The Alliance Francophone d’Escrime (AFE) is gaining momentum. Only seven months after its creation, it has just integrated eight new member countries, on the occasion of its recent general assembly. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Lebanon, Moldova, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have joined the organisation, which now has twenty member countries. In parallel, the AFE was recognised on Friday 21 October as a new member of the Association francophone de comités nationaux olympiques (AFCNO). Its membership was approved by the AFCNO Executive Committee, which met in Seoul on the sidelines of the annual general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). Sylvie Le Maux, President of the AFE, gave a brief presentation of the organisation at the beginning of the meeting via video conference. This membership will strengthen its position in the French-speaking world and give it the opportunity to present its projects and ambitions for the coming years. Among its objectives, the development of new practices – including the laser sabre – or competition formats which, without necessarily replacing the current model, would allow the development of fencing for all and favour innovation. The AFE also aims to provide a platform for collaboration and a channel of communication for the actors of French-speaking fencing, less than two years before the Paris 2024 Games, where the questions of cultural transmission and heritage will be at the heart of the concerns.
