Global Fencing Injury Report: Kano's Resurgence, Sun's Nerve Battle, and the FIE's New Safety Push

The road to the 2026 FIE World Championships in Hong Kong is paved with ice packs, physical therapy sessions, and meticulous load management. For the world's elite fencers, the battle against their own bodies is often more grueling than the opponent standing across the piste.

Japan's Koki Kano, the reigning Olympic and World Champion in men's epee, recently endured a surprisingly difficult stretch. Dealing with the accumulated physical toll of his aggressive, high-mobility style, Kano failed to reach the podium in his first six events of the 2025–2026 season.[1]

However, Kano has signaled a triumphant return to form just in time for the summer championships. Two weeks ago, he captured gold at the Medellín Grand Prix, securing a decisive 15-9 victory over Italy's Matteo Galassi and proving his fitness is back at a championship level.[1]

Meanwhile, China's Olympic epee champion Sun Yiwen has been fighting a much longer war of attrition. Following a severe meniscus tear sustained during the Tokyo Games, Sun developed debilitating entrapment neuropathies in her waist and coccyx.[2]

The nerve damage was so severe that even a small jump caused radiating pain, forcing the veteran to entirely rebuild her footwork. Rather than relying on explosive leaping, Sun has adapted her game to focus on tactical precision, proving that elite fencers can evolve their style to accommodate their physical realities.[2]

In men's foil, American star Miles Chamley-Watson has been highly vocal about the hidden brutality of the sport. Known for his towering 6'5" frame and acrobatic strikes, Chamley-Watson recently suffered a direct foil strike to the kneecap, adding to a career history of broken fingers and ligament strains.

Chamley-Watson notes that anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears are incredibly common due to the violent, instantaneous changes of direction required on the strip, actively dispelling the pop-culture myth of fencing as a "light tap" activity.

Hungary's Gergely Siklosi, a dominant force in men's epee, has taken a proactive approach to injury prevention. After battling a lingering foot injury and undergoing hand surgery in recent years, Siklosi now mandates strict rest periods—including three-week total shutdowns—to prevent the overuse injuries that plague the circuit.[3]

A 2026 prospective cohort study published by the National Institutes of Health confirms these athletes' experiences. The research reveals that elite fencers suffer 3.22 injuries per 1,000 training hours, with chronic overuse injuries vastly outnumbering acute trauma.[4]

The study found that nearly 58 percent of all fencing injuries affect the lower extremities, with saber fencers exhibiting the highest overall injury incidence due to the weapon's rapid, explosive footwork demands.[4]

Recognizing this growing physical toll, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) is launching a major safety initiative. On July 23, 2026, the FIE will host a dedicated Sports Medicine Conference alongside the Hong Kong World Championships.[5]

The conference will officially roll out the Fencing Injury Surveillance System (FISS), aiming to standardize global data collection on training loads, concussion management, and biomechanical stress. As Kano, Sun, and Chamley-Watson finalize their preparations, their resilience highlights the evolving nature of modern fencing—a sport where medical science is now just as critical as blade work.[5]