[quedry36]

So now the Olympic fencing has finished, what does everyone think of GBs results and what went right/wrong?

[dianakroshXX]

Disappointing, as they didn't do as well as they had previously. It was a bit much to ask for a medal - I think most people knew it wasn't going to happen. I do think the BF Board should go, as should the PD, as they don't seem to have any idea how to improve things. They just seem to be interested in using spin and management-speak - the 3G strategy, for example. (Has anyone told them 3G isn't very good and now out of date?!)

[vNGiDaFX]

For WS, the wrong athletes were selected. In my view, the PD should go, as should anyone involved in that decision.

[VomsVomaMew]

hmm started early - I thought tomorrow morning maybe to allow the boys their evening of fun.

Right - Corrina L & the mens foil team

Wrong - everything else, womens foil team was a bad idea pushed through (I presume) by foilists on the selection committee - 8th out of 8 is not a success that should be rewarded

Jon should have gone to ME (with PM?)

CL should have been joined by GU & 2 others to make a team for WE

2 sabre entries, (maybe) 1 to each

Thats it - please argue this as you all know a lot more than I do

[Annyllop21]

MF ind Bad. MF team Good.
What happened during the few days break?
Davis performed well, unlucky about drawing joppich :/
Rosowsky is getting there, unlucky about the injury.
Kruse did well in the team, but even he himself knows he did shocking in the ind.
Halsted did good, proved me wrong, well played!

That's a quick overview..

[Fiipolera]

I'd like to say that I dont hold the athletes responsible at all, they were selected and did the best they could.

The PD should be someone who knows fencing and has the respect of the sporting community

the board and committee should be people who want to move the entire sport forward without prejeudice against any of the three styles

Increasing the base at the youngest age must be the prime objective, for heavens sake how difficult can it be to get children interested in playing with swords?

Forget 2016, just throw in the best we have at the time and focus on developing the U13s & below toward success in 2020 & 24 & beyond

Develop coaches who are not feudal or parochial in trying to keep their charges to themselves - we must look as a team & seek to develop the fencer as far as possible not just as far as their first coach can

Create an atmosphere without fear where a parent can ask questions & give feedback without worrying that their child will be stuck in the poule from hell if someone doesn't like their questions

*takes a breath*

[ferelrossi]

I like all of the people that were selected for the Olympics so am very proud to have seen the GB team fence in front of such crowds (only on TV mind, the 3 events I was at had no British representation sadly).

My issue is with the selectors and the management-speak (aka nonsense) used to justify bad selections. It is none of the athletes' faults that they had been selected and there is not a single person that would turn down an opportunity to compete not just at an Olympic Games (all those being selected have given up as much time to train as those not selected (with a couple of exceptions)), but a home Olympic Games..regardless of whether they believed they deserved it or not.

Some of the posts seen on the 'guess the wildcards' thread when the selections were made was plain nasty towards the fencers and not objective at all. I have tried to be rational about all the selections and did not agree with them all but it has been and gone now.

The PD is the one who has to take the responsibility for the results that have come about as would be the case in nearly all other sports.

As for the actual results, 1 win against foreign opposition from the individual events from 10 fights is simply not good enough (not counting the WF fight-off). To get not one fencer into the L16 is a poor effort considering that constituted only one victory against a (generally) higher-ranked fencer for most of our fencers. WFT performed as their seeding and previous results suggested it would. MFT fought very well today and should be congratulated for that.

[ManituIKOL]

For WS, the wrong athletes were selected. In my view, the PD should go, as should anyone involved in that decision.

Seconded, an absolute disgrace!

[AnimeThat]

Three quick observations
James Davis will be a star !
Why didn't we enter a men's sabre team ?
If Alex Newton needs to fall on somebodys sword foil , epee or Sabre as soon as possible

[PemiaGefe]

Having no inside knowledge of the selection process and with no real communication I have formulated my own views.

Huge resource was put into the MF program. While individuals underperformed they met expectations in the team. There was a clear desire to extend the franchise. WF was chosen and while laudable in its ideals it was much too early.

This then put pressure on the other selections. The WS selections split the tight S community and having witnessed the WS event, 0-6 (I think) at the start for one selection was a sign of too much pressure & the fading of the other was probably a sign of fitness issues.

There was no real representation of E. WE did well – I think the only individual victory against foreign opposition but there was no performance program either before or after.

Summary

At best, we met expectations ie MF team were good losers.

At worst, we put too much pressure on F, split the S community and totally alienated E.

[UriDepkeeks]

Summary

At best, we met expectations ie MF team were good losers.

At worst, we put too much pressure on F, split the S community and totally alienated E.

The best summary yet. Spot on.

[Nafheense]

MENS FOIL Team produced very good result.

The rest demonstrates poor infrastructure, lack of proper investment in system over very long period, no proper development strategy and above all a dearth of talent.

[Blotassefesek]

MENS FOIL Team produced very good result.

The rest demonstrates poor infrastructure, lack of proper investment in system over very long period, no proper development strategy and above all a dearth of talent.

Ronald I agree with all of your post except for the very last part. There is not a derth of talent in the other weapons; there is talent, and potential, out there but it withers and fades under a regime that by your own words 'demonstrates poor infrastructure, lack of proper investment in system over very long period, no proper development strategy'*

Without appropriate infrastructure, investment and strategy this scenario will surely just repeat itself in the future.

[dumadegg]

Mrs B

I was not referring to dearth of talent downstream, but in those selected for Olympics.

I think that I am as well placed as anyone in the sport to recognize potential within sport. The problem is that
the system is so poor that it is incapable of delivery.

[Qrhzbadu]

Wrong - everything else, womens foil team was a bad idea pushed through (I presume) by foilists on the selection committee - 8th out of 8 is not a success that should be rewarded

Well I am sure the Egyptians would love to forget that they were 9th out of 9 but they beaten by GBR so GBR were 8th out of 9.

[Freedjome]

Mrs B

I was not referring to dearth of talent downstream, but in those selected for Olympics.

I think that I am as well placed as anyone in the sport to recognize potential within sport. The problem is that
the system is so poor that it is incapable of delivery.

Thanks for the clarification. It's now time for a dispassionate analysis of the system that has delivered us to this place, and to look at the leasons learned from it so that it doesn't happen again.

[JaK_MarkoV_Pi]

It will be interesting to see how the management-speak spin will turn this into a great triumph. The CEO has told anyone who will listen for four years that he is in charge. So he has decided to go now that he has achieved what he set out to do. We must assume he set out to create the current atmosphere of animosity and mistrust amongst the fencing community. Those that know about sport, e.g. foreign fencing delegations, cannot understand how we could consider let alone actually appoint someone who knows nothing about the sport as performance manager. As has been previously said those responsible should go. It cannot have been just the CEO who made the appointment.

[Nikitka]

"There will be announcements next week on elections, the General Meeting date/venue and other BF news."

I'm assuming that means there will be a mass-resignation statement made later this week?

[SaraKonradtt]

"There will be announcements next week on elections, the General Meeting date/venue and other BF news."

I'm assuming that means there will be a mass-resignation statement made later this week?

Wouldn't count on it...

[Dr. Shon Thomson]

Exactly Tom.

My fear is that nothing is going to change.