Gennady Tyshler Summarizes the Olympic Selection Competitions in Africa
 Gennady Tyshler, Vice-President of the International Charity Fund "For the Future of Fencing", the representative of the Fund in Africa summarizes the selection competitions among African athletes to the Olympic Games in Beijing:
- the Games in Beijing will be attended by four African teams. The national team of Tunisia will participate in foil competitions, the team of Egypt - in sabre tournament for men and two teams Republic of South Africa - in sabre and epee tournaments. Together with fencers from those countries, the athletes from Algeria, Senegal and Morocco will take part in individual competitions.
For many years you are working as a coach in Republic of South Africa. What can you say about fencing development in that country?
- In the Republic of South Africa fencing development started after the Russian coaches came to the country. Prior to that, fencing has been relatively popular in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, former French colonies. As early as in 2000, an athlete from the Republic of South Africa has won the right to be delegated to the Olympic Games in Sydney, but the National Olympic Committee of Africa decided to restrain from sending him there. In 2004, the participation in Athens was won by our national women’s team in epee. However, the true development of fencing, not only in Republic of South Africa, but in other African countries as well, was urged only due to the support from the International Charity Fund "For the Future of Fencing”. I was appointed to the position of the Fund Vice President in African countries. The Fund, established by Alisher Usmanov, the well-known sabre fencer, provides assistance to many national fencing federations. Thus, by our efforts there were recently established fencing federations in Botswana and Namibia, which were officially admitted to membership in the International Fencing Federation. The Fund provides not only material assistance to the countries, which are starting to develop our kind of sports. We also publish manuals in hard copies and electronic formats, which contain a lot of information on proper organization of federations’ activities, training process, preparations for competitions and many other things necessary in the work of coaches and to their trainees.
- In the Republic of South Africa fencing development started after the Russian coaches came to the country. Prior to that, fencing has been relatively popular in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, former French colonies. As early as in 2000, an athlete from the Republic of South Africa has won the right to be delegated to the Olympic Games in Sydney, but the National Olympic Committee of Africa decided to restrain from sending him there. In 2004, the participation in Athens was won by our national women’s team in epee. However, the true development of fencing, not only in Republic of South Africa, but in other African countries as well, was urged only due to the support from the International Charity Fund "For the Future of Fencing”. I was appointed to the position of the Fund Vice President in African countries. The Fund, established by Alisher Usmanov, the well-known sabre fencer, provides assistance to many national fencing federations. Thus, by our efforts there were recently established fencing federations in Botswana and Namibia, which were officially admitted to membership in the International Fencing Federation. The Fund provides not only material assistance to the countries, which are starting to develop our kind of sports. We also publish manuals in hard copies and electronic formats, which contain a lot of information on proper organization of federations’ activities, training process, preparations for competitions and many other things necessary in the work of coaches and to their trainees.
But let us return to selection competitions to Beijing Olympics. How do you assess the fact, that two teams from Republic of South Africa are selected?
- We were planning, that the teams of women fencers in sabre and men in epee should win the right to go to Beijing. But sport is sport, and one could never guess the result till the very end of competitions, so we had to work a lot. I am glad that my colleagues’ and my efforts were not lost in vain. It is all the more pleasant, that South African teams are selected to the Olympics, as the Fund "For the Future of Fencing” mission and the African Fencing Centre, established with the support of the Fund, are located in Johannesburg, the capital of the Republic of South Africa. Recently we have received an official confirmation from the National Olympic Committee on those two teams selection to Beijing Olympics. I believe, this fact will contribute to our sport promotion, and after Beijing Olympics fencing will become even more popular in South Africa.
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