Fencing
Fencing World C'ships: Why is Bhavani Devi missing from Indian squad?
India announced a 24-member team for the 2026 Fencing World Championships.
Bhavani Devi was handed a Black Card during the 2026 Asian Fencing Championship in New Delhi. (File Photo)
A 24-member Indian fencing contingent is set to represent the country at the Senior World Fencing Championships 2026 scheduled from July 22-30 in Hong Kong.
But one of India’s most accomplished fencers CA Bhavani Devi will not feature in the prestigious tournament.
The 32-year-old sabre fencer is currently serving a two-month ban imposed by the International Fencing Federation for her conduct during the team event at the Asian Fencing Championship in New Delhi.
Bhavani, who will remain out of action till August 22 this year, threw her fencing helmet in frustration after a disappointing performance in the women's sabre team event. The helmet bounced and hit one of the officials and she was handed a black card for her conduct.
A black card in fencing is the most serious penalty, resulting in immediate expulsion from the tournament, removal from the venue, and potential long-fencing bans. The ban was only for Bhavani and not for the entire sabre team
The Tokyo Olympian wrote an unconditional apology for her conduct in New Delhi and the Fencing Association of India also requested the world body to reconsider and reduce/revoke the suspension. But their requests were not considered.
Meanwhile in her absence, the likes of Karan Singh, Taniksha Khatri, Prachi Lohan, Kanupriya Chawla and more will take center stage as a team of 12 men and 12 women fencers will compete across all three fencing disciplines.
The nine-day flagship event will be held at the AsiaWorld-Expo venue. The contingent also includes five national coaches and two physiotherapists.
Rajeev Mehta, Secretary-General, Fencing Association of India said, “This World Championship represents a major milestone for Indian fencing as we test our strength against the very best in the world. Our athletes across Épée, Foil, and Sabre have put in intense preparation and shown remarkable grit throughout the national and international season. We have immense belief in this contingent's ability to compete with fearlessness, push boundaries, and bring pride to the nation in Hong Kong. I wish them good luck.”
Indian Squad
Épée (Women): Taniksha Khatri, Prachi Lohan, Yashkeerat Kaur Hayer, Mitva Jesangbhai Chaudhari
Épée (Men): Sherjin Rajendran Shanthimol, Joseph Bennet, Siva Magesh Sathasivan Nirmala, Shaurya Ashwini
Foil (Women): Joys Ashitha Stalinraj, Mina Devi Naorem, Kanupriya Chawla, Sonia Devi Waikhom
Foil (Men): Sachin, Hemash Singh Sanasam, Aditya, Tejas Manoj Patil
Sabre (Women): Shreya Gupta, Jefarlin Jani Rexlin Simla, Shruti Joshi, Aakhri
Sabre (Men): Karan Singh, Gisho Nidhi Kumaresan Padma, Lakshay Badser, Vishal Thapar
Schedule
July 22: Qualifications – Men's Foil & Women's Épée
July 23: Qualifications – Men's Épée & Women's Sabre
July 24: Qualifications – Men's Sabre & Women's Foil
July 25: Individual Finals – Men's Foil & Women's Épée
July 26: Individual Finals – Men's Épée & Women's Sabre
July 27: Individual Finals – Men's Sabre & Women's Foil
July 28: Team Events – Men's Foil & Women's Épée
July 29: Team Events – Men's Épée & Women's Sabre
July 30: Team Events – Men's Sabre & Women's Foil
Live streaming
The World Fencing Championship 2026 will stream live on the official FIE streaming platform at FencingTV.com and on the FIE Fencing Channel on YouTube. For real time scores, pools, and live bracket updates can be followed online at Fencing Time Live.