Italy has won the most Olympic fencing medals ever and is one of the strongest in the history of the sport. For many decades, Italian fencers have been successful in the foil event, the épée and the Sabre. Other nations, such as France and Hungary, are great fencers as well, with great Olympic histories. Over the years, these countries have built up excellent training systems, developed a rich sporting culture and implemented a coherent athlete development program, which has led them to excel in international fencing events.