Exclusive-Fencing-More than 50 Canadian fencers make plea to sport minister citing maltreatment

(Reuters) - More than 50 current and former Canadian fencers have joined a growing call for a Canadian judicial inquiry on maltreatment in sport, saying the fear of retribution has kept them silent for nearly 20 years on fencing's toxic culture and abusive practices.

"Unfortunately, we have been united by our shared experiences of abuse, neglect and discrimination," the group calling themselves Fencing for Change Canada said in a letter to Minister Pascale St-Onge sent on Thursday and published online.