This news came as no surprise for those who were close enough to Frantisek Janda. A strong epee-fencer, after abandoning his sports career, became a top-class referee, and then managed to become a judge of the FIE. For eight years he had been a member of the FIE Promotion and Publicity Commission, and at the last Congress he was elected as its President, and got more votes than any other candidate for the places in the Commissions. He was a frequent observant at the World Cup events.

Four years ago Mr. Janda was also elected as a member of the EFC Promotion and Publicity Commission and a member of the Board of the “For Future of Fencing” Fund, established by Alisher Usmanov. Using the assets of the Fund, he set up “Prague-Letnany” Center for the training of the fencers, and in this Center he annually organized at least two full-scale training camps for the fencers from “small” European countries. Though, the athletes from Germany, Italy and other countries – leaders of the world fencing – were also glad to attend these trainings. He was the Head of the Organizing Committee of the European Junior Championships, which took place in Prague in 2007.

All the above-mentioned makes it clear that Frantisek is an action-oriented and energetic person. This is also true about his “out-of-fencing” life, he owned a film studio, created advertizing films and even became a millionaire (and at the same time – the sponsor of the Czech Fencing Federation). But several years ago he sold his business and started from the scratch to devote all his time and efforts to fencing, which he had been fond of since early childhood.

Mr. Janda got a University degree in Diplomacy; he speaks German, Russian and English. He has wide connections in international organizations and European Union structures, which is not surprising at all, given that he comes from a family of career diplomats, and his brother still works in the UN. The only surprising fact is that on July 5, just a week before the EFC Congress, during which the elections of the President will be held, Frantisek celebrated only his 42nd anniversary.

We talked to the main Czech fencer, who wants to become the main fencer in Europe, three times, and each time Frantisek told us something new about his future plans. Finally we managed to make a clear picture out of many-coloured mosaic of various minor and major ideas, which he was literally spouting, and prepared this interview.

ON THE ROLE AND PLACE OF THE EFC IN THE WORLD FENCING

- An impressive list of advantages and achievements is a required condition for a candidate to pretend to the office of the President of the EFC and have a solid chance for success. But is it enough? Do you think the fact that the Czech Fencing Federation is not among the influential ones will impede your election?

- Not at all! answered Frantisek emotionally, which is so natural of him. – Czech fencing gained influence on the international scene as early as in 70s-80s of the XX century. Suffice it to mention such names as Katarina Racova, Jaroslav Jurka and Oldrich Kubista. But it is not the most important thing. Being a member of the “small” Federation may even promote my election to the office of the President. Firstly, it will be a guarantee against the hegemony of one or several largest Federations. Secondly, it will harmonize the relationships both among separate countries and different groups of countries, being members of the Confederation. Thirdly, it will make possible to iron out the differences successfully and coordinate particular interests. And finally, it will make possible to build up relations with the FIE on a crucially new basis, to overcome the logics of confrontation, which sooner or later became the guiding point for almost all the Presidents of the EFC, that, as a rule, represented large National Federations.

- Why did it happen?

- Under these circumstances the confrontation was inevitable. During the last 15 years, the EFC in one way or another opposed the policy of the FIE ex-President Rene Roch, aimed at rendering of all possible assistance to the National Federations of America, Asia and Africa to the prejudice of European Federations. This policy gained its objects – the positions of Europe were lost to a great extent. Top places, which Europeans used to take in major competitions, did not comply with the insignificant role they played in taking decisions on the FIE level. Due to this reason the confrontation logics inevitably reproduced itself, and the confrontation with the FIE became a cornerstone of the policy of almost all top executives of the EFC. But nowadays, when Alisher Usmanov acts as the President of the FIE, this confrontation became absolutely aimless.

- Why are you so sure of that?

- First of all, Mr. Usmanov was the President of the EFC not so long ago, and he knows and remembers our problems not by hearsay. This creates a unique possibility of the dialogue and progressive regain of the lost positions. Mr. Usmanov realizes that it will be easier to achieve the goals he has set not in confrontation, but in the course of constructive interaction with the EFC Governing Bodies. Particularly has appeared a solid base for such interaction – the program of Confederations development, initiated by the FIE President. This year the amount of 1.7 million CHF was allocated for the realization of this program, and in 2010 it is planned to allocate about 2.4 million CHF. A considerable part of these assets will be received by the European Confederation.

ON THE PROGRAM OF CONFEDERATIONS DEVELOPMENT

- Does Mr. Usmanov’s money radically change the situation in the world of fencing?

- Yes, radically. When he became the President, the FIE budget increased ten times! Those 50–60 million US Dollars, which Mr. Usmanov promised to attract to our sport within the next four years, must change completely our vision of the sport. Fencing used to be considered not a rich sport, today it seems to find its gold mine.

Under these conditions it is important to pay special attention to the interests of fencers, but not numerous functionaries as it usually happens in budget organizations. The athletes, coaches and judges must be the first to experience the increase of the funds allocated to fencing. They should fence in more spacious and comfortable gyms, live in more comfortable hotels, get more prize money. National Federations, Zonal Confederations are just the instruments for the achievement of these goals.

- Don’t you think that in the vertically integrated structure “International Federation – Zonal Confederations – National Federations”, which is built up by the FIE Governing Bodies, the Confederations play a role just of an intermedium?

- Yes, but of a very important intermedium. It cannot be otherwise if it relates to the program of Confederations development. As the funds, which the FIE allocates within the frameworks of this program, are meant, first of all, for the aid to the National Federations. The task of Confederations is to take into account their needs to the maximum, and distribute the allocated funds in such a way that nobody can doubt the fairness of such distribution.

- Which principles will this process be founded on?

- To distribute the allocated funds in the best possible way, we should take into account a number of factors. But the most essential one is the degree of impact of the world financial crisis on these or those Confederations, this or that group of countries.

- And you will still have to choose the one to be the first to get your support…

- It seems rather simple: first we should help those Federations, which are on the verge of financial collapse. But it’s not so. Can we wait for such a catastrophic outcome? Of course, not! If we do not want to let the fencing level decrease and intend to preserve the present variety of forms of its existence on the continent, then we have to take some preventive measures. It means we should develop a program, which will be efficient for all units. I would call such program a “program of European solidarity”.

At first this task does not seem feasible, given the amount of funds, which is planned to be allocated by the FIE. But if we consider this problem from another angle, we will be able to find a rational decision. This approach is based on the rendering of assistance to the overwhelming majority of European Fencing Federations during the crisis period, but to allocate the funds only to the “growing-points”, i.e. to those weapons and disciplines, which showed the ability to survive and develop within the last decade. In other words it is necessary to get to the heart of the problem in each country and develop special assistance programs, which envisage pointed financing, strictly localized in time and space. If there is one weapon, which is successfully developing, it is necessary to support this weapon; if there is one relatively successful discipline, it is necessary to support this discipline. We do not want Estonian epee-fencing to decline? Then within the next year and a half – two years we have to support this kind of fencing in Estonia. Do we care about the future of fencing in Hungary? Then we should find means to render support to the Hungarian Fencing Federation in the most difficult period of the financial crisis. And so on.

- I will continue: “Do we want to preserve Czech men’s epee-fencing? We have to support the Czech Federation to develop this weapon!” Anyway, your Federation is one of those that are hard set …

- Don’t you want to say that I run for the presidency to guarantee the support of Mr. Usmanov to the Czech Republic? (Laughing). I am ready to guarantee the support and its fair distribution not only to the Czech Republic, but also to all those who need it. Of course, providing that in “rich” years the claimants to the support showed their ability to develop, grow, expand, at least, on the European scene.

- Could you, please, classify 44 Federations, being the members of the European Fencing Federation, according to this criterion?

- To the group of leaders, a kind of Premier-League, I would refer Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. These countries develop all kinds of weapons and all disciplines, both men’s and women’s. Fencers, representing these Federations, “occupy” the pedestals in all major competitions and rarely are joined by the athletes, representing other 37 European Federations.

The second group includes those countries, in which our kind of sport keeps old traditions, the fencing infrastructure is rather well-developed, and athletes from time to time take top places in major competitions. However, some disciplines in these countries are underdeveloped. This group includes, for example, Romania, Spain and Great Britain.

The next group is so-called small countries: Switzerland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Estonia and others. The Federations of these countries have a developed system of training of top-class fencers, achieved certain results on the international scene, however, traditionally, because of the financial situation or their small size, specialize in one weapon.

The fourth group consists of Federations that achieved modest results on the international scene, but doing their best to develop at least several disciplines or weapons. This group comprises those countries, which only start progressing in fencing, for example, Serbia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia and Moldova, and more developed, but also lacking serious material and financial resources: Iceland, Bulgaria and some others.

And finally, the last position of my classification is held by a group of four Federations, which exist as Federations, but do not develop this sport in practice. These are Malta, San-Marino, Monaco and Cyprus.

- Based upon this classification, may we conclude that the countries of the first and the last groups should be supported after all the others?

- No, it not true. The breath of crisis was felt by practically every Federation. Such countries of the “Premier-League” as Hungary, Poland and Ukraine, within the last five-ten years, successfully attracted the sponsors’ funds and virtually did not need the support. But today even they experience serious financial difficulties. The crisis dished all their schemes.

Speaking about European dwarfs – Malta, San-Marino, Monaco and Cyprus, I think that the EFC should promote the development of fencing in these countries by means of organization of seminars for coaches, rendering assistance in coaches training, payment of expenses on the participation in other “developing” events. These Federations must become not only competent, but also full-fledged members of the European fencing family.

- Besides the “program of European solidarity”, what are the other top-priority goals for the funds, which will be received by the EFC?

- A part of these funds will be allocated to the satisfaction of the essential needs of the Federations, which will decide by themselves what to spend this money on. Another priority area is the allocation of considerable sums of money to the organizers of major competitions. They need extra funds to make these competitions a holiday for the participants and spectators. The task of not less importance is the formation of prize funds, meant to make fencing more prestigious in the eyes of its supporters. In the end to the top-priority list I would refer the program, which is similar to the “program of European solidarity” and can be called the “program of Olympic solidarity”. The core of this program is to organize the fencing competitions of 2012 Olympic Games better than they were organized in Beijing, as the prestige of the European fencing depends on that. During Junior and Cadet World Championships in Belfast I met Keith Smith, the President of British Fencing Association, and discussed this issue with him, and he showed great interest in such program. It may involve, for example, regular consultations and practical assistance in all the aspects of the holding of the Olympic competitions on the part of the leading European specialists. It has been long time since London held the fencing competitions of such level and scale – that is why the British Association may count upon the support of the EFC.

ABOUT THE ATTRACTION OF EXTRA-BUDGETARY RESOURCES TO THE EFC BUDGET

- You made an impressive list of expenses. But Mr. Usmanov may not have enough money to cover all of them. Have you ever thought about the attraction of extra-budgetary resources?

- Certainly, I have. And I know where I can get them.

- Can you open a secret - in what way you are going to increase the EFC funds?

- It is not a secret. I mean, first of all, the attraction of funds of different Pan-European and International Organizations. For instance, twenty former fencers sit in the European Parliament. I am going to meet them, and, having their support, to get a line concerning the allocation of funds for the EFC added to the budget item of the European Union. I will also try to attract to fencing the funds of European Regional Organizations – such as Vyshegrad Group, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, and Scandinavian Council, which unites Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland.

Under certain conditions all these structures may allocate considerable amounts of money for the development of fencing, including the holding of various competitions. The volume of these assets may amount to one million Euros a year.

THE MAIN TASK IS TO FORM EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

- What tasks will you set for the COMEX and EFC Commissions if you are elected as the President?

- As a matter of fact there is only one task, i.e. to form efficient intercommunication between different groups of fencing community – between the EFC and National Federations, between the EFC and other zonal confederations. This effective interaction implies the availability of the effective communications system. This is the goal where our main efforts must be aimed.

As an example, to enable the EFC governing bodies to take decisions, based on real interests of real fencers, we will set up a council of national teams chief coaches, which is most likely to meet during the Continent championships. I would like this council to be presided by Stanislav Pozdniakov, the greatest contemporary saber fencer and currently the State Coach of the Russian national team. Indeed, no one knows the problems of our sport deeper and no one faces these problems closer as the chief coaches of the national teams do. They are those people who I expect to give the most valuable proposals on the ways to improve general situation in the European fencing – on what changes in the rules we must fight for; how to optimize the calendar of international competitions. It cannot be tolerated that the athletes and their coaches travel endlessly all over the world voyaging long hours from one continent to another! However there are quite enough offers on the calendar improvements but they all lack understanding of work-out sessions approaches. This is the problem where chief coaches can help us!

The EFC governing body will also be interested in the opinion of the Council on various technical innovations as well. I am sure that if we had such council with the International Federation, the FIE would not take such an absurd decision of binding foilsmen to use the electric chin shield, making the equipment more expensive and decreasing the degree of atheltes’ safety. This example is a good illustration of another problem. It is rooted in the fact that such decisions must not be influenced by lobbyists of companies manufacturing or trading in fencing equipment and weapons. All decisions are to be expertized by the council of chief coaches as well as by the top ranking fencers and their coaches as only they can evaluate the influence of technical innovations on our sport development best. The main thing is that manufacturers must work for athletes rather than athletes must work for prosperity of the manufacturers.

We must also shift the stress in the relations between the athletes, coaches and referees likewise. “Referees for fencers rather than fencers for referees” – that is the concept which we must strive for. Today there is a real abyss between the fencers’ and referees’ worlds, and we need deep reforms to bridge this abyss.

First of all, I am going to advance the initiative of reforming the refereeing system of Senior World Championships, Junior and Cadet World Championships and European Championships. The referees judging in the championships must have more comfortable conditions for their work: they must referee less and rest more, as they get very tired closer to the middle of the team competitions. It implies that the number of the referees, serving tournaments of such rank, must increase. It is important not to let inexperienced and beginner referees work in such competitions. They are to be examined at the tournaments of lower level before starting refereeing in the largest competitions. Athletes and their coaches have a right to know in advance who will referee these or those duels and who will play the role of a monitor referee. We must eradicate the practice of appointing referees immediately before the World and European Championships and approve of the referees’ list for these competitions before the start of the season. It will give opportunities to check their competence degree during less responsible competitions as well as to make relevant conclusions. For example, we’ll get an opportunity to delete some of them from the original list or to demand them to improve their skills. I would like to emphasize once again: fencers and their coaches must be sure that the referees’ community will exclude unqualified referees from the top rank competitions. One must deserve the right to referee at such contests.

Secondly, the whole system of referees’ advanced training must be upgraded. The procedure of referees’ seminars is to be changed in such a way that they include not only the theoretical classes with the video recorder but also true practical classes. Taking into account the fact that the overwhelming majority of leading fencers and highly skilled referees live in Europe, the whole fencing world would only benefit if the judges from other Zonal Confederations will take part in the seminars on our Continent. Such seminars may be organized, for example, before the start of the European Championships so that their best graduates could be invited for refereeing at the tournament.

We must think over all these questions carefully and appropriate the necessary money for their solution. The aim is to achieve more professional and qualified system. Only in this case athletes will trust referees.

- Let’s speak about the interaction between the EFC Executives and National Federations.

- There is no need to reinvent the wheel here. The European Confederation has to act as a mediator, intermediary, coordinator in relation to the national federations. However, to be effective in these capacity, new EFC executives should work for more confidential relations with the national federations governing bodies. Only in this case the information on problems of different groups of the European fencing community will reach us via current communication channels without delays and distortions.

- What do you mean by speaking about the interaction with the presidents of other zonal confederations?

- I speak about bilateral and multilateral meetings dedicated to discussion of crucial issues on the fencing agenda. For example, the problem of indices of Zonal Championships taken into account in the World Cup and affecting the athletes and national teams rating on weapons considerably has needed discussion since long ago. Is it fair that the victory in the European Championships with participation of 200 fencers from 33 countries gives the same quantity of security points as the victory in the African Championships, where 45 athletes from 9 countries compete? No, it is not fair! It’s time to stop this malpractice. As well as we must stop the practice of preferences to such countries as China, South Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan, the USA and Canada, which, for some reason, are still referred to as the “developing” ones and get a handicap not only during the try-out for the Olympics. I am convinced that it’s the right time for drastic changes in the conventional concepts of dividing fencing into the developed and developing worlds. The border between these worlds by no means runs across the external boundaries of Europe! Moreover the circumstances changed long ago but the former FIE executives have responded to these changes in no way.

We can give a lot of other examples, but the scheme is clear. And, although all these issues are under FIE competence, the Confederations’ presidents might meet and try to agree on certain decisions without waiting for the verdict from the International Federation, basing on the principles of “fair play”. The FIE COMEX would only have to recognize them as fencing “laws”.

I must make an important remark. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that as the EFC President I will do my best to reach consensus on all key issues between our organization members to act on behalf of all Europe when contacting with the “outer world”. Exactly so, in no other way! As the EFC President I’ll endeavour to represent all 44 European national federations rather than me personally or a group of countries dominating in the Confederation. I am convinced that we will be able to reach the set goals only if we fight as a unified front.

ABOUT DISTRIBUTION OF ROLES AMONG THE EFC GOVERNING BODIES

- To get a comprehensive idea of your programme we need to receive an answer on an important question. How will you distribute the roles between the EFC governing bodies? Please, do not hide behind the wordings from the EFC Statutes…

- All right, I'll try to do without the legal jargon. The president’s competence involves strategy development and management of its implementation. If we have believed that fencing is facing the need to be reformed – who must lead these changes? It goes without saying that Europe is a continent which organizes and holds about 80 per cent of all top rank competitions; the representatives of which win more than 75 per cent of medals of the World Championships and the Olympics. This is the reason why the president and newly elected members of the COMEX should arrange discussion on the ways and methods of world fencing reformation. The results of this discussion will help us to formulate and send proposals on further development of our sport for the FIE consideration. Moreover this discussion must be organized to let these results reflect agreement between the maximum quantity of opinions and be put into perfect legal wording. It also concerns proposals on making changes in the competition rules to be considered at the November FIE Congress in Palermo.

However the above mentioned does not imply that the COMEX is to become a “Sanhedrim” with the President, as it is currently observed. It must be a body executing the tasks in fact. Because “COMEX” means “Executive Committee”. It is “executive” precisely and in no other way! It means that the COMEX members must deal not only with the decisions preparing and taking, but also with their execution. That is why it should include those people who have free time to perform functions of managers or, at least, coordinators of various projects. There are quite many such people among the European fencers, including those who are quite young. The Hungarian Federation, where they have been practicing the promotion of eminent athletes, who just finished their sports career, to high positions in the FIE and EFC for a long time, may serve as a good example.

As for Commissions the situation here is very simple: these are the operating bodies which are to prepare recommendations for the president and the executive committee on all issues within their competence.

Besides to carry out normal and regular work I will need a small office which could be located in Prague.

ABOUT THE WEB-SITE, LIBRARY, PRESS-SERVICE AND FENCING MUSEUM

- What other new developments can the European Confederation expect in case of your election as the President?

- I cannot imagine the work of the Confederation without a bright, colourful web-site filled with wide-range information. The EFC new site meets all these requirements. Immediately after the elections it must be given the official status, and the old site is to be closed.

Due to the appearance of a high quality site we come across a problem of its filling in with the high quality content. No press attaché or no web-master will cope with it that is why we must create a press-service within the Confederation which will edit the site in parallel.

I am also going to order professional translation of FIE and ECF statutes and rules of competitions into majority of the European languages, and in the long run – translation into the languages of all Confederation member-countries. These translations are to be put on the new EFC site to enable the representatives of the Confederation member-countries to use these important documents in their native language at any time. It will facilitate understanding between them.

I also plan to found a fencing library, both regular and electronic one. The regular library must comprise books, manuals, booklets and brochures on fencing which have been published in Europe for the last 50-60 years. It will be wonderful if we manage to find even older editions. The e-library will store scanned versions of these editions as well as score-sheets of the most important competitions held under the ECF aegis. After the library is created we can think about the organization of the fencing museum.

ABOUT THE WORK IN THE FIE PROMOTION COMMISSION

- Will you be able to combine the EFC management with the FIE Promotion and Publicity Commission management?

- Yes, I will. I’ve always wanted to get into this Commission and the President’s duties are of great importance for me. Because promotion or, it’s better to say, publicity of fencing is claimed by Alisher Usmanov as one of the main FIE tasks. I’ve gained quite a lot of ideas through the eight years of work which were not implemented yet. And now with Mr. Usmanov as the FIE President we have got a chance to realize them.

- And to stay on message, will you, please, name two-three particular events for fencing promotion, which are regarded vital by you?

- First of all, I believe fencing competitions must be not only competitions but they should be turned into the events belonging to cultural life of every particular country. We must work to make them more aesthetic, because fencing is a fusion of sport and art rather than plain sport. For example, we need a new design for transparent masks.

Secondly, fencing must become an element of the lifestyle. Veterans’ fencing, whose role in “elite” fencing publicity remains underestimated, will assist us in achieving this goal. To make veterans’ competitions more attractive for fans and journalists, as many World and Olympic Champions and prize-winners as possible should take part in such tournaments.

Thirdly, I am going to insist on arrangement of live broadcasts from six most relevant fencing events of the year: European and World Championships, Junior and Cadet World Championships, European Junior Championships as well as two most representative World Cup events. Besides we must raise the money for four 15-munites Fencing Diary programmes a year on Eurosport TV Channel. And even if it costs a lot there is no other way out.

- Would it be better to focus the efforts and money on more attainable goals first? For example, would it be better to alter the competition rules and formula, work out and adopt a more logic calendar, to hold a contest among TV channels to see the best way to show fencing… Otherwise the mentioned broadcasts and TV programmes may turn out to be senseless expenses to you.

- To expand the viewing public and increase the number of sponsors fencing must be shown on television. This is the only way to get viewers, sponsors and advertisers accustomed to fencing. The Czech TV had never broadcast competitions in our sport before autumn 2007. It happened during the Prague European Junior Championships 2007 for the first time. Our TV was learning to show the fencing as the Championship progressed, and finally all people including those who were biased to fencing, enjoyed it.

- Not so long ago the world of fencing got to know about the availability of the media promotion program for our sport prepared together with Maxim Paramonov, the FIE Secretary general. What have you, personally, brought into the program?

- This is entirely a product of mutual creative work. “Paramonov-Janda program” is a too prominent name for the document which includes nothing but a package of standard PR-events which during the time of Renee Roch were either ignored or were not given great importance too.

SHOTGUN INTERVIEW

- As the conclusion I would like to ask some shotgun questions. What fencing maxims helped you in your ordinary life?

- To win you must attack and point the first (laughing).

- Please, try to form your “Presidential” credo in brief.

- Everything for fencers, everything for fencing!

*    *    *

We must only add that Frantisek Janda is the only contender for the EFC Presidency. None of the European fencers has dared to challenge him since his running as a candidate for the EFC presidency four months ago. Does it make any wonder? You can see that the President of the Czech Fencing Federation is ready for the fight!

OPINION

ARMEN GRIGORYAN, the President of the Armenian Fencing Federation, Minister of Sport of Armenia:

- Frantisek Janda was one of those people who were most active in supporting Alisher Usmanov in his turning the EFC into the effective instrument for fencing developing on our Continent. This is a good choice for the European fencing. I believe we must endorse Janda’s candidacy. In general, it would be a right thing if the FIE President offered his candidates for presidents of all Zonal Confederations. They are those people who he will work with on realization of his program on development of fencing on all continents.