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PESARO TO HOST WORLD’S BEST RHYTHMIC GYMNASTS IN 2017On 29 February, the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG) announced that the 2017 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships will take place in Pesaro (Italy) from 29 August to 3 September. The 2018 and 2019 championships had already been awarded to Sofia (Bulgaria) and Baku (Azerbaijan). FIG President Bruno Grandi said: “As Italy has a beautiful and solid tradition in rhythmic gymnastics, we are confident that the organisation will more than meet the requirements of the event.”FIE REACHES OUT TO RIO SCHOOLCHILDRENThousands of schoolchildren in Rio de Janeiro have been given the opportunity to learn how to cut, thrust and parry with the International Fencing Federation (FIE) Fencing School programme.Twelve national level coaches worked their way through dozens of schools and sports communities all over the city, teaching children the basics of the sport with equipment provided by the FIE. Several 40-minute fencing clinics were held at every school for pupils aged between five and 15, as part of the FIE’s two-month programme.On top of the fencing lessons, tickets to the Olympic competition itself were made available to children for the duration of the programme, which carried the tagline “Learn the Art of Fencing”.FIE launches Rio 2016 web portalThe International Fencing Federation (FIE) has launched a dedicated web portal for the Olympic Games Rio 2016, mapping out the road to Rio for sports fans all over the world. The site (rio2016.fie.org) contains news, multimedia and provisional Olympic qualification standings, as well as a wealth of other interactive content. The mobile-friendly portal features videos on some of the leading athletes, highlights from Olympic qualification events, photo galleries and a social media wall, which rounds up the fencing discussion from across the globe on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and other platforms.President Bach helps WCF mark 50th anniversaryOn 1-2 April, IOC President Thomas Bach was in Basel (Switzerland) for the 50th anniversary of the World Curling Federation (WCF), which was celebrated in the presence of WCF President Kate Caithness and representatives of the federation’s 54 member associations. President Bach also delivered the ceremonial stone at the 58th World Men’s Curling Championships in Basel’s St. Jakobshalle.Above Action from the rhythmic gymnastics Aquece Rio test event in AprilBelow Brazilian fencers Amanda Netto Simeao (left) and Clarisse Menezes with schoolchildren in Rio de JaneiroNEWS IN BRIEF18 OLYMPIC REVIEW