DUBAI: The International Fencing Federation has announced that Saudi Arabia has won the bid to host the 2024 World Fencing Championship for Juniors and Youth, one of the sporting code’s biggest contests.
The announcement was made at this year’s event in Bulgaria, that took place from 1 to 9 April. The decision itself was taken at last November’s IFF general assembly.
Next year’s event will feature over 1,500 male and female athletes representing more than 100 countries, and more than 400 administrative and technical staff, including referees and coaches.
Ahmed Al-Sabban, chairman of the Saudi Fencing Federation’s board of directors, thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for supporting the bid and sports in general in the Kingdom.
Al-Sabban also thanked Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Kingdom’s sports minister and chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, for backing other contests including the 2016 Asian Fencing Championship for Juniors and Youth in Dammam and the 2019 Asian Fencing Tour for Juniors in Riyadh.
Al-Sabban praised the Saudi fencing community, including families, athletes, coaches, referees and administrators for helping to grow the sport.