must 
be a cross, as written on the voting slip.  
Twelve federations can vote at the same time since we have twelve voting booths, six on this side, 
and six on the other side. I will request the federations which are placed on my left to go to the voting 
booths which are here. And to the federations which are placed on my right to go to the voting booths 
which are here. Is everything clear?  
As we are a lot of people in the room, when you have finished to vote please take your seat, or if you 
want to have a coffee, please go outside. If everybody is standing and walking, we will no be able to 
see the federations coming to vote. So please, when you have finished to vote, take your seat or if you 
want to take a coffee, please go outside.  
 
The scrutinizers for these elections will be the five presidents of the confederations.  
 
 
President 
 
 
Nathalie Rodriguez: 
We start. Afghanistan. Italy, who votes for Albania. Algeria. Guatemala, who 
votes for Antigua and Barbuda. Argentina and Armenia. Aruba. Australia. Austria. Azerbaijan. Bahrain 
and Bangladesh. You can also move to this voting booth. Barbados. Belgium. Bermuda. You can also 
vote on this side of the room. Uruguay, who votes for Belize. Belarus. Bolivia. Brazil. El Salvador, who 
votes for Bahamas. Bahrain. Brunei. Bulgaria. Burkina Faso. Cambodia. Canada. Chile. China. Ivory 
Coast. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Colombia. Costa Rica. Croatia. Cuba. Cyprus. Czech 
Republic. Denmark. Dominica. Dominican Republic. Ecuador. Egypt. You can also go to the other 
side. Egypt has come? El Salvador. Spain. Estonia. Finland. You can also use the other voting booth. 
France. Gabon. Great Britain. Georgia. Equatorial Guinea. Germany. Greece. Guatemala. Uzbekistan 
who votes for Guam. Guyana. Hong Kong. Costa Rica who votes for Honduras. Hungary. Indonesia. 
Iran. Ireland. Iraq.  
 
Maxim Paramonov (UKR): 
We kindly ask you, for those who don't vote for the moment, or have just 
voted, either to seat down or to leave the room for a coffee break. Please do not stay in the voting 
space please.  
 
Nathalie Rodriguez:
 Iraq came? Ok. Iceland. Israel. Virgin Islands. Italy.  
 
Jamaica. Jordan. Japan. Kazakhstan. Kirgizstan. Korea. You can use both sides to vote. Korea has 
come? Ok. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Kuwait. Latvia. Libya. Lebanon. Lithuania. Luxemburg. Macao. 
Macao has come? Yes. Madagascar. Morocco. Malaysia. Moldova. Mexico. Mongolia. Macedonia. 
Mali. Spain who votes for Malta. Monaco. Mauritius. Mauritania. You can use both sides. Namibia. 
Nicaragua. Netherlands. Nepal. Please, use both sides. Nigeria. Mali who votes for Niger. Norway. 
New Zealand. Panama. Paraguay. Peru. Philippines. Palestine. Poland. Portugal. Virgin Islands, who 
votes for Puerto Rico. Qatar. Romania. South Africa. Russia. Senegal, who votes for Rwanda, and 
Senegal also. Singapore. Sierra Leone. Slovenia. Portugal for San Marino. Serbia. Sri Lanka. 
Switzerland. Slovakia. Sweden. Syria. Thailand. Tajikistan. Turkmenistan. Togo. Taipei. Tunisia. 
Turkey. United Arab Emirates. Ukraine. Uruguay. U.S.A. Uzbekistan. Venezuela. Vietnam. Yemen. 
Were all the federations called? Everybody has been called? Is Yemen here? Please go to the booth. 
All federations were called? Everybody has been called? So the vote is finished. The Presidents of the 
confederations are invited to the tribune please. 
 
Ladies and gentlemen, please come back into the room and take your seats. We will proceed to the 
counting of the votes. Can we have a hand microphone please?  
 

 
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