Simon Auty
Fencing Victoria must sadly advise of the passing of Simon Auty and in doing so, we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, Nirmala, Samantha and Conaill.
Many will know that Simon was diagnosed with an aggressive illness in March and has since been undergoing intensive treatment. Simon dealt with all of this in the most extraordinary, matter-of-fact and positive manner. It was undoubtedly a tough time for Simon and his family, but certainly from a fencing perspective he made the most of those 6 months, maintained his strong leadership and focus on the future of the association and achieved a great deal on behalf of our sporting community.
Simon has served as President of Fencing Victoria since 2008. Beyond the demands of his day job as Executive Director of Triathlon Victoria, he has in recent years, been the driving force of fencing in Victoria. Leading one sport is a huge job. Running a second as a volunteer was amazing. We don’t know how he did it, but we do know that our sport was privileged to have Simon’s involvement.
There were many highlights in Simon’s Presidency. Some notable achievements include;
- establishment of the State Fencing Centre at Arden Street - Australia’s premier, purpose-built fencing facility
- achieving a sound financial footing for FV and securing a donation to eliminate the debt incurred to fit out Arden Street
- securing and running the 2010 Commonwealth Fencing Championships with 500 fencers from 20 countries
- the rapid growth of a vibrant Schools competition that now involves over 20 schools and 270 registered competitors
- introduction of professional tournament managers and referees for state competitions to improve the quality and capacity of events
Simon was also an enthusiastic, veteran sabreur and the very proud dad of an international fencer, Samantha. He was a colleague, a friend and a leader who earned the respect of all those who came in contact with him. We know Simon best from a fencing perspective. Others will speak of different aspects to his life, but there will be a common thread to all of these memories. Simon made a difference. He will be missed and he will be remembered.
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal" - Albert Pike
For and on behalf of Fencing Victoria
Last Modified on 08/10/2014 17:24