USA Fencing suspends board chair, reports alleged conduct to SafeSport

Ivan Lee, chair of the USA Fencing board, has been suspended for alleged conduct that would constitute a violation of the SafeSport Code, USA Fencing announced Friday.

A Hall of Fame fencer, Lee was elected as chair of the board of directors in September. Lee resigned upon learning of his suspension, USA Fencing said. 

“In line with our unwavering commitment to the safety of our athletes and the fencing community, we immediately reported the information to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, and have taken immediate action to suspend Mr. Lee,’’ USA Fencing said in a statement.

Lee, 42, did not immediately respond to a request for comment by USA TODAY Sports left by voicemail and text message.

SafeSport is an independent body tasked by Congress with protecting athletes in the Olympic movement. In recent months it has been involved in several matters concerning USA Fencing.

Curtis McDowald, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has been temporarily suspended as of November for allegations of misconduct, according to the SafeSport website.

Alen Hadzic, the U.S. fencer who went to the Tokyo Olympics as an alternate despite being under investigation following accusations of sexual misconduct, was declared permanently ineligible by SafeSport in June.

Mauro ‘Maher’ Hamza, a former U.S. national fencing coach, in November was ruled permanently ineligible by SafeSport, which cites sexual misconduct involving minors as the reason for the ban.

In July, USA Fencing imposed ‘temporary safety measures’ against Andrew Doddo, another top U.S. fencer, before announcing last month that SafeSport has administratively closed the case.

USA Fencing had no further comment on the matters, said Bryan Wendell, Director of Communications for USA Fencing.

The matter involving Lee figures to rock the fencing community in light of his accomplishments and status. He trained under Peter Westbrook, the six-time Olympian and famed coach of inner-city youth in New York.

In 2004, Lee competed in the Olympics. He finished 12th in the individual sabre event and helped Team USA to a fourth-place finish in the team event.

A five-time national champion, Lee was inducted into the USA Fencing Hall of Fame in 2014 and has transitioned from competitive fencer to coach.

In 2019, he was named head coach of the women’s fencing program at Long Island University-Brooklyn.

He also founded a fencing club called Naviblue Sports in New York.