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OGDEN, GOSLING & PEARSON AWARDED EFC C REFEREE LICENCES

Sam Ogden has been awarded his EFC C licence for foil, and Louis Gosling and Alex Pearson for sabre. 

The EFC C licence is awarded to referees after being independently observed and scoring five “4’s or 5’s” (out of 5) at EFC nominated competitions over two seasons. The C licence is also a requirement for entry to the FIE exams.

In September 2024, Sam also achieved his FIE licence in sabre after passing the FIE referee exams in Romania. For Louis and Alex, this is their first international refereeing licence.

Upon hearing the news, Sam said:

“It is a real honour to have been awarded the EFC C licence in foil. This is another step in my refereeing journey, which I would have been unable to make without the ongoing support and advice of my colleagues and mentors. I would like to thank them, the European Confederation for their recognition, and of course the athletes for trusting me when I arrive on piste.”

A referee at a fencing competition smiles to the camera.
Sam refereeing at this year’s British Youth Championships (BYCs).

Louis, who was awarded his sabre licence, commented:

“It’s an absolutely amazing feeling to have received my C licence, and it’s still sinking in to be honest. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have received a huge amount of support from a number of different people without whom this wouldn’t have been possible, but an especially big mention goes to Mike Selig, Sam McLellan, and Sam Ogden. Thank you all so much, it means a lot!”

A sabre referee at a fencing competition.
Louis refereeing at the 2024 BYCs.

Alex, also awarded his sabre licence, added:

“I’m over the moon that my continued improvement has been recognised with the award of the EFC C sabre licence. While the amount of people who have helped me get here is too long to list, I want to specifically thank Jennifer Sancroft, Adrian Speakman and Alex Savin. Their advice and support, especially in the last year, has been absolutely invaluable.”

A sabre referee at a fencing competition.
Alex refereeing at this year’s Cadet & Junior National Championships.

Chris Turner, BF Coaching & Workforce Development Manager, added:

“Congratulations to Sam, Louis, and Alex on successfully achieving their EFC C Licences! This accomplishment highlights their dedication to refereeing and commitment to continuous professional development. It also reflects the strength of our GBR Referee Pathway Programme, proudly supported by UK Sport funding. We extend our sincere thanks to UK Sport and the EFC for their ongoing support in developing refereeing excellence.”

If you’re interested in joining the BF Referee Pathway Programme, please click here for further information.