“TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!” Conversation with Jean-François Lamour
■ You are a member of the Olympic Program Com-
ends up going back on its decision to include
trial events: the World Championships in 2002 and
mission for the Summer Games. What were your feel-
women’s sabre or postpones it to 2008, with all the
2003. This is a real challenge and I understand per-
ings during the latest negotiations and discussions con-
pressure on the IOC from a certain number of new
fectly that this involves a fundamental change to
cerning the number of events allocated to fencing for
sports, who will one way or another knock at the
the spirit of team matches. However, everyone
the 2004 Games?
door, I fear that the cost of introducing this event
must understand that these two events are vital
Jean-François Lamour*: Things must be made clear.
would be a lot higher than it is at present. This
moments, especially that of Lisbon. I think that
The new president of the IOC, Jacques Rogge was
implies that the entry of women’s sabre would
Gilbert Felli will be there. If ever he is aware of neg-
adamant: there will be no more than 300 events
mean the end of all the team events. We would
ative impressions from the fencers, from the orga-
and 10000 athletes in Athens in two years time. Any
therefore be left with only the six individual events.
nizers, or from certain of the management of the
further reasoning must take into account this over-
I could add that most of those in power on the IOC
FIE, the IOC will not hesitate to say “they are not
all limit. The general program has been released.
would see no problem with that: they consider
happy, this is not a good choice, let’s finish there,
The only uncertainty concerns fencing because of
fencing as an individual sport. Among other things,
we cannot accept it.” It is up to us to prove that
the FIE’s desire to introduce women’s sabre. The
in terms of the figures, what would this mean? A
everyone is happy with the idea and that is works
problem is both simple and complicated: how can
loss of visibility for fencing at the games, with the
well. There is no better solution. ●
we complete the feminization of our sport by
four or five days of competition being reduced to
including women’s sabre while our possibilities are
two- and with it less importance for the economic
*Olympic Sabre Champion 1994 and 1998. World
limited to 200 participants and 10 events? It’s a case
interests that surround the IOC. Fencing would be
Champion
of putting a square peg in a round hole. The fenc-
weakened. This would bring up the question of
ing world does not realize the position in which we
fencing being removed from the Olympic program.
find ourselves. We are certainly a fundamental sport, one of the rare ones which has always been
■ What do you recommend?
part of the Olympic program since 1896. This is an
I would like to attract the attention of the fencing
asset but on its own it is not enough. On the other
world the following:
hand, despite the efforts made to develop fencing
One: We must introduce women’s sabre into the
throughout the world, we are not a universal sport.
Games. Two: This must be done quickly. Three: The
We are in the Olympic tradition but it is often diffi-
rules for the team competitions must be modified.
cult for us to admit that we must constantly evolve
After that, I think that we will be stable for a few
and be young and dynamic in order to show the
years. So, take responsibility!
world that fencing has a future. It would be a mistake to imagine that we can make the IOC give in
■ You have reiterated the rules of the IOC for fencing:
and to do so would lead us up the wrong path and
ten events, and no more. In the minds of the Olympic
into a wall.
hierarchy, does fencing have any choice in the organization of its events or must we still yield to the wishes
■ Is there really a risk?
of the IOC?
We are at a turning point. From my time spent on
There were two reactions to René Roch’s proposi-
the Program Commission, the first conclusion we
tion after the Executive Congress in Havana. On
drew was that we will not get any bigger. I there-
one hand, the IOC said: “we take note of your
fore advise those in control of the fencing world to
desire to introduce women’s sabre, why not? On
be well aware of what is at stake. 2004 may allow
the other, you are not offering us any trial compe-
us to introduce women’s sabre while retaining team
titions and we do not want the Olympic Games to
events, albeit of a new type, but team events
be used as a laboratory”. We suggested to Jacques
nonetheless. If, for one reason or another, the FIE
Rogge and Franco Carraro that they accept two
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