The EFC is saddened to learn of the passing on June 9, 2021, of Valentina Sidorova, 1976 Olympic women’s foil champion. She was also foil world champion seven times in women’s team and twice in individual competition.
Born May 4, 1954, in Moscow, Ms. Sidorova was an “Honored Master of Sports of the USSR”. In addition to her World Championship and Olympic victories, she was a 1980 Olympic team silver medallist, four-time World Cup winner, six-time champion of the USSR and four-time winner of the USSR Cup.
She represented an important era in the evolution of Russian women’s foil fencing. At 16, she joined the national team and quickly became its leader, continuing a series of gold medals and traditions of Soviet women’s foil who achieved significant success in world competition in the late 1950s and early 1970s.
Of note is her coach, the legendary fencing master David Dushman (RUS), passed away just a few days before her on June 5.
The EFC extends its sincere condolences to Valentina Sidorova’s family and friends, the Russian Fencing Federation and the European Fencing Confederation for their loss and expresses its deepest sympathy during this difficult time.
