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USA Fencing has a new president after former president Damien Lehfeldt announced he would not seek re-election this weekend.
The national governing body confirmed that former U.S. wheelchair fencing Paralympian Scott Rodgers had succeeded Lehfeldt last Friday, in a statement to PK Press Club Digital.
“On October 24, the USA Fencing Board of Directors elected Dr. Scott Rodgers PLY as Board President. Dr. Rodgers is a Paralympic medalist and the first active athlete – and first para-fencer – to lead our Board of Directors, and he will serve until the Board’s annual meeting in fall 2027,” the release said.
“His election reflects the Board’s continued commitment to athlete-centered governance and the development of fencing at all levels. We thank Damien Lehfeldt for his service; his term as Board Chair has ended.”
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Stephanie Turner, left, the American fencer who refused to compete against a transgender opponent, former high school volleyball player Payton McNabb, and United States Fencing Council President Damien Lehfeldt testify during a House hearing on trans people in women’s sports on Capitol Hill on May 7, 2025. (Olivier Contreras/AFP via Getty Images)
In Lehfeldt’s announcement that he would not run again, he cited “lawsuits” and “death threats” to justify his decision. Lehfeldt has been at the center of controversy for USA Fencing since April when fencer Stephanie Turner went viral for kneeling in protest against a transgender fencer and was disqualified.
The incident resulted in Lehfeldt being federally subpoenaed at a congressional hearing to explain the organization’s policies toward transgender athletes. Then, former Olympic coach and board member Andrey Geva and former Olympic fencer Abdel Salem sued Lehfeldt for allegedly making “false statements” during the hearing.
“I am not committed to spending my nights and weekends dealing with lawsuits, death threats and distractions that distract from the real work of governing and developing our sport. I want to get back to fencing, mentoring, coaching and simply being a part of the community I love, without constantly defending it in courtrooms and comment sections,” Lehfeldt said in his announcement.
“I knew it would be hard work, but I underestimated the time and energy it would take. Between my full-time job, my young children, and using almost all of my vacation days to volunteer, I’ve reached a point where I’m just plain tired.”
Lehfeldt included a paragraph in his announcement advocating for inclusion in the fence.
“Fencing is for everyone,” Lehfeldt said. “No matter your race, religion, sex, gender identity, or socioeconomic background, this sport is yours. It’s not just a slogan for me; it’s a commitment. And even with the challenges we have faced, I will continue to fight for an open, accessible and welcoming fencing community for all.”
Prior to the May 7 congressional hearing of the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) Subcommittee on Transgender Athletes, Lehfeldt made a series of posts on his Instagram Stories that were later circulated and used against him on the committee. In a post that went viral before the hearing, he responded to a question asking whether he “agreed” with putting female fencers at a disadvantage with a simple, brash response: “Yeah.”
During the hearing, Lehfeldt admitted several times that he regretted answering that way and that the question required a “more nuanced” answer.
At one point during the hearing, Lefheldt admitted to forging an email from a fictional fencer’s mother, “Dorothy,” who disagreed with him, and compared those who shared the same views to a “grand wizard” of the Ku Klux Klan.
“It was a poor attempt at humor,” Lehfeldt said.
WHO IS STEPHANIE TURNER? A female fencer who knelt to protest a trans opponent and sparked global awareness
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., holds up maps of the United States in front of a purported screenshot of Damien Lehfeldt’s Instagram during a House subcommittee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on May 7, 2025. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
Rep. Tim Burhcett, R-Tenn., asked Lehfeldt if he would let his daughter oppose “a man.” Lehfeldt suggested he would allow it while boasting about the security measures his organization took.
“As long as the competitor meets all the hormonal requirements and complies with the policy, I would be OK,” Lehfeldt said.
Turner previously told PK Press Club Digital after the May hearing that she would work to push for leadership changes within USA Fencing after stepping away from the sport.
“I’m going to push for people to resign, to be honest. I would like to see some people resign for comments they’ve made, especially publicly, that are harassing and intended to humiliate the women and mothers and daughters involved,” Turner said.
The USA Fencing Board of Directors has voted to change its current policy which priority states with LGBTQ-friendly laws for competition hosting venues and a policy that could have prevented the playing of the national anthem at certain events at its June 7 meeting.
The previous policies became one of the organization’s main points of criticism after Turner’s viral protest.
USA Fencing then changed its transgender participation policy in July to only allow female competitors to compete in the women’s category. The change was made to ensure compliance with the USOPC’s new athlete safety policy, which now cites President Donald Trump’s executive order “Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
USA Fencing responded to Geva and Salem’s lawsuit in a statement previously provided to PK Press Club Digital.
“USA Fencing is proud to serve its members – athletes, coaches, referees and clubs – across our community with absolute transparency and integrity. This derivative lawsuit misrepresents our organization, and we will vigorously defend the organization in court; any attempts to disparage them will be dealt with appropriately,” the statement said.
“As the litigation is ongoing, we cannot discuss the details. Our goal remains steadfast: to advance fencing nationally, support the success of every member, and uphold the values of the Olympic and Paralympic movement.”
