38-721: The United States Fencing Association ( USFA ) is the national governing body for the sport of fencing in the United States. The USFA was founded in 1891 as the Amateur Fencers League of America (AFLA) by a group of New York fencers seeking independence from the Amateur Athletic Union . The AFLA changed its name to the United States Fencing Association in 1981, and is also known as USA Fencing . The USFA
76-571: A certain group, such as the Catholic or Jewish sports groups. General sports organizations and multi-sport events also exist for other groups such as the Invictus Games for military veterans. Professional sports leagues are usually the highest level of play in sport, specifically if they consist of the best players around the world in a certain sport. Because of this, they usually work with national or international federations, but there
114-499: A congress or general assembly of the international federation and is responsible for defining its sports policies. It consists of all of the national federations, each of which receives one vote. On the other hand, the executive branch, which is often referred to as the council or executive committee, consists of elected members by the legislative branch and is responsible for directing, managing, and representing their federation. Trusts are organizations or groups that have control over
152-540: A group of similar sport disciplines, such as aquatics or skiing ) and administers its sport at the highest level. These federations work to create a common set of rules, promote their sport, and organize international competitions. International sports federations represent their sport at the Olympic level where applicable. About 30 international sport federations are located in Switzerland , with about 20 or so in
190-400: A lawsuit was filed against USA Fencing, alleging that its officials knew that fencing coach Robert Piraino was engaging in sexually abusive behavior, but that the organization failed to act before the fencing coach then sexually abused a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy. In a federal criminal action against him, Piraino pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. In August 2023,
228-571: A men's épée team for the 2024 Olympics. Following a hearing, Curtis has been formally removed from the Pan-American Championships team pending potential further review after the tournament. He will not be eligible to fence at the 2023 Fencing World Championships in Milan, Italy." The statement effectively barred McDowald from competing at the 2023 World Fencing Championships. Sport governing body A sports governing body
266-503: A participant. While we await the conclusion of this protracted investigation, we will continue to put the safety of our athletes, coaches and staff above all else." During the Hadzic scandal, it was disclosed by the press in 2021 that USA Fencing had received a sexual assault complaint about Hadzic by a fellow USA Fencing fencer in 2013, but not acted on it. The lawyer for the complainant had written to former CEO Kris Ekeren in 2013: "How can
304-584: A particular sport, as evident in the example of the Northern Ireland Federation of Sub-Aqua Clubs . Multi-sport event organizers are responsible for the organization of an event that includes more than one sport. The best-known example is the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organizer of the modern Olympic Games . General sports organizations are responsible for sports-related topics, usually for
342-562: A team in the minor leagues . This enables them to shuffle players who are not doing well to the minor leagues, which will inspire them to contribute more to the team by playing better. A 2014 study by the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) criticized major international sports governing bodies including the International Olympic Committee and FIFA for not having sufficient provisions for human and labor rights. Sergey Bida Too Many Requests If you report this error to
380-538: A total of at least six sexual misconduct complaints, including rape, had been filed against Hadzic. USA Fencing stated in 2022: "We understand that many in the USA Fencing community will question Alen Hadzic’s inclusion on our 2022 Senior World Team, given that he is still under investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport — an independent body separate from USA Fencing. We had hoped for a swifter resolution to this investigation, which has now stretched on for more than
418-531: A type of national federation, as they are responsible for a country's participation in the Olympic Games and in the Paralympic Games respectively. However, a national governing body (NGB) can be different from a national federation due to government recognition requirements. Also, national governing bodies can be a supraorganization representing a range of unrelated organizations operating in
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#1732772215351456-498: A year. We share in the frustration of fencers and fencing fans… SafeSport has the exclusive authority to adjudicate reports of alleged sexual abuse and sexual misconduct. As long as the outcome of this investigation remains unresolved, USA Fencing is obligated to allow Hadzic to compete internationally. But we have taken decisive action where we can. For the past year, we have implemented a safety plan designed to protect athletes, coaches and staff at all tournaments at which Hadzic has been
494-402: Is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sports governing bodies come in various forms and have a variety of regulatory functions, including disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport that they govern. Governing bodies have different scopes. They may cover a range of sport at an internationally acceptable level, such as
532-755: Is located in the Museum of American Fencing in Shreveport, Louisiana . It was founded as the National Fencing Coaches Association Hall of Fame on February 15, 1963, and was previously located at Helms Sports Hall of Fame, founded in 1936 in Los Angeles, California. No one was inducted into the Fencing Hall of Fame during the years 1975–1994, due to physical moves and organizational changes, including its takeover by
570-431: Is possible for a U-rated fencer to jump immediately to an A rating by finishing high enough in a significantly strong competition. A tournament must have a certain number of competitors, and those competitors must maintain a certain ratio of classifications, for the top fencers to be eligible for ratings. The United States Fencing Hall of Fame (or "U.S. Fencing Association Hall of Fame") is a hall of fame for fencers. It
608-619: Is the daughter of Stanislav Pozdnyakov , the president of the Russian Olympic Committee , himself a former fencer and four-time Olympic gold medalist. Ukrainian saber fencer Darii Lukashenko and Lokhanov embraced and held the Ukrainian flag together to express their support for Ukrainians during the Russian invasion. Russian Olympic silver medalist Sergey Bida , who had also left Russia for the United States as he opposed
646-494: Is usually a separation between the different federations. Most North American professional leagues usually do not have amateur divisions, as the amateur divisions are mostly run in separate leagues. Also, most professional leagues are related to other leagues, as players usually attempt to play in the league with the highest level of play. Because of this, promotion and relegation can occur; or, in league systems without promotion and relegation, clubs in professional leagues can have
684-662: The Amateur Athletic Foundation . Through September 2021, US fencers had won 33 Olympic medals and 38 World Championships medals. Two-time Olympian Nzingha Prescod was elected as an athlete director on the USA Fencing Board of Directors beginning on January 1, 2021, as the top vote-getter in a vote by athletes who represented the U.S. at the Olympics or Paralympics, Pan American Games, or Senior World Championships. Prescod stated that in 2020
722-564: The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee , or only a single sport at a national level, such as the Rugby Football League . National bodies will largely have to be affiliated with international bodies for the same sport. The first international federations were formed at the end of the 19th century. Every sport has a different governing body that can define
760-622: The Lausanne area, where the International Olympic Committee is located. International federations for sports that do not participate in the Olympic Games are managed by equivalent organizations to the International Olympic Committee , such as the SportAccord . International federations are typically organized with legislative and executive branches at the top. The legislative body is usually referred to as
798-683: The World Fencing Federation (FIE) forced Team USA athletes competing at the South Korea Grand Prix to remove ribbons featuring the colors of the Ukrainian flag from their hands. Ukrainian Olympic champion Olha Kharlan fiercely protested FIE's decision. Ukrainian born-American fencing coach Yury Gelman said that the FIE was the most corrupt federation in the world. In 2023, USA Fencing granted Russians living in
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#1732772215351836-555: The 2-digit year allows for more precise seeding of the fencers in a competition. A fencer with a rating of B23 will be seeded higher than one with a rating of B22 or B21. A B-rated fencer is always seeded above a C or lower rated fencer regardless of whether the B rating was earned before the C or lower ratings. That is, a B20 fencer is seeded higher than a D23 fencer. Fencers may increase their classification—from U to E, and then up to A—by placing in USFA-sanctioned tournaments. It
874-511: The International Fencing Federation (FIE) Extraordinary Congress. Athletes from those two countries had been suspended a year earlier after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine . Despite USA Fencing's advocacy, more than 60% of nations affiliated with the FIE voted to reinstate fencers and officials from Russia and Belarus and allow them to compete in international fencing competitions. USA Fencing stated that it
912-470: The USFA those being U (the lowest rating), E, D, C, B, A (the highest rating). The letter rating is further modified by a 2-digit number representing the year (23 for the year, 2023) in which the fencer earned that letter rating. If the fencer does not re-earn or earn a higher letter rating within 4 years, the letter rating will drop to the next lower rating and the year resets to the year the drop occurred. Having
950-761: The United States Fencing Association in 1981. It was incorporated in Colorado in 1993 in compliance with the Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. The organization opened its national office at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1982. The national office subsequently moved from the Olympic Training Center to downtown Colorado Springs in 2002. On March 10, 2023, USA Fencing announced it would vote against reinstating Russian and Belarusian athletes during
988-848: The United States the right to compete in American competitions, if they sign a declaration against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On the Fourth of July weekend in 2023, Russian Olympian Konstantin Lokhanov , who had moved to the United States as he opposed the war, won the gold medal in the individual men’s saber competition at the United States Summer National Championships, in which 155 competitors competed. Lokhanov had also been married to Russian Olympic gold medal-winning fencer Sofia Pozdniakova until they divorced because of political differences. Pozdniakova
1026-485: The [SafeSport] Code, or at a facility under the exclusive jurisdiction of the same." In December 2023, SafeSport’s decision to permanently ban Hadzic was upheld on appeal, ensuring that he will never again allowed to compete in U.S. fencing competitions. USA Fencing issued a statement saying that the decision: "should serve as a stern warning to everyone that conduct that is threatening, harmful or inappropriate toward anyone in our sport will not be tolerated." In August 2022,
1064-434: The [US Fencing Association], in good conscience, claim its hands are tied and permit the participation of a known rapist into its athletic midst?" However, Ekeren did not respond further to the lawyer, and the letters were not made public for eight years. In the wake of that disclosure, USA Fencing's Executive Director/CEO Kris Ekeren and General Counsel Jim Neale both resigned. In June 2023, due to his sexual misconduct Hadzic
1102-458: The allegations made by the three women against Hadzic "for years," but until the Olympics had never put a restriction in place for Hadzic while he competed all over the world with USA Fencing teams. Hadzic sought to overturn the restriction in arbitration, without success. He had previously been suspended by Columbia University for a year for sexual misconduct, as a result of the findings of a Title IX investigation of his behavior. By October 2021,
1140-468: The invasion, won a gold medal in the team men’s épée competition National Championships, in which 60 men's épée teams competed. The USFA tracks ratings for its members. Ratings are a system of classification for USFA fencers; they are primarily used to seed tournaments, but are also considered to be (very) broad indicators of skill. When a fencer first joins the USFA, he or she will have a classification of "U", or "Unrated." There are six different ratings in
1178-470: The judge dismissed some of the claims against USA Fencing. In June 2023, USA Today reported that fencer Curtis McDowald through his misbehavior at the 2023 Pan American Fencing Championships may have severely damaged the opportunity of his entire Team USA men's épée squad to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics . USA Fencing released a statement saying: "We are disappointed by Curtis's actions and regret that they have harmed Team USA's chances of fielding
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1216-477: The money that will be used to help someone else, such as the Youth Sport Trust . National governing bodies have the same objectives as those of an international federation, but within the scope of one country, or even part of a country, as the name implies. They support local clubs and are often responsible for national teams . National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees are both
1254-760: The organization's disciplinary decisions "reeked of lenience and favorability for the offender." In 2021, fencer Alen Hadzic was the subject of rape and other sexual misconduct allegations. The findings of an initial investigation of the accusations led to him being temporarily suspended. On appeal, an arbitrator reduced the temporary sanctions against him, and he was permitted to go to the Tokyo Olympics as an alternate, although he ended up not competing. At that point, his Team USA teammates expressed concerns for their safety and well-being in his presence. USA Fencing therefore prohibited him from staying at his teammates' hotel. Hadzic's lawyer said USA Fencing had known of
1292-399: The way that the sport operates through its affiliated clubs and societies. This is because sports have different levels of difficulty and skill, so they can try to organize the people playing their sport by ability and by age. The different types of sport governing bodies are all shown below: International sports federations are non-governmental non-profit organizations for a given sport (or
1330-430: Was "disappointed, frustrated and disturbed — though not all that surprised — at the outcome of today’s vote" and that "today’s 'yes' vote by more than 80 delegates, while not a direct endorsement of Russia's war, does send a message to the world that a majority of the international fencing community is ready to look the other way and welcome back fencers funded by and supported by the Russian government." On March 17, 2023,
1368-645: Was hired in 1983. The USFA is affiliated with the FIE , the international federation for fencing founded in Paris in 1913. The organization was founded on April 22, 1891, in New York City, initially as the Amateur Fencers League of America (AFLA). Graeme Hammond was its first president, from 1891 to 1925. The AFLA was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in Pennsylvania in 1964, and changed its name to
1406-639: Was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in Pennsylvania in 1964 and in Colorado in 1993, in compliance with the Olympic and Amateur Sports Act . It opened its national office at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado in August 1982. The national office moved from the Olympic Training Center to downtown Colorado Springs in 2002. The USFA's first full-time Executive Director
1444-617: Was permanently banned by SafeSport, which also imposed no-contact directives upon him. His ban prohibits him from participating "in any capacity, in any event, program, activity, or competition authorized by, organized by, or under the auspices of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), the National Governing Bodies recognized by the USOPC, a Local Affiliated Organization as defined by
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