Fencing - Team Italy

General
Italy is among the most successful nations in Olympic fencing and the men's foil team have made a large contribution to that record. In 19 participations at the Olympic Games, Italy have collected 13 medals, seven of them gold. Two of the gold medals came in 2004 and 2012 [the event was not contested in 2008], and at the most recent edition of the Games in 2016 they finished fourth.

In Rio de Janeiro, they lost 45-30 to eventual silver medallists France in the semifinals and then were unable to overcome the United States of America in the bronze medal match, going down 45-31. They secured a place at the Tokyo Games with a top-four place in the 2020/21 world ranking list.

At the world championships, they have had distinct periods of sustained success. First, Italy had a consecutive podium run of 11 events between 1937 and 1958, then a spell of seven medals in nine tournaments between 1975 and 1986 and, finally, a span of 14 events in which they won 12 medals from 2003 to the most recent edition in 2019. In total, they have won 17 world titles, finished second nine times and third eight times.

Unsurprisingly, they have been a major power in European competition with eight titles since 1999. However, in recent years they have been contenders without reaching the top step of the podium. Their most recent continental title came in 2012 and since then they have been on the podium in five of the seven tournaments without taking an overall win.