Alisher Usmanov is Working for Perspective

From 9 to 11 May, for the first time in the history of fencing, the European championship will be held in the Italian city of Monza for the athletes under the age of 23 years.

The initiator of the European Championship for that age group is Alisher Usmanov, the President of the European Fencing Confederation.  This decision is urged by the fact, that the athletes, who have ceased to participate in international junior competitions at 20 years, have a chance to improve their professional skills only in domestic competitions with rare exceptions. The path from the Junior team to the National one is stretched to many athletes for several years. Without an opportunity to acquire international experience, many talented young athletes turn into losers. As a result of the first failures at the adult tournaments, they can lose confidence and even willingness to be engaged in their favorite sport.

Alisher Burkhanovich well remembers the time, when his colleague in weapons, sabre fencer Viktor Krovopuskov, who had won a brilliant victory in the World Junior Championship in 1968,  has managed to get an opportunity to participate in the Russian National team and to go the World Cup only in 1073.   However, Peter Rensky, another sabre fencer, who has participated in three Junior championship and became the bronze winner in 1968 and took the top positions at the victory podium in 1969 and 1970, has failed to join the National team and ensheathed his weapon.

 
There are many such examples in the history of European fencing, as the best athlets of the world live in Europe, and competition for participation in the national team of the countries is acute.  Suffice it to say that at recent Olympic Games in Athens 27 out of 30 medals were won by European athletes, 2 medals by representatives of China, 1 – by the USA fencer.

The first Junior European Championship is one more step of the President of the European Fencing Confederation, addressed at further enhancement of fencing level on the continent.  I would like to remind you that Mr. Usmanov was the initiator of the European Championship among cadets and juniors, held with the support of the International Charity Fund "for the Future of fencing", established by Alisher Burkhanovich, as well as Fencing centers in Prague and Leipzig.