British Disabled Fencing Association

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British Disabled Fencing Association (BDFA)

Wheelchair fencing has been a featured sport in the International Paralympic Games since the 1960s, although the history of this sport in Britain can be traced to an earlier date, as it was included in the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair and Amputee Games held in 1954.

Nowadays, this sport is practised at professional level in 25 countries worldwide, and in the UK it is regulated by the British Disabled Fencing Association. Wheelchair fencing also receives support from well established not for profit organisations like WheelPower.

About the British Disabled Fencing Association

The British Disabled Fencing Association was founded more than 15 years ago with the objective of coordinating the various wheelchair fencing clubs that existed throughout the country and of promoting awareness of this sport. The association was also established with the aim of introducing fencing as the ideal physical activity through which wheelchair users can maintain a good level of fitness and progress to a higher competitive level should they wish to do so.

This association is presided over by former professional fencer Paul Cordell, who won a bronze medal at the Barcelona Paralympic Games in 1992 and who has been involved with the British Disabled Fencing Association since 1995, acting as a national coach. Other important names in the association are Shuna Body (who acts as the Chair of the BDFA), Laszlo Jakab (who has been training elite wheelchair fencers for more than 30 years), and Caz Walton, the former manager of the UK Paralympic Team.

The British Disabled Fencing Association abides by the standards and regulations laid out by the International Wheelchair Fencing Committee and by the International Fencing Federation.

Training Sessions and Events Organised by the British Disabled Fencing Association

The British Disabled Fencing Association organises monthly training sessions (known as training camps) in Worcester, Stoke Mandeville, Birmingham, and Aylesbury. These training sessions take place over the weekend and give wheelchair fencers an opportunity to socialise, hone their skills, and stay up to date with the latest developments in the world of wheelchair fencing.

Other important events in the calendar of the British Disabled Fencing Association are the Chichester Open, the UK School Games, the National Fencing Championships, the Sports Fest, and the various sports camps organised by WheelPower UK. To find out about the dates of these events, have a look at the BDFA's calendar on http://www.bdfa.org.uk/Documents/BDFACalendar2013.pdf.

BDFA Contact Information

To find out more about the British Disabled Fencing Association, you can visit the organisation's official web page at http://www.bdfa.org.uk/. Written enquiries and correspondence can be sent to the BDFA's office in Croydon. The full postal address is 32 Devonshire Way, Croydon, CR0 8BR, Surrey. E-mail enquiries can be sent to info@BDFA.org.uk.