Abashidze was suspended by SafeSport last year and fired by Penn State in March. Neither he nor his lawyer has commented, but this week the Canadian Fencing Federation confirmed that it had hired Abashidze to help referee its recent national competition. The federation was not aware that Abashidze had been under suspension by SafeSport when it hired him, said Caroline Sharp, executive director. She said she became aware toward the end of the competition, which is now over.