Swede duels with Putin's friend for world fencing presidency

Otto Drakenberg describes himself as the "involuntary" candidate, taking on the billionaire oligarch friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin in fencing's presidential election.

"There is a huge likelihood that my candidacy will lead to nothing," Sweden's Drakenberg told DW. "But that should not stop us from being an alternative voice."

His opponent is Alisher Usmanov, a Russian metals tycoon and former minority shareholder of English football club Arsenal. He headed the International Fencing Federation (FIE) from 2008 until 2022, when he stood down at the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Now, despite being subject to economic sanctions and a travel ban in 37 of the FIE's 156 national federations, Uzbekistan-born Usmanov wants another go in charge.

'One of Vladimir Putin's favorite oligarchs'

The European Union, when adding Usmanov to its sanctions list in February 2022, called him "one of Vladimir Putin's favorite oligarchs" and said he "actively supported the Russian government's policies of destabilization of Ukraine."

"It's absurd," said Drakenberg, a former Olympic fencer who is currently president of the Swedish Fencing Federation.

Amid moves to block Usmanov from running, DW can reveal that the FIE's ethics committee is looking into the matter. The committee has told the FIE's interim president, Emmanuel Katsiadakis, that it "would like to know the criteria on the basis of which the candidacy of Mr. Alisher Usmanov […] was validated," given the "very significant" sanctions.

For his part, Katsiadakis has sent a letter to the Swedish Fencing Federation, seen by DW, claiming Usmanov's candidacy complies with the FIE's statutes "despite the sanctions currently applicable to him."

Usmanov, via his spokesperson, declined to comment for this article. He has previously called the EU sanctions "unfair" and has denied links to Putin.

Usmanov's money keeps him popular

The 71-year-old, who has pumped his own money into fencing through a charitable foundation, still enjoys widespread support. According to the FIE, he is backed by 103 national federations, an overwhelming majority. Over the years, his donations, totaling tens of millions of Swiss francs, have accounted for most of the sport's income.

However, an Usmanov victory could be hugely problematic for the Lausanne-based organization.

With the oligarch also sanctioned in Switzerland, the FIE would likely have its assets frozen if he won the presidency again. Indeed, Swiss officials have spoken of "considerable risks" in this scenario because the asset freeze also applies to entities "controlled" by Usmanov.

It has been suggested that if Usmanov were reelected at the FIE's congress on November 30, he could again decide to suspend himself, as he did in March 2022. Even with his self-suspension, fencing insiders don't doubt that he has continued to pull strings from behind the scenes.

'Future-proofing' fencing

Rather than "pointing the finger at others," Drakenberg, a specialist at transforming ailing companies, is at pains to focus on how he would "future-proof" the FIE.

"We need to be able to cut ties to individual dependencies [...] so that we can stand on our own feet when it comes to financial matters, as well as associations to other organizations, governmental or nongovernmental," the Swedish businessman said, adding part of his plan would involve finding commercial partnerships "without strings attached."

In March 2023, fencing became one of the first Olympic sports to overturn a ban on Russians and Belarusians from international competitions, in a sign of Russia's influence on the sport.

"I think it's sad, it's weak," said Drakenberg. "The whole thing about being stringent with your strategies is that you should use them when times are tough. But here we have examples that when times are tough, we bend over."

Olympic status at risk?

The 58-year-old suggested that failure to reform has put the sport's Olympic status at risk. While fencing is on the program for the Los Angeles Summer Games in 2028, nothing has been decided beyond then.

"Almost no one talks about life after the next Olympic cycle," said Drakenberg. "A sport that attracts interest from seven, eight, nine, 10 nations will find it increasingly difficult to stay in the Olympics in the long run. My job is to make it likely that all countries who have Olympic ambitions shall have a reasonable chance.

"I'm convinced that fencing is at risk in the way we are undertaking things at the moment. The future leadership of the IOC [International Olympic Committee] will require an even tougher enforcement of good governance.

"If we lose our Olympic status, fencing in the world will become a very different and much less attractive animal."

Edited by: Jonathan Harding