Dear Members of the Executive Committee and EFC Commissions,
Dear Presidents of the National Fencing Federations of Europe,
Dear Athletes and Coaches,
Dear friends of fencing,
‘I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole’, said Benjamin Disraeli after taking Prime Minister’s office. I confess: on the eve of assuming the office of the President of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) I feel almost the same. The pathway to the FIE presidency was not a bed of roses, and I will face tough job of solving the problems accumulated for many years rather than a series of festive ceremonies.
However the scale of these problems does not intimidate me. In July, 2005 when I was elected the EFC President the situation in the Confederation seemed approximately the same. But we have found the way out together. It inspires and infuses me with hope for success in the new mission.
I am grateful to you for the experience I have gained from these three and a half years of our team work. It was not always easy, but always fascinating. And always to the best advantage. We often debated but each time only for the purpose of finding the true solutions. So that afterwards we altogether, shoulder to shoulder, could master the new challenges in our sport.
I wouldn’t like to overpraise you and me but nevertheless I will mention some important achievements.
We have renewed the schedule of European International Competitions. Now it includes new tournaments, and namely European Cadets Championships and European Under 23 Championships.
We have created considerable prize funds at all significant European tournaments.
We have carried out market researches in several European countries which revealed curious facts and principles regarding fencing development.
We have arranged the referees workshops what allowed us to intensify the exchange of experience between the referees and thus coach them well before the Continental exams. The European referee school is holding its leading positions thus creating high standards for the whole fencing world.
This summer at a Congress in Kiev we have adopted new Statutes of our Confederation. It became possible due to the fact that in our daily practice we managed to form effective democratic mechanisms of our team work. These are the mechanisms which were incorporated in our Statutes.
Finally, all together we did all the best to make the Presidential Program of Address Aid to European National Federations.
On the whole, I am very satisfied with our joint work. We managed not only to preserve one of the most knightly sports but also to give it a strong impetus. Within our responsibility we could do a large sport world a little better, a little loftier and a little stronger. And such sensation is worth much.
From January, 1 I am taking the presidency of the International Fencing Federation. I want to thank from the bottom of my heart everyone who helped me. I want to thank everyone who nominated me for this high position, everyone who believed and supported me. Together, we could explain to the world of fencing that our course of development is the most promising. I hope very much that as the FIE President I will be also able to count on your help.
Let me wish all of you success in the coming new period of the Confederation development. I am sure you will elect a worthy man as the EFC President, a strong and a wise man who I will be able to rely on working in a new capacity. You can still count on me. Soon I will say good-bye to the title of the Head of EFC but I am not going to say good-bye to you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your families!
Try to have a nice rest! After the holidays we all will need energy as we have so much to do in the future! And I am glad to realize that we will still work together.
Thank you for your help and support!
Alisher USMANOV,
the EFC President,
the FIE President-elect
