Exceptions can be made if a fencer could not compete on medical grounds, if they are living abroad or through “other extenuating circumstances”.
Sam McArthur appealed the decision by FeNZ to not select him for the Fencing World Championships in Hong Kong. Photo / Getty Images
McArthur challenged the selector’s decision to use the medical exemption for Bioletti and argued “the criteria for that exemption were not met and were misapplied”.
He also alleged a conflict of interest and “actual bias” in the selection process because of the “coaching relationship” between Bioletti and selector Kyle Macdonald.
FeNZ argued the appeal should be dismissed because the tribunal lacked jurisdiction and the appeal was made more as a challenge to Bioletti’s selection rather than McArthur’s non-selection.
The organisation also claimed the selection policy was applied correctly and doesn’t guarantee selection based on open rankings, rather allowing “discretion and evaluative decision-making, via the application of the exemptions”.
FeNZ contested there was no evidence of bias from Macdonald or other selectors and believed “the selection decision was reasonable and consistent with the selection policy”.
Bioletti supported FeNZ’s position and rejected any suggestion of bias, while Peterson maintained “selectors were entitled to select fencers based on overseas performance, notwithstanding a lower domestic ranking”.
The tribunal upheld McArthur’s appeal on “the basis that the selection criteria had not been properly followed and/or implemented and as there was no material on which the decision could reasonably be based”, which now allows him to compete at the world championship in Hong Kong.
It found the selection is “fundamentally” to be based on open rankings, and Bioletti’s selection showed FeNZ failed to follow this policy by wrongly assuming the aim of ensuring the strongest possible teams and individuals are selected gave them discretion to override or adjust the open rankings.
The tribunal also found that Bioletti did not reach the medical or residing internationally exemptions and “selectors wrongly treated his injury and overseas results as coming under the “other extenuating circumstances” exemption to justify his selection ahead of Mr McArthur.
The appeal on the grounds of bias was rejected because Bioletti’s relationship with Macdonald had been disclosed and the selector did not vote on the selection decision.
However, the tribunal said it would have been preferable if Macdonald had completely removed himself from the selection process relating to Bioletti.
The tribunal referred the matter back to FeNZ to reconsider the selection, with a Givealittle page having been set up to help fund McArthur’s journey to the world championships.
“Sam has been selected to represent New Zealand at the 2026 World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong,” the page read.
The page explains that McArthur was a boxer, later switching to fencing, and helped to create North Canterbury Fencing while also helping to coach.
“Sport, alongside his children, gives him purpose and the motivation to keep pushing forward,” the page read.