Fencing body warns over Hong Kong-linked rebel league
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The International Fencing Federation issued an official warning on Thursday after the World Fencing League announced that its 2027 season would start in Hong Kong. The federation said the league is not an official competition and that none of its proposed tournaments has been sanctioned.
Key Points
- In a statement signed by secretary general Gulnora Saidova, the FIE said its statutes bar fencers from unofficial events and allow penalties including international bans.
- The warning came days after the World Fencing League said its 2027 season would open in Hong Kong, sharpening tensions around the new private circuit.
- The dispute could put Saidova at odds with influential figures including FIE vice-president Donald Anthony Jnr and Hong Kong fencing chief Antonio Lam Hin-chung, both backers of the league.
- The league was created by Miles Chamley-Watson, and its inaugural event in Los Angeles in April drew 12 fencers from eight countries and regions.
- Hong Kong fencer Ryan Choi Chun-yin competed in that Los Angeles event, which also featured a number of A-list celebrities.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong, the row matters because the city has been named as the starting point for the league’s 2027 season, placing local athletes and administrators near the centre of a possible split in the sport. Anthony said in July that private leagues could help raise fencing’s visibility if they work with existing bodies, but the FIE’s warning suggests that cooperation is not yet in place.