The buzz surrounding the Paris Olympics is impossible to miss, and if you’ve interacted with any form of media this year, it’s hard not to feel the excitement—or anxiety, depending on who you ask. To paraphrase a well-known song, “Olympics is in the air.” The anticipation is beyond words, and everyone seems to be talking about it everywhere. Paris, in particular, seems to be at the heart of this anticipation, ready to wash away the subdued vibes of the Tokyo Games, which were marred by pandemic restrictions that led to empty stands and masked competitors, creating a somewhat apocalyptic atmosphere.

Unlike Tokyo, Paris promises a return to grandeur. The city is buzzing not just with the usual Olympic excitement but also with social experiments, deep connections to its rich history, and real excitement at every corner. All of these are projected to myriads of social networks and go viral within minutes. Paris seems ready to compensate for whatever was missing in Tokyo due to the pandemic—and then some.

This year’s Olympics promise to deliver a plethora of surprises, with several new sports making their debut. The inclusion of these new disciplines is expected to bring fresh excitement and discussions, adding a new layer to the traditional Olympic fervor.

However, amidst all the new additions, the sport of fencing holds a special place in my heart, and I hope most of the readers of my blog share the same sentiment. This time around, fencing is loaded with its share of controversies and scandals, making it even more intriguing. The qualification process alone is a tale of complexity and high stakes. The formula for Olympic qualification, developed in the past and for the last two Olympic Games applied to all weapons and both genders, is discussed in length in this post, which I wrote about the Tokyo Games. Teams must first qualify before individual spots are considered, leading to intense competitions and sometimes heartbreaking exclusions.

Consider the women’s sabre event, where two top-ranked Greek fencers competed for a single Olympic spot because their team failed to qualify. Despite her stellar season, Despina Georgiadou, a recent silver medalist at the World Championships in Milan and ranked fifth in the world at the time of the Olympic qualification deadline, was sidelined during the Olympics. This situation arose because Olympic qualification rules prevent any country from having two fencers in the same event if the team hasn’t qualified. It’s astonishing that the world’s number five did not participate in the games because her teammate, Theodora Gkountoura, who was ranked third, secured the spot.

Naturally, this prompts another question: how could a team with two of the world’s top fencers fail to qualify as a team? But that’s another story. However, this incident brings to light questions about the qualification process and whether there should be additional avenues to allow top athletes to compete on the world’s most prestigious stage. Ironically, their rankings shifted after the qualification deadline, following a series of additional World Cup events. Despina Georgiadou moved up to World #4, while Theodora Gkountoura dropped to World #6. However, the rules remain unchanged, highlighting the rigidity and sometimes the harsh fairness of sports qualifications.

Moreover, the selection process within countries can also vary dramatically. In the U.S., the rules are quite clear: the top three ranked fencers go to the Olympics for the Individual event, and the fourth is an alternative for the Team event. Contrast this with countries like France or Italy, where the decision can come down to the subjective choice of a head coach, leading to shocking omissions and unexpected selections.

For instance, Alexander Bardenet’s exclusion from the French team and Valerio Cuomo’s exclusion from the Italian team caused ripples throughout the fencing world. Such decisions can feel capricious and lead to debates about the internal national federations’ criteria used beyond mere rankings.

As the host nation, France has automatically qualified all six of its teams via the regular Olympic pathways. This efficiency has left additional host country quotas unused, which are then redistributed to other nations, allowing more athletes from around the world a chance to compete.

Sadly, the sport also faces its share of darker moments. Daniel Garozzo, a world-class foil fencer and the Olympic Champion from Rio, and one of the fencers I always loved to watch and follow had to retire due to a heart condition, a significant loss for the sport. On the scandalous side, the world of sabre refereeing is under scrutiny for alleged manipulations; Ysaora Thibus, a top French foil fencer, recently faced doping allegations, which she vehemently denied, claiming contamination through her partner, Race Imboden. She has stated that she won the dispute and will be competing for the French team, although I have yet to see official confirmation (it might already be official in France).

This Olympics is also noteworthy for its youthful competitors. A slew of teenage fencers are set to make their mark, among them Nicholas Zhang, Cruz Schembri, and Colin Heathcock, the latter already ranked fourth worldwide in senior fencing competitions and to whom I predict a bright fencing future (which is quite an easy thing to do given his fantastic performance this season, while still being only 18 years old!)

This influx of young talent signifies a generational shift and points to a vibrant future for fencing, even as the sport continues to honor its traditions and complexities.

With a record 52 countries participating, the Paris Olympics are set to be a global showcase of fencing like never before. Nations such as the Virgin Islands are sending fencers for the first time, while powerhouses like Italy and France are fielding their maximum number of competitors thanks to their all-around team qualifications.

The Paris Olympics stands as a beacon of hope and excitement, promising to deliver not just sports but stories of perseverance, controversy, and triumph. Whether you’re a die-hard fencing fan or a casual observer, the games are poised to offer something unforgettable. I, for one, cannot wait to immerse myself in the spectacle, the drama, and the undeniable spirit of the Paris Olympics. One thing is clear as we count down to the opening ceremony: Paris is ready to enchant the world, one bout at a time, and we can hardly wait for the competition to start.