The FIE has confirmed that the Championships at this stage will go ahead starting 3rd April 2021 in Cairo, Egypt.
The Fencing NZ Board has discussed the issues involved with sending a team to the championships.
Safety is of paramount importance and while protocols have been put in place by the organisers to minimise risks of Covid19 spread, the Board does not believe it is prudent to send a team to Egypt while government advice remains that New Zealanders should not travel overseas at this time.
In addition to the health and safety risks, the logistics of travel from and back to New Zealand are complicated and the situation changes regularly, with airlines and countries amending their flights and transit/entry requirements without notice. New Zealanders who leave the country for a short trip are obliged to pay for managed quarantine on their return. There are currently no spaces available for managed quarantine for the whole of April and the Ministry responsible has told Fencing New Zealand that sport is not considered a special case for access to space in the facilities.
We understand that this will be disappointing for top junior fencers, some of whom will be in their last year as a Junior athlete, but the Board agree that this is the only decision possible at this time.
Fencing New Zealand
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