Simone Vanni’s joy contrasts with Cerioni’s anger
The words of Simone Vanni
“I welcomed the appointment with infinite emotion, but also with much pride for the trust entrusted to me by the Federation. I certainly feel the responsibility of inheriting a winning foil from Stefano Cerioni, whom I thank for the great work he has done. I am ready to live this new very important stage of my path becauseé the National Team of which I take the leadership è a heritage for fencing and for the Italian sport”. These are the first words of Simone Vanni, 46 years old today, as the new technical commissioner of the Italian foil.
For the Pisan Olympian, the adventure will begin with the World Cup stage for both men and women in Cairo, March 6-9: “We have a group of very strong athletes and I am sure we can grow further. I have my ideas, and I have them very clear: I will want to set up a National Team that is open to young masters, emerging athletes and can enhance everyone by working with the cooperation of many people”.
Simone Vanni becomes CT of the Olympic foil thus closing the 10-year experience as Head d’arma of the Paralympic team, which gave him so many successes with Bebe Vio & Co. in the’span of three editions of the Games: “A big thank you to all the masters, staff members and especially the athletes who have accompanied me and helped me grow in my Paralympic journey. È it has been an unforgettable decade”.
And just from wheelchair fencing comes – among many – the message of Matteo Betti, an Italian national team medalist in Paris 2024, on the value of this choice in the path of the FIS as an integrated federation now for almost three lustrums: “A technical commissioner of a Paralympic National Team goes to lead an Olympic National Team, è something that does not go unnoticed. I do not know if it has ever happened before, but I am happy if once again è my sport to open the track”.
Stefano Cerioni on Saturday night reacted with a long post on Instagram to this decision. "Sixty-four gold medals, 42 silver, 46 bronze, 152 total podiums between World Cup, European and World Championships, and Olympics. These are the results of my stewardship at the helm of men’s and women’s foil from 2021 until the latest triumphs in the Turin competitions last week. I claim them at a time when the Federation decided not to confirm me in the role of technical commissioner”.
“Vanityà does not belong to me, work sì. I want to do it out of the moral and professional respect that I owe to myself and to the athletes, to the teachers and masters and to all the staff members-no one excluded-who with their commitment and skills have contributed to the achievement of goals that only Italy can’boast in the world. Competition has been part of my life for half a century. On the platform or on the sidelines nothing changes, becauseé the attempt to beat the’opponent è a challenge that requires study, passion, tenacity, intelligence, skillsà and the will to improve. Always. Provided, however, that we have the’opponent in front and not inside the house”.
“I consider unfair, wrong and illogical the decision of the Federation not to confirm me at the head of men’s and women’s foil. I è have been told that this is a gamble. A word out of place in a context where the values of sport in the highest sense of the term count. Values that do not contemplate power games or political mazes. We did not find the treasure without moving the earth. I, the female athletes, the athletes and the staff have built and cemented a compact and granite group that brings satisfaction and trophies to itself and to’Italy. I say this with pride and without false modesty: I leave foil much better than I’ve found it”.
