Senior European Individual Championships 2023

This page is intended for athletes and coaches attending the Senior Individual European Championships 2023. Please check back to this page regularly for information updates. 

Last Updated

• 14.43 5/6/2023 – News summary sign-up instructions, additions to athlete checklist
• 14.40 2/6/2023 – Athlete checklist added
• 10.30 2/6/2023 – Entry fee updated
• 19.00 1/6/2023 – Clarification on accommodation opt-out, and tracksuits
• 15.11 1/6/2023 – Schedule info added
• 19.35 5/6/2023 – Personal Coach Accreditations

SIGN-UP FOR NEWS POSTS – All athletes (inc parents of U18s) and coaches are expected to ensure that they read the latest news and updates from BF and must sign up to our weekly summary email, The Fencing Digest – sign up here. (You will need to take an action to confirm your email which may require you to check your junk/spam folders for the email, click on the link and add the sender to your safe list)

Important Information – The EFC announced this competition on 31st  May. This means that there is not the time for BF to organise logistics for the event as would be usual for the European Championships. We ask for your patience and understanding.

On this Page:

The Senior Individual European Championships will be taking place from 16th-18th June 2023, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

BF STAFF TEAM

Chef-de-Mission – Pat Aiyenuro
Team Manager – Non travelling
GBR Coach – Sabre – Jon Salfield
GBR Coach – Epee – Ian Lichfield
GBR Coach – Foil – Richard Kruse

Physiotherapist – TBC

HOTEL

Hotel Imperial
6, ul. “Lev Tolstoy” str,
4017 Plovdiv, Bulgaria

BF has booked 3 nights, twin rooms based on

Group 1.  8 athletes – 14, 15, 16 June
Group 2.  8 athletes – 15, 16, 17 June
Group 3.  8 athletes – 16, 17, 18 June

Refundable bookings have been made, but payment is due to secure the accommodation. Athletes will be given the  opportunity to opt-out of the official accommodation if they wish provided this does not result in increased cost for their team-mates, they will be required to confirm to us in writing they are doing this or they will be charged.

Schedule

(updated 1/6/2023 15.15) Schedule available here.

• 16th June – ME, WF
• 17th June – WE, MS
• 18th June – MF, WS

Entry and Exit Points

(updated 1/6/2023 15.15) All entry points are two nights before the competition (which is a one day event). This leaves a day for weapon control, accreditation.

Foil Women         Arrive 14 June           Hotel Check Out 17 June
Epee Men             Arrive 14 June          Hotel Check Out 17 June
Epee Women     Arrive 15 June          Hotel Check Out 18 June
Sabre Men           Arrive 15 June          Hotel Check Out  18 June
Foil Men                 Arrive 16 June         Hotel Check Out   19 June
Sabre Women    Arrive 16 June         Hotel Check Out  19 June

Please note it will not be possible to change entry and exit times due to hotel availability. No refunds are available if you wish to leave before the official exit or arrive late.

If you wish to book extra night’s accommodation you will have to make independent bookings.  However, please inform BF of extra nights in your travel plans so we are aware of when athletes are arriving and leaving the country.

Cost

Hotel Costs:  3 nights at £58 per person per room per night based on a twin room.
Individual Entry Fees: £120
Athlete Contribution: £15
Staff Costs: Expected to be covered by BF and the Epee Club, see below.

Financial Subsidies

We are very grateful to our funding bodies and charity patrons for the financial support given which reduces the costs for the athletes.

Funding has been sourced through UK Sport National Teams budget, the Epee Club, and a private patron through the BF Charity.

This currently covers

• Tracksuits
• Chef de Mission
• 3 GBR Coaches (1 per weapon)

BF is looking into provision of physio services, and whether there is funding from any sources to cover it.

This leaves athletes with the costs of travel, accommodation, individual entry fees and any personal coach costs, should they wish to bring a personal coach (subject to authorisation and accreditation).

Have You? – Athlete Checklist

Selection Information

2023 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS SELECTIONS – BRITISH FENCING

Accepting Selection

Once the schedule is confirmed you will receive an email from Sport:80. If you have not received an email by 3rd June 2023 please contact: [email protected]

To accept your selection please follow the link in the email to log into the Sport 80 platform, click on the event and follow the entry process to pay the amount shown and by the deadline indicated. By accepting the selection and paying the costs you are agreeing to abide by all BF Policies and Procedures.

Individual Athlete Development Plans (IADP)

The costs of attending major events are subsidised by funding from Sport England and UK Sport. This funding carries with it an expectation that athletes are demonstrably committed to their development as a performance athlete. This is achieved through an actively managed Individual Athlete Development Plan, which is now a requirement for any athlete representing GBR at an major event and an entry level requirement for any named athlete funding (this is funding that BF can apply for on behalf of athletes once they individually meet performance standards)

Given the unexpected and tight timescales BF will not be expecting updated IADPs to be submitted before the Championships, but will be expecting all selected athletes to be having conversations with their personal coaches asap to discuss the impact of this competition on their goals and training/competitions plans as reflected in their IADPs. (Updated plans should be submitted as part of the World Championships schedule).

Visa & FCO Advice

Visa Requirements – None (as of 20.07.2022)
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bulgaria/entry-requirements

Latest Foreign Office Travel Advice – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bulgaria

Sign up to Travel Alerts here – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bulgaria/email-signup

Athlete Travel and Medical Form  

All athletes and staff are required to complete the athlete/staff travel and medical form.

Authorised Personal Coaches

Personal Coaches – given the timescales, BF will only consider where the athlete has requested a personal coach  via the Advance Information smartsheet. To complete an application for accreditation as a Personal Coach please complete this form here by 10am 7th June.

ALL coaches must abide by the relevant BF policies.  This includes the  http://britishfencing.com/uploads/files/coaches_code_of_conduct.pdf. and the GBR Coaches Policy.

Accreditations will be awarded based on

1. Coaches must have an in date and valid FIE Coach Licence
2. Coaches are up to date on the coach register, hold a valid Coach Clean certificate
3. Have a written coaching development plan or Coaching Health Check
4. Been attending the other competitions with the selected athletes through the season, with recent Major Event experience.
5. Been actively involved in producing a documented IADP with the athlete/s they are coaching. If they are not doing this they are not a performance coach.
6. Have an individual documented plan which covers not only competition day but their preparation (attendance at pre-competition briefing, pre-comp camps or training day)
7. Have a set of personal behaviours aligned with a credible performance coach

Authorised Personal Coaches & Development Coaches

Andy Alderman
Anthony Klenczar
Dmitri Romankov
Ziemowit Wojciechowski
Dan Kellner
Bojan Jovanovic

Anti-Doping

There will be testing at the event.

Athletes: Athletes are solely responsible for any banned substance they use, attempt to use, or that is found in their system, regardless of how it got there and whether or not they had an intention to cheat. Athletes must:

• Ensure they have TUEs in place if necessary
• Use the Global DRO portal to check medication
• Download the 100% me Clean Sport App (Apple, Android)
• Do you need a TUE Click Here 

Coaches: As announced in September 2019, any coach wishing to accompany a GBR athlete to an FIE event, whether as a personal coach or as a squad coach must have undergone the online anti-doping training course Coach Clean within the last two years.

Parents: Parents are expected to support our efforts to keep our sport clean. We strongly advise that parents involved in supporting athletes at events undergo the Coach Clean course. All other parents are expected to support efforts to keep sport clean and read the WADA Parents Guide.

More information here

Safeguarding

As announced in October 2022, all athletes and those that accompanying them are required to undertake safeguarding training. To access the training click here.   Any questions regarding the training please email [email protected] asap for more information.

Discipline and Behaviour

By accepting selection to represent GBR at any European and World Championships you have already agreed to the British Fencing Codes of Conduct. Please act responsibly and sensibly and understand that we are one collective team and respect and support for your fellow team members is expected and reasonable. In addition every member of the squad is being supported by public funding and is expected to behave in a way that recognises the responsibilities that this brings. Funding to compete (whether from public or private sources) is not an entitlement and we owe it to everyone that contributes to our participation to act as professionals and role models for our sport.

Any breach of BF Code of Conduct may result in fines equivalent to a share of the subsidised costs.

Travel Information

We have produced an list of flights available from the UK over the dates specified here.

Other Travel Instructions
23kg will be enough for your fencing bag, providing you pack your fencing kit in your carry on case. Check the airline that you are travelling with for baggage weight and size restrictions.

Do’s and Don’ts:

• Do not take liquids or gels in your hand luggage. (100mls or under in a transparent bottle is OK).
• Do not take tool kit items in your hand luggage.
• Do put your mask, jacket, plastron, breeches, glove, socks, and a spare handle (if you have one) in your hand luggage in case any fencing bags get lost.  (This means that all you need to borrow to fence is a sword if the worst happens.)
• Do travel in comfortable clothing,  wearing trainers to travel in.
• Do not wear any GBR marked clothing whilst travelling.
• Do pack any phone batteries in your hand luggage
• Do ensure that ALL your electronic equipment (phone, etc) is fully charged, and can be shown to be working. If it isn’t, it may be confiscated at security.

Patches/Logos/Tracksuits

It is your responsibility to ensure your kit has the correct logos/patches and your equipment meets FIE standards.

The latest equipment rules can be found here.

As part of the terms of the Leon Paul sponsorship arrangement, all athletes competing are required to wear a Leon Paul logo. This should appear on the back arm. For foilists and epeeists the logo patch should be sewn onto the back arm ideally above the GBR logo.

In sabre the logo may be attached at the top of the thigh of the non-sword side of the fencing breeches and clearly separated from the national logo. Or it may be placed on the back of the lame – sabreurs can either have their lames printed directly by Leon Paul. This can be done at any event where Leon Paul have a printing service or at the Leon Paul shop. Alternatively, you can contact [email protected] and they will send you patches to sew onto your lame jacket (you will need to specify the type of lame – eg lightweight).

In Foil and Epee – Please note that NO logos of any description, other than the GBR national logo, should be on the breeches.

Tracksuits

The FIE rules require all athletes to wear the same National Tracksuit for European Championships. This is the new Kukri Championship Athlete tracksuit with ‘GREAT BRITAIN’ on the back.

All athletes attending their first championship should receive a voucher which covers a tracksuit top, bottom and t-shirt. Please note that the full tracksuit must be worn for podium/medal presentations. For all other activities, including supporting at the venue, the tracksuit top will suffice. (Please note, athletes are not permitted to source and produce their own GBR clothing)

CLARIFICATION 1/6 – Athletes selected that do not already have Kukri Championship Tracksuit should email [email protected] (and cc [email protected]) requesting the code and instructions on how to purchase Kukri clothing.

Staff and coaches can purchase the Kukri GBR tracksuit (with the GBR logo on the back).

All accredited coaches must wear the Kukri GBR tracksuit if they wish to be supporting in the Field of Play at the event. This includes wearing tracksuit trousers – we are increasingly seeing EFC/FIE not permitting coaches to wear shorts inside the field of play.