The Nigeria Fencing Federation (NFF) has contracted the services of top Italian coach, Riccardo Bardine, to help it prepare for the 2025 African Senior Fencing Championship, which it will host in Lagos, from June 25 to 29, 2025.
 
The latest development is one of the fallouts of the four-year partnership agreement that the NFF recently signed with the Italian Fencing Federation (Federazione Italiana Scherma, FIS).
 
The partnership, signed in December 2024, aims to accelerate the development of fencing in Nigeria through technical support and knowledge exchange.
 
Bardine, a highly respected figure in the international fencing community, will lead a two-week intensive training programme for Nigerian coaches and athletes.
 
Bardine is a certified fencing coach, strength and conditioning expert, and Paralympic sports specialist, who studied sport science and completed his fencing education at the prestigious Club Scherma Pisa Antonio Di Ciolo-one of the world’s most renowned fencing institutions.
 
Bardine has coached at elite clubs such as Circolo Scherma La Spezia and Club Scherma Rapallo. He has also served on the coaching staff of Italy’s U17 National Épée Team and has trained top-level athletes in both foil and épée disciplines.
 
He is also a certified Olympic weightlifting coach and specialises in physical preparation for both able-bodied and Paralympic athletes.
 
Beyond the training camp, Bardine will lead the technical crew of Team Nigeria during the African Championships in Lagos.