Global fencing body ends Kenya tour amid recognition bid

International Fencing Federation (FIE) officials concluded their three-day visit to the country on Wednesday by lauding the strides made by the local body in their aspirations to gain global status.

The duo of Pascal Tesch from Luxembourg and Georgio Scarso from Italy admitted the Kenya Fencing Federation (KFF), which recently got affiliated by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK), has made tremendous steps in making the Olympic sport popular in the country.

“We were able to go to the fencers and had healthy a chat with them, talked about their enthusiasm in the game and their desire to play international matches,” said Tesch whom is also the president of the sport in his country. 

“Basically our trip here was more of fact finding and see how far the sport is in Kenya, we have to take the report back to Switzerland, hopeful Kenyan will be one of our members very soon,” added Tesch after a visit to the NOCK offices on Tuesday where they met acting secretary Francis Muthuku.

Muthuku said NOCK is happy to welcome Fencing to the umbrella body promising to help the young federation to settle in well while remaining hopeful they will be ready for 2024 Olympics.

“Going by the rigorous qualifiers for next year’s Olympics, I don’t think the fencing has enough time to prepare and qualify for Tokyo, however the progress is encouraging and therefore we can only hope for better things to come,” said secretary general. 

Prior to the recent affiliation, KFF president Fred Chege had said failure by the country’s Olympic body to grant the local body affiliation had seriously affected its recognition by the (FIE).