Mr. René Roch, President of the FIE and Mr. Xiao Tian, Vice-Minister of the General Sports

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) launched its Asia Center in Beijing on the 26th of April 2007, marking as a historic date in the history of the FIE.

The inaugural ceremony of the FIE Center in Beijing was held in the presence of Mr. René Roch, President of the FIE, Mr. Xiao Tian, Vice-Minister of the General Sports Administration of China and President of the Chinese Fencing Federation,

Mr. Cai Jiadong, Executive Vice-President of the Chinese Fencing Federation, Mr. Wang Wei, Vice-President of the Chinese Fencing Federation and member of the FIE Executive Committee as well as members of the Chinese Fencing Federation, athletes and coaches of the FIE training camp in Asia.

Mr. Xiao Tian indicated in his speech at the inaugural ceremony : "it is a great honour for the Chinese Fencing Federation to have been selected to establish the training Center of the International Fencing Federation in Asia, in Beijing. It shows the confidence and support of the FIE towards the Chinese Fencing Federation."

This five-storeyed building has 5 fencing halls of 7200 square meters, 72 metal pistes, entirely dedicated to fencing. The center will allow the FIE to organize regularly training camps for Asian athletes and athletes from the other continents, training courses for fencing masters as well as refereeing seminars. Athletes from the 5 continents will be able to prepare themselves and train before the 2008 Olympic Games of Beijing.

The FIE President, Mr. René ROCH, thanked Mr. Xiao Tian and the Chinese Fencing Federation for their support and help in favour of the development of our sport both in China and Asia. Fencing has been developing considerably in China for around ten years, and plays a very crucial role on the Asian continent : it contributes to the popularization of our sport in the Southwest of Asia.

Mr. ROCH wishes to thank Mr. Xiao Tian, Vice-Minister of the General Sports Administration of China as well as the Chinese Fencing Federation for their support towards the FIE so that the first FIE training camp in Asia in Beijing was able to take place from 19 April to 2 May 2007 in the FIE Asian Fencing Center of Beijing.

The national Chinese TV channel, CCTV, present at this event, made a report on this inauguration and broadcasted it in all the Chinese provinces.