🏛️Official — FIE
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Perform the post-bout salute and handshake with genuine respect
After every bout, fencers remove their mask, strip the glove from the sword hand, and shake hands with the opponent and referee. This ritual is technically required, but the cultural expectation goes further: it must be performed with visible sincerity. Doing it grudgingly, perfunctorily, or refusing it entirely is considered one of the gravest breaches of fencing etiquette.
Do not scream or celebrate aggressively toward an opponent
Ripping off one's mask and screaming, yelling, or pumping fists directed at the opponent after scoring a touch—especially the winning touch—is considered deeply unsportsmanlike. This became a documented controversy at FIE World Cups and the Olympics, drawing formal commentary and informal condemnation from coaches, officials, and longtime fencers.
Each weapon has precise FIE specifications governing weight, length, blade profile, and electrical components (Material Rules m.1–m.24): Foil: Maximum total weight 500 g (Material Rules m.6). Maximum overall length 110 cm (m.7). Flexible rectangular-section blade, maximum blade length 90 cm (m.8....
Why people argue about this
People often argue that FIE-homologated masks are only necessary for protection during actual fights, forgetting that they must also withstand a rigorous punch test applied under extreme conditions to ensure safety in training scenarios as well. This oversight leads to misunderstandings about when and how these masks should be used effectively.
The mask is the most critical piece of safety equipment. FIE-homologated masks must meet the manufacturing and safety standards set out in Annexe A to the Material Rules.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that just wearing a mask is enough for safety, forgetting about the crucial punch test requirement. They misunderstand that FIE-approved masks need to pass a rigorous 12 kg force test on their mesh layer to ensure they do their job properly and safely during matches.
At the start of every pool, team match, or direct-elimination bout, the referee must assemble both competitors and verify that the FIE guarantee label is present on all clothing and masks, that the conductive jacket conforms to the relevant articl...
— Section 3
Why people argue about this
People often assume that conductive lamé is only for electronic scoring in foil and sabre, forgetting that it's also crucial for maintaining a valid target area without electronics. They overlook its importance as a layer of clothing designed to ensure proper contact between the tip of the blade and the body armor.
Foil and sabre require a conductive lamé worn over the jacket to define the valid target area electronically: Foil lamé: Covers the torso (front, sides, and back) and the groin flap, matching the valid target defined in Technical Rules t.77. When the foil tip depresses against the lamé, it comple...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the lamé is only for electronic scoring with foils and sabres, forgetting it's crucial for all three weapons—foil, épee, and sabre—to ensure a fair competition by defining valid target areas regardless of which weapon is used. This oversight leads to misunderstandings about its necessity across different fencing disciplines.
Body Cord: A wire running from the weapon, through the fencer's sleeve and jacket, connecting to a spring-loaded reel at the end of the piste.; Scoring Reel: A spring-loaded cable reel at each end of the piste that maintains electrical connection while allowing free movement.; Wireless Scoring: F...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the difference in button depression force between épée (750 g) and foil (500 g) is purely about historical tradition, forgetting that it's designed to ensure safety by requiring more pressure for a valid touch in épée, which uses electricity, unlike foil.
All bouts take place on a regulation fencing strip known as the piste (Technical Rules t.16–19): Length: 14 m, with a total tolerance of 4 cm (t.18.2); Width: The combat area is 1.50 m wide (t.18.1); Run-back zone: Each competitor, placed 2 m from the centre line, has 5 m of retreating distance a...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the metallic mesh floor prevents all touches from registering, which is a misunderstanding. Actually, it only ensures that touches made on the floor don't interfere with electronic scoring; touches on weapons still register correctly and are counted in matches.
Five lines must be drawn clearly across the piste at right angles to its length (Technical Rules t.19): Center line: Divides the piste into two equal halves, drawn as a broken line (t.19.1); En-garde lines: Two lines located 2 m from the center line on each side (t.19.2). Fencers begin each engag...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the metallic mesh floor is conductive for show, thinking it's just a flashy design feature, but in reality, its conductivity is crucial for ensuring touches register correctly on the scoring apparatus, which could lead to unfair outcomes if not properly grounded.
For foil and épée, the conductive surface must cover the whole of the length and breadth of the piste, including its run-back extension (Technical Rules t.18, Material Rules m.57). This prevents touches to the floor from registering on the scoring apparatus.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that grounding the piste surface is about making it conductive so touches register correctly on the scoring apparatus, but actually, it's crucial for preventing accidental touches from registering at all due to static electricity, ensuring fair play by eliminating floor-related fouls.
” A fencer who has crossed the lateral boundaries of the piste must be placed on guard at the correct distance even if this means being placed behind the rear line and thus causes a technical hit to be awarded against them (Technical Rules t.22.10, t.35.1, t.148).
Why people argue about this
People think you can only step off accidentally, like tripping, but actually, the rule allows for deliberate stepping off if it happens within the lateral boundaries, leading to a penalty of being sent back one meter - which many fencers argue is too harsh and not reflective of the sport's fluid nature.
Fencing competitions feature both individual and team events. In individual events, a single fencer competes against opponents through pool rounds and direct elimination brackets.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that since the referee is called the president, they have a democratic decision-making role akin to a board of directors. But in fencing, as per this FIE rule, it's clear the referee is the sole authority on the piste, not just an executive officer. This can lead to misunderstandings about their power and influence over decisions during competition.
The referee is the sole authority on the piste (Technical Rules t.46–47). Their responsibilities include: Calling fencers to order using the standard signals: On guard, Ready?, Play, Halt (Technical Rules t.23, illustrated in Figure 3 of the Rules); Analyzing the phrase to determine which fencer ...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that only the referee can make final decisions in a bout, leading to disputes over their authority versus other officials like the Jury. However, the actual confusion arises because the referee's role is more about enforcing protocol and making initial judgments during exchanges, not necessarily deciding outcomes or disputes between fencers.
Video Referee: At FIE-level competitions, a video referee reviews disputed calls. In individual events, a fencer has one possible appeal per bout in pools and two possible appeals in direct elimination bouts; if the referee agrees with the appeal, the fencer retains the right of appeal (Technical...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that side judges were phased out due to a change in weapons rather than advancements in scoring technology, misunderstanding that it was purely about transitioning from manual to electronic scoring apparatus for each weapon.
Before the adoption of electronic scoring, side judges observed whether touches landed on valid or invalid target. Judges may still be called upon by the referee to assist in establishing the mater...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that side judges are solely responsible for determining if a touch was valid or invalid on the target without realizing they can also be called in by the referee to help establish matters of dispute during matches. This oversight leads to confusion about their full role and responsibilities under electronic scoring adoption.
Fencing competitions use two primary bout formats: Pool Bouts: In the preliminary round, fencers are divided into pools of 5–8 competitors. Each fencer meets every other fencer in the pool once. Pool bouts are fenced to 5 touches with a maximum time of 3 minutes of effective fencing time (clock s...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that right of way is only relevant in épée fencing, thinking it's a minor detail for foil and sabre. However, they overlook how crucial understanding right of way can be in determining who wins bouts between these weapons, leading to misunderstandings about its importance across all three fencers' disciplines.
Right of way is the foundational convention that distinguishes foil and sabre from épée.
Why people argue about this
People often argue that right of way in fencing is just a fancy term for who gets priority when they both hit at once, but actually it's more nuanced - it defines which weapon (foil or sabre) has precedence over épée strikes, ensuring fair play and clarity on scoring between the different types of fencers.
Épée has no right of way rules (Technical Rules t.90–92). When both competitors are hit and the apparatus registers both hits as valid, there is a double touch — a hit scored against each competitor (t.92).
Why people argue about this
People often assume that in team épée bouts, each member of a team must fight all other members equally, which leads to misunderstandings about how the predetermined order affects individual performance. Actually, the focus is on the sequence of opponents rather than equal combat among teammates, so understanding this distinction is key to grasping how the rule works.
Team bouts consist of 9 individual relay bouts between the three members of each team. Each relay bout has a cumulative target score, in increments of 5 touches, up to Bout 9 fenced to 45 touches.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the order of team bouts is randomly determined by a draw for each match, forgetting that it's predetermined based on a pre-arranged schedule. This leads to misunderstandings about when certain athletes will compete against whom, causing confusion and frustration among teams.
Fencers may advance, retreat, lunge, and flèche (a running attack) at foil and épée; the flèche and any forward movement in which the rear foot completely passes the front foot is forbidden at sabre and penalised as an offence of the 1st group (Te...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that flèche movements are allowed in sabre as long as they don't touch the opponent, but the official ruling clearly states that even a forward movement where the rear foot passes the front is penalized at sabre, regardless of whether contact occurs or not. This rule creates confusion because it seems contradictory to what people might expect based on other weapon rules.
Each valid touch scores 1 point.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a team can win simply by reaching 45 touches in any of the 9 relay bouts, which leads them to overlook the crucial aspect that they must lead at the end of the final bout for victory. The confusion arises because they don't realize the importance of maintaining an advantage throughout all rounds rather than just accumulating touches.
Pool bouts: First to 5 touches or highest score after 3 minutes (Technical Rules t.50ss).; DE bouts: First to 15 touches or highest score after three 3-minute periods.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a team can win simply by hitting their opponent 45 times across all relay bouts, without considering how many touches each bout actually allows. But in reality, they must hit exactly 45 touches total across all 9 bouts combined, which means managing the touch count per bout to ensure it adds up correctly over time.
Team relay bouts accumulate to a maximum of 45 touches across 9 relay bouts. Individual relay results carry over — if Team A leads 23–20 after bout 5, bout 6 begins at that score and is fenced to a target of 30.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a team can win by simply accumulating touches without regard for time, thinking they just need to reach 45 touches in total across all relay bouts. But actually, the key is leading when time runs out in the final bout, ensuring their lead isn't overtaken before the match concludes.
The referee, together with the video-referee, may review an action a maximum of four times, in real time or slow motion, at any speed (Technical Rules t.62.1). Review may occur at the referee's initiative, at the request of the athlete, in case of...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the video review can only happen when an athlete specifically requests it, which leads to misunderstandings about when and how the referee can initiate a review under "6.4 Video Refereeing". Actually, the rule allows for reviews at the initiative of the referee as well, not just upon request from athletes.
The FIE uses a structured card system to penalize infractions (Technical Rules t.144–170).
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the FIE's penalty card system is meant to penalize aggressive fencing, when in fact it aims to discourage passive play where a fencer waits for their opponent to make the first move, essentially making them inactive and unengaged with the bout. The rule actually encourages both sides to be active and engaged throughout the match.
1st Group: Covering valid target with the non-weapon hand or arm (Technical Rules t.29.1); turning one's back to the opponent during a phrase (t.27.2); causing corps à corps intentionally or jostling the opponent (t.25.2); crossing the lateral boundaries of the piste (t.35); appearing with non-re...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the FIE's encouragement of active fencing is about making matches more exciting for spectators, when in fact it means promoting a style where fencers are constantly on their toes, anticipating attacks rather than passively waiting for them, to keep gameplay dynamic and fair.
The Referee must stop the bout whenever corps à corps occurs (Technical Rules t.25.1). A flèche ending systematically in a corps à corps must not be confused with a flèche resulting in a shock which jostles the opponent, which is treated as intent...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a flèche attack ending in a corps à corps is just as serious as one causing a shock jostle, but actually, the referee must stop the bout if there's a true corps à corps, which means direct contact between the tip of the fencer’s weapon and their opponent. They overlook the crucial distinction that makes all the difference in determining whether to halt play or not.
At FIE-level competitions, each fencer may request video review. In individual pool bouts, a fencer has one possible appeal per bout; in direct elimination bouts, two possible appeals (Technical Rules t.61.1).
Why people argue about this
People often think that they can only appeal once per bout in direct elimination bouts, forgetting that they get two appeals as specified by the rules, leading to misunderstandings about when their second appeal is valid or if they've already used it.
All equipment used in FIE-sanctioned competition must bear the FIE homologation mark, obtained through the certification process set out in Annexe A to the Material Rules:
— Section 1
Why people argue about this
People think that if a blade breaks during a bout, it should be fixed on-site by the fitter present in the venue, but actually, the referee is instructed to call "Halt" immediately and remove the broken blade permanently from the piste as per safety standards, ensuring no further use of that damaged equipment.
When a competitor against whom a hit has been registered has broken their blade, the hit must be annulled unless the break occurred clearly after the hit was registered (Technical Rules t.56.7). ” A hit made during or after a fall must also be annulled (t.56.10).
Why people argue about this
People often assume that if a blade breaks during a fencing bout, it can be fixed on the spot and reused later in the match, which is why they argue against the rule stating it cannot be repaired or used again once taken off the piste. The confusion arises because in real-time fencing competitions, blades are considered disposable to ensure safety and fairness for all competitors.
The Technical Rules address injuries and withdrawal of a competitor (t.37–44), including the conditions under which the bout may be stopped and restarted, and the circumstances requiring a competitor's withdrawal from the event.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that if an injury occurs during a fencing bout, it's automatically over just because of the injured player's condition, but actually, the decision to stop or restart the bout is left up to the referee based on specific conditions outlined in the rule, not solely by the occurrence of an injury.
Whenever a fencer on the piste is found in possession of equipment that is non-regulation or defective, the referee confiscates the equipment and submits it to the experts on duty for examination (Technical Rules t.70). The equipment is returned o...
Why people argue about this
People often think that if they have non-regulation equipment, it's just a minor inconvenience since their opponent won't be allowed to use it either. But actually, the referee confiscates it because they want to ensure fair play by checking and potentially disqualifying any defective gear that could affect performance or safety.
Before each bout, the referee conducts an inspection of both fencers' equipment (Technical Rules t.64–69), including: Presence of the FIE guarantee label on clothing, masks, and weapons; Conductive jacket conformity for the relevant weapon (foil: m.28; sabre: m.34); Insulation of the wires inside...
Why people argue about this
People think that only equipment from competitors themselves is inspected, which leads to misunderstandings about what exactly gets checked. In reality, it's all equipment used by participants at major competitions, including weapons and clothing, regardless of who brought them, as long as they're part of the competition setup.
All persons taking part in or attending a fencing competition, including spectators, must observe strictly and faithfully the Rules and Statutes of the FIE, and the traditional customs of courtesy and integrity (Technical Rules t.107–109). Anyone ...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that observing traditional customs of courtesy and integrity only applies to competitors on the field, overlooking their responsibility as spectators who must also uphold these traditions. The confusion arises because they forget that spectators are part of the competition environment too, just not in a direct physical way.
Each weapon has precise FIE specifications governing weight, length, blade profile, and electrical components (Material Rules m.1–m.24): Foil: Maximum total weight 500 g (Material Rules m.6). Maximum overall length 110 cm (m.7). Flexible rectangular-section blade, maximum blade length 90 cm (m.8....
— Section 3
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the mask's mesh material only needs to withstand a punch test for safety, without realizing it means the entire mask must pass withstanding 12 kg of force from an actual hit to ensure its effectiveness and integrity in real matches. They might overlook how crucial this rule is in preventing serious injuries.
All bouts take place on a regulation fencing strip known as the piste (Technical Rules t.16–19): Length: 14 m, with a total tolerance of 4 cm (t.18.2); Width: The combat area is 1.50 m wide (t.18.1); Run-back zone: Each competitor, placed 2 m from the centre line, has 5 m of retreating distance a...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the metallic mesh floor is purely for aesthetic reasons, forgetting its crucial role in preventing electrical interference with the scoring system. The actual reason behind using conductive material is to ensure all touches are accurately registered and counted, which could be skewed if not grounded properly.
The referee is the sole authority on the piste (Technical Rules t.46–47).
Why people argue about this
People often assume that while the referee is in charge of the piste, other officials like the scorekeepers or even team captains can still influence decisions, leading to confusion about whose authority truly prevails. The FIE rule clarifies this by stating explicitly that only the referee has final say on all matters within their jurisdiction.
Fencing competitions use two primary bout formats: Pool Bouts: In the preliminary round, fencers are divided into pools of 5–8 competitors. Each fencer meets every other fencer in the pool once. Pool bouts are fenced to 5 touches with a maximum time of 3 minutes of effective fencing time (clock s...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that right of way only applies in épée fencing, forgetting it's crucial for foil and sabre as well. The confusion arises because they see épée as the most straightforward weapon with its continuous scoring system and don't realize the importance of who gets priority strikes in foil and sabre to maintain a fair contest.
Team relay bouts accumulate to a maximum of 45 touches across 9 relay bouts. Individual relay results carry over — if Team A leads 23–20 after bout 5, bout 6 begins at that score and is fenced to a target of 30.
Why people argue about this
People often think that a team can win by simply touching their opponent 45 times in total across all relay bouts, regardless of how many touches they get per bout. However, the confusion arises because each relay bout is scored independently and the team must reach exactly 45 touches in the very last relay bout to claim victory, not just accumulate a total of 45 touches over multiple rounds.
The Referee must stop the bout whenever corps à corps occurs (Technical Rules t.25.1). A flèche ending systematically in a corps à corps must not be confused with a flèche resulting in a shock which jostles the opponent, which is treated as intent...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the FIE's encouragement of active play in fencing means they want aggressive attacks all the time, leading to frequent arguments about what constitutes 'active' or 'aggressive.' But actually, the FIE is aiming for a balanced game where both offense and defense are valued, just not at the expense of fair play.
Whenever a fencer on the piste is found in possession of equipment that is non-regulation or defective, the referee confiscates the equipment and submits it to the experts on duty for examination (Technical Rules t.70). The equipment is returned o...
— Section 1
Why people argue about this
People often assume that if a blade breaks during a bout, it can be repaired on-site by fencers or officials and reused later in another match, misunderstanding that once broken, the blade is removed from play entirely per FIE guidelines.