THE UNOFFICIAL FIE RULES
FOR COMPETITIONS
2002 EDITION
Updated and revised by Mike Thornton.
As
these are not the official rules they should not be used for disputes or
appeals especial if they conflict with the most recent published B.F.A or F.I.E
rule.
AMENDMENTS TO THE
RULES
The FIE makes amendments to the Reglements pour les Epreuves (RULES FOR COMPETITIONS) from time to time. Since the last English language edition of the Rules were published in 2000, there have been numerous amendments. These amendments are available in French on-line as the text of the Reglements pour les Epreuves are published on the FIE website at www.fie.ch.
The text of recent
amendments in English is available on-line from the BFA website at www.britishfencing.com.
This version of the Rules has been prepared by
Anglicising and updating the USFA 2000 edition of the Rules. The text of the USFA Rules was largely taken
from a previous version of the BFA Rules translated and prepared by Steve
Higginson and Peter Jacobs. The resulting product has then been compared with
the FIE Reglements par les Epreuves as
published on their website in May 200 and the English text of the amendments
also published in May 2002.
The passages which have been amended since the 2000
edition of the English Rules are highlighted in blue in the following text.
Whilst I have made every attempt to ensure the accuracy
of the following text, I must stress that it is an unofficial document and has
not been approved by the FIE or the BFA.
I believe that this is, however, the only extant
attempt at an updated text of the Reglements pour les Epreuves in English.
Any errors are mine unless the FIE made them first!
Mike Thornton May 2002.
RULES FOR COMPETITIONS
Table of Contents
PRELUDE
BOOK 1. TECHNICAL RULES
COMMON TO THE THREE WEAPONS
Article
CHAPTER 1. APPLICATION
OF THE RULES
Obligatory use of the Rules t.1
CHAPTER 2. GLOSSARY
A. Competitions
1. Assaults and bouts t.2
2. Match t.3
3. Competition t.4
4. Championship t.5
B. Explanation of some technical terms
1. Fencing time t.6
2. Offensive and defensive actions t.7
3. Explanation t.8
4. Defensive actions t.9
5. The in-line position t.10
CHAPTER 3. THE FIELD
OF PLAY t.11-14
CHAPTER 4. THE
FENCERS EQUIPMENT
Responsibility of fencers t.15
CHAPTER 5. FENCING
1. Method of holding the weapon t.16
2. Coming on guard t.17
3. Beginning, stopping and restarting the bout t.18
4. Fencing at close quarters t.19
5. Corps ΰ corps t.20
6. Displacing the target and passing the opponent
t.21
7. Substitution and use of the non-sword hand and arm t.22-23
8. Ground gained or lost t.24-25
9. Crossing the limits of the piste
(a) Stopping the bout t.26
(b) Rear
Limits t.27
(c) Lateral
boundaries t.28
(d) Leaving the piste
accidentally t.29 10. Duration of the bout t.30-32
11. Accidents, withdrawal of a competitor t.33
CHAPTER 6. REFEREEING AND JUDGING OF HITS t.34
1. The Referee t.35
2. Judges t.36
3. Attribution of referees
1.
Olympic Games and World Championships
a.
Individual competitions t.37
b. Team competitions t.38
2. World Cup Competitions t.39
4. Method of judging hits
(a) Materiality of the
hit t.40-41
(b) Validity or
priority of the hit t.42
5. Regulation equipment and checking of equipment by
the Referee t.43-44
6. Non-regulation equipment t.45
PART 2. FOIL
THE CONVENTIONS OF FENCING
A. METHOD OF MAKING A HIT t.46
B. TARGET
1. Limitation of the target t.47
2. Hits off the target t.48
3. Extension of the valid target t.49
C. JUDGING OF HITS AT FOIL t.50
I.
Materiality of the
hit t.51-52
II.
Annulment of a hit t.53-54
III.
Validity or priority of the hit
1.
Preface t.55
2.
Respect of the fencing phrase t.56-59
3.
Judging of hits t.60
PART 3. EPEE
THE CONVENTIONS OF FENCING
A. METHOD OF MAKING A HIT t.61
B. THE TARGET t.62
C. CORPS A CORPS AND flθche ATTACKS t.63
D. JUDGING OF HITS IN EPEE t.64
1. Basic principle t.65
2. The annulment of hits t.66-69
PART 4. SABRE
THE CONVENTIONS OF FENCING
A. METHOD OF MAKING A HIT t.70
B. LIMITATION OF THE TARGET t.71-72
C. JUDGING OF HITS AT SABRE
I. Materiality and annulment of hits t.73
II. Validity or priority of the hit
1. Preface t.74
2. Regard of the fencing phrase t.75-79
3. Judging of hits t.80
PART 5. DISCIPLINARY RULES
FOR COMPETITIONS
CHAPTER 1.
APPLICATION
1. Persons subject to these rules t.81
2. Maintenance of order and discipline t.82-83
3. The competitors
(a) Pledge of honour t.84
(b) Refusing to fence
an opponent t.85
(c) Presence on time t.86
(d) Fencing etiquette t.87
(e) Personal effort t.88
4. The team manager t.89
5. The team captain t.90
6. The referees and judges t.91
7. The instructors, trainers and technicians t.92
8. The spectators t.93
CHAPTER 2. THE
DISCIPLINARY AUTHORITIES
AND THEIR COMPETENCE
1. Jurisdiction t.94
2. Principle of jurisdiction t.95
3. The Referee t.96
4. The Directoire Technique t.97
5. The Executive Committee of the IOC at the Olympic Games t.98
6. The Executive Committee of the FIE t.99
7. The Congress of the FIE t.100
CHAPTER 3. PENALTIES
1. Classification of penalties t.101
2. Penalties related to fencing t.102-105
3. Disciplinary penalties t.106-112
4. Announcement of penalties t.113
CHAPTER 4. OFFENCES,
THEIR PENALTIES AND THE
COMPETENT JURIDICAL AUTHORITIES
1. The types (groups) of penalty t.114
2. Competence T.115
3. The first group of offences t.116
4. The second group of offences t.117
5. The third group of offences t.118
6. The fourth group of offences t.119
7. Offences and penalties t.120
CHAPTER 5. PROCEDURE
1. Basic principle t.121
2. Protests and appeals t.122-123
3. Investigation Right of defence t.124
4. Method of decision t.125
5. Stay of execution t.126
6. Repetition of offence t.127
7. Pardon, remissions and commutation of penalty t.128
CHAPTER 6. DRUGS
1. General rules t.129
BOOK 2. ORGANISATION RULES
CHAPTER 1.
COMPETITIONS o.1-2
CHAPTER 2. BODIES
RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANISATION
AND CONTROL
1. The Organising Committee o.3
2. The Central Office of the FIE o.4
3. The Directoire Technique o.5
4. Referees o.6
5. Auxiliary personnel o.7-8
CHAPTER 3. ENTRIES
FOR COMPETITIONS o.9
CHAPTER 4. TIMETABLE o.10
CHAPTER 5. INDIVIDUAL
COMPETITIONS o.11
1. General rules for the round of pools o.12
Composition of pools o.13-19
Withdrawal o.20
2. General rules for direct elimination o.21-24
Withdrawal o.25
Order of bouts o.26
The final o.27
Classification o.28
A. Mixed Formula (Open competitions) o.29-34
B. Mixed Formula (Junior/Cadet competitions) o.35-41
CHAPTER 6. TEAM
COMPETITIONS
A.
Open and Junior World Championships
(and Olympic Games) team events o.42-44
B. Open World Cup team competition o45-47
CHAPTER 7.
ORGANISATION OF OFFICIAL FIE COMPETITIONS
A. Common conditions
(a) Programme of competitions o.48
(b) Venues, installations, equipment, accreditation, etc o.49
(c) Entries by member federations o.50-54
(d) Age of participants o.55
(e) Technical management of major competitions o.56-62
(f) Supervision by the FIE o.63
(g) Anti-doping testing o.64
B.
Open World Championships
1. Annual championships o.65
2. Candidature o.66
3. Entries o.67
4. Referees o.68
5. Invitations for international officials o.69
C. REGIONAL GAMES o.70
(a) Technical delegates of the FIE o.71
(b) Technical officials and referees o.72
D. Junior and cadet World Championships
1. Annual championships o.73
2. Candidature o.74
3. Entries o.75
4. Age of the competitors o.76
5. Referees o.77
6. Invitations for international officials o.78
E. World Cup competitions
1. Introduction o.79-82
2. Criteria o.83-85
3. Participation o.86-87
4. Referees o.88
5. Team World Cup o.89
6. World ranking o.90-91
F. Nations Grand Prix o.92
CHAPTER 8. SPECIAL
RULES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES o.93
BOOK 3. MATERIAL RULES
PART 1. FENCERS WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
CHAPTER 1. WEAPONS
1. Characteristics common to all weapons m.1
A. General description m.2
B. Dimensions (cf. m.7ss, m.15ss, m.21ss) m.3
C. The grip m.4
D. The guard (cf. m.9, m.17, m.24) m.5
2. Foil
(a) Weight m.6
(b) Length m.7
(c) The blade m.8
(d) The guard (cf. m.5) m.9
(e) Electric wire m.10
(f) Pointe darrκt m.11
(g) Method of affixing the button m.12
(h) The insulation of the button, the blade and the grip m.13
3. Epee
(a) Weight m.14
(b) Length m.15
(c) The blade m.16
(d) The guard (cf. m.5) m.17
(e) Electric wires m.18
(f) Pointe darrκt and button m.19
(g) Method of affixing the button m.20
4. Sabre
(a) Length m.21
(b) Weight m.22
(c) The blade m.23
(d) The guard (cf. m.5) m.24
CHAPTER 2. EQUIPMENT
AND CLOTHING
1. General conditions m.25
2.Rules specific to foil
(a) Glove (cf. m.25) m.26
(b) Mask (cf. m.25) m.27
(c) Conductive jacket (over-jacket or plastron) m.28
(d) Bodywire and attachment plugs m.29
3. Rules specific to epee
(a) Mask m.30
(b) Bodywire m.31
4. Rules specific to sabre
(a) Mask m.32
(b) Glove m.33
(c) Conductive jacket m.34
(d) Bodywire and plugs m.35
CHAPTER 3. CHECKING
OF MATERIAL
1. Competence m.36
2. Checking of fencers equipment m.37
A.
Presentation of equipment to the Weapon
Checking Centre m.38-39
B. Checking body m.40-41
C. Checking personnel and
equipment m.42-43
PART 2. FITTINGS AND MATERIAL
PROVIDED BY THE ORGANISERS
Introduction m.44
CHAPTER 1. SCORING APPARATUS
1. Authorised designs m.45
2. Approval of designs of apparatus m.46-50
3. Specifications for all electrical equipment (cf. Annexe B) m.51
4. Number and quality of judging apparatus m.52
5. Checking of apparatus m.53-54
CHAPTER 2. SPOOLS,
CABLES AND THEIR CONNECTIONS m.55-56
CHAPTER 3. CONDUCTIVE
PISTES m.57
CHAPTER 4. SOURCE OF
ELECTRICAL CURRENT m.58
CHAPTER 5. EXTENSION
LAMPS m.59-60
ANNEXE A TO THE MATERIAL RULES
Manufacturers Safety Standards for Fencers
Weapons, Equipment and Clothing
Paragraph
WEAPONS.1.BLADES
Purpose 1
General conditions 2
Characteristics of the material 3
Tests and examinations (material) 4
Characteristics of the finished product 5
Tests and examinations (finished
product) 6
Results of tests and examinations 7
Marking 8
EQUIPMENT 2.
STANDARDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF FENCING MASKS
2.1. Mesh of fencing masks
Purpose 1
General conditions of raw material 2
Materials 3
Tests and examinations 4
Documents 5
2.2. Shape, dimensions and methods of production of the
elements of fencing masks
Purpose 1
General conditions 2
Shape and dimensions of masks 3
Essential constituent elements 4
Tests and certificates 5
CLOTHING 3. STANDARDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOTHING
3.1. Resistance of cloth against perforation
Generalities 1
Methods of conducting the test 2
Results 3
3.2. Parts of the fencer that it is vital to protect
4. LABEL OF QUALITY
ANNEXE B TO THE MATERIAL RULES
Characteristics of Scoring Apparatus
A. FOIL
1. The central judging apparatus (cf. m.51)
(a) Principles
(b) Sensitivity and regularity
2. Anti-blocking type central judging apparatus
B. EPEE
(a) Principle
(b) Timing
(c) Sensitivity
(d) Non-registration
(e) Visual signals
(f) Audible signals
C. SABRE
(a) Principles
(b) Sensitivity and regularity
ANNEXE C TO THE MATERIAL RULES
Score-board for Finals
ANNEXE : FENCERS PUBLICITY CODE
CHAPTER II.
COLLECTIVE ADVERTISING CONTRACT
CHAPTER III.
INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT
CHAPTER IV. SPECIFIC
REGULATIONS
CHAPTER V. PENALTIES
INDEX
RULES FOR
COMPETITIONS
Nobody may claim ignorance of the Rules
PRELUDE
HISTORICAL NOTE
The technical rules of the Federation
Internationale dEscrime were unanimously adopted by the International Congress
of the National Olympic Committees held in
They were modified by various FIE Congresses and were revised after the
1931 Congress and again after the 1954 Congress when they were renamed
Technical Rules. They were revised and modernised after the 1958 Congress and
renamed Rules for Competitions.
The amendments made by Congress held between 1964 and 1972 were
incorporated in the new updated edition published in 1972. The amendments made
by Congress between 1973 and 1983 inclusive were incorporated in the new French
updated edition published in 1983.
Subsequent amendments were included in a restructured edition published
in 1997.
FOIL
The Rules for Foil were adopted on
They were basically the same as those drawn up by Monsieur Camille
Prιvost, President of the Acadιmie dArmes and President of the Technical
Committee for Foil of the French National Federation. They also conformed to
the rules drawn up by the Marquis de Chasseloup-Laubat for Les Armes de
France, to the various earlier international regulations drawn up by the
different countries affiliated to the FIE, and to the Franco-Italian rules.
The rules governing foil competitions judged with the electrical judging
apparatus were adopted in 1957 and modified by various later Congresses up to
the present date.
EPEE
The Rules for Epιe drawn up in 1914 co-ordinated and completed all the
various ιpιe rules which existed prior to the foundation of the FIE and which
had been evolved from 1892 both in
The Permanent Committee of la Sociιtι dEscrime ΰ lEpιe de Paris,
lAcadιmie dEpιe; la Sociιtι dEntrainement ΰ lEscrime et au Pistolet; and
les Armes de France
The 1905 International Committee, subject to the laws of each country,
regarding the application to dueling
LUnion des Sociιtιs Franηaises de Sport Athlιtiques (USFSA)
Le Comitι National des Sports de France
The French Olympic Committee
The Organising Committees for the Tournaments held at Nice, on the
The rules governing
ιpιe competitions judged with the electrical judging apparatus were adopted in
1936 and subsequently modified by various later Congresses up to the present
date.
The Congress of 1984 approved the introduction of Ladies Epιe; the
Congress of 1987 decided that World Championships for Ladies Epιe should be
organised from 1989 onwards.
SABRE
The FIE Sabre Rules
include the essential portions of the rules which were adopted at the Olympic
Games in
The rules governing sabre events fenced with an electrical apparatus
were adopted in 1988.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
In accordance with
the decisions taken at the Congresses at Antwerp (1920, 1939), the Hague
(1927), Amsterdam (1928), Brussels (1937, 1947), at Madrid (1962) and Paris
(1987), Cape Town (1997), Neuchatel (1998) and lausanne (1999) official male
and female championships, called Open World Championships (called European
Championships until 1936) are held annually under the auspices of the FIE, for
both individuals and teams, at foil, epee and sabre.
In accordance with
the decisions taken by the Congresses held at Paris (1949, 1951, 1959), Venice
(1955), Madrid (1962), Gdansk (1963) and Paris (1987), Neuchatel (1998) and
Lausanne (1999), World Junior Championship are held annually under the auspices
of the FIE, comprising individual and team competitions, both male and female,
at foil, ιpιe and sabre.
In accordance with the decision made by the Congress in Paris in 1985
and 1986 and Luxembourg in 1990, a World Cadet Championship, recognised as an
official event of the FIE, is held annually. In accordance with decisions taken
by the Congress held at Neuchatel (1998), the World Cadet Championships consist
of individual competitions, both male and female, at foil, epee and sabre.
BOOK 1. TECHNICAL RULES
COMMON TO THE THREE WEAPONS
CHAPTER 1. APPLICATION OF THE RULES
Obligatory use of the
Rules
t.1 These Rules are obligatory without modification for
the Official Competitions of the FIE, viz.:
The World
Championships, in all categories
The fencing events
at the Olympic Games
All World Cup
competitions.
CHAPTER 2. GLOSSARY
A. COMPETITIONS
1. Assaults and bouts
t.2 A friendly combat between two fencers is called an assault. When
the score of such an assault is kept to determine a result it is called a bout.
2. Match
t.3 The aggregate of the bouts fought between the fencers of two different
teams is called a match.
3. Competition
t.4 A competition is the aggregate of the bouts (individual
competitions) or of the matches (team competitions) required to determine the
winner of the event.
Competitions are distinguished by weapons, by the competitors sex, by
their age and by the fact that they are for individuals or for teams.
4. Championship
t.5 A championship is the name given to a competition held to
determine the best fencer or the best team at each weapon for a federation, for
a specific region or for the world and for a specific period of time.
B. EXPLANATION OF SOME
TECHNICAL TERMS
COMMONLY USED IN THE
JUDGING OF FENCING [1]
1. Fencing time
t.6 Fencing time is the time required
to perform one simple fencing action.
2. Offensive and
defensive actions
t.7 The offensive
actions are the attack, the riposte and the counter-riposte.
The attack is the initial offensive action made by extending
the arm and continuously threatening the opponents target, preceding the
launching of the lunge or flθche (cf. t.56ss, t.75ss).
The riposte is the offensive action made by the fencer who has
parried the attack.
The counter-riposte is the offensive action made by the fencer
who has parried the riposte.
The defensive actions are the parries.
The parry is the defensive action made with the weapon to
prevent an offensive action arriving.
3. Explanation
t.8 Offensive actions
(a) The attack
The action is simple
when it is executed in one movement and is
either direct (in
the same line)
or indirect (in
another line).
The action is compound
when it is executed in several movements.
(b) The riposte
The riposte may be immediate or delayed,
depending on what action takes place and the speed at which it is carried out.
The
ripostes are:
1. Simple direct
Direct riposte: a riposte which hits the opponent without
leaving the line in which the parry was made.
Riposte along the blade: a riposte which hits the opponent by
grazing along the blade after the parry.
2. Simple,
indirect
Riposte by disengagement: a riposte which hits the opponent in the opposite line
to that in which the parry was formed (by passing under the opponents blade if
the parry was formed in the high line, and over the blade if the parry was
formed in the low line).
Riposte with a coupι: a riposte which hits the opponent in the
opposite line to that in which the parry was formed (the blade always passing
over the opponents point).
3. Compound
Riposte with a doublι: a riposte which hits the opponent in the
opposite line to that in which the parry was formed, but after having described
a complete circle round the opponents blade.
Riposte with a onetwo: a riposte which hits the opponent in
the same line as that in which the parry was formed but after the blade has
first been into the opposite line, by passing under the opponents blade.
Etc., etc.
(c) Counter-attacks
Counter-attacks are offensive or offensivedefensive actions made
during the offensive action of the opponent.
1. The stop hit
A counter-attack made into an attack.
2. The stop hit made with opposition
A counter-attack made while closing the line in which the opponents
attack will be completed (cf. t.56ss, t.64ss and t.76ss).
3. The stop hit made within a period of fencing time, i.e. in
time (cf. t.59, t.79).
(d) Other offensive actions
1. The remise
A simple and immediate offensive action which follows the original
attack, without withdrawing the arm, after the opponent has parried or
retreated, when the latter has either quitten contact with the blade without
riposting or has made a riposte which is delayed, indirect or compound.
2. The redoublement
A new action, either simple or compound, made against an opponent who
has parried without riposting or who has merely avoided the first action by
retreating or displacing the target.
3. The reprise of the attack
A new attack executed immediately after a return to the on-guard
position.
4. Counter-time
Every action made by the attacker against a stop hit made by the
opponent.
4. Defensive actions
t.9 Parries are simple, direct, when they are made in the same
line as the attack.
They are circular (counter-parries) when they are made in the
opposite line to that of the attack.
5. The point in-line position
t.10 The point-in-line position is a specific position in
which the fencers sword arm is kept straight and the point of his weapon
continually threatens his opponents valid target. (cf. t56, t.60, t.76, t.80)
CHAPTER 3. THE FIELD OF PLAY
t.11 The field of play should have an even surface. It should give neither
advantage nor disadvantage to either of the two fencers concerned, especially
in regards light.
t.12 That portion of the field of play which is used for fencing is called
the piste. Competitions in the three weapons are fenced with the same
pistes.
t.13 The piste is from 1.50 metres to 2 metres wide.
The piste is 14 metres long, so that each competitor being placed at 2
metres from the centre line has at his disposal for retreating a total distance
of 5 metres without it being necessary for him to cross the rear limit of the
piste with both feet.
t.14 Five lines should be drawn very clearly on the piste at right angles to
its length, as follows:
one centre line which must be drawn as a broken line across the
whole width of the piste;
two on-guard lines at 2 metres on each side of the centre line.
These must be drawn across the whole width of the piste;
two lines at the rear limits of the piste, which must be drawn
across the whole width of the piste, at a distance of 7 metres from the centre
line. In addition, the last 2 metres of the piste before these rear limit lines
must be clearly distinguished - if possible by different colour of piste - to
make it easy for the fencers to be aware of their position on the piste (see
Figures 1 and 2).
CHAPTER 4. THE FENCERS EQUIPMENT
(Weapons Equipment Clothing)
Responsibility of fencers
t.15 Fencers arm, equip and
clothe themselves and fence at their own responsibility and at their own risk.
The safety measures specified in the Rules and in the standards
contained in the annexe to them and the methods of control laid down in the
present Rules (cf. Material Rules) are only designed to increase the
fencers safety and cannot guarantee it. They cannot, therefore,
whatever the manner in which they are applied, impart responsibility to the
FIE, or to the organisers of competitions, to the officials or personnel who
carry out such organisation, or to those who may cause an accident.
CHAPTER 5. FENCING
1. Method of holding
the weapon
t.16 With all three
weapons, defence must be effected exclusively with the guard and the blade used
either separately or together.
If the handle has no special device or attachment or special shape (e.g.
orthopaedic), a fencer may hold it in any way he wishes and he may also alter
the position of his hand on the handle during a bout. However, the weapon must
not be either permanently or temporarily, in an open or disguised manner
transformed into a throwing weapon; it must be used without the hand leaving
the hilt and without the hand slipping along the hilt from front to back during
an offensive action.
When the handle has a special device or attachment or has a special
shape (e.g. orthopaedic) it must be held in such a way that the upper surface
of the thumb is in the same plane as the groove in the blade (in foil or at
ιpιe) and perpendicular to the plane of the flexibility of the blade in sabre.
The weapon must be used with one hand only; a fencer may not change
hands until the end of the bout, unless the Referee gives special permission in
the case of injury to the hand or arm.
2. Coming on guard
t.17 The fencer whose number is called first should place himself on the
right of the Referee, except in the case of a bout between a right- and a
left-hander, if the left-hander is called first.
The Referee places each of the two competitors in such a way that the
front foot of each is 2 metres from the centre line of the piste (that is,
behind the on-guard lines).
Competitors are always put on guard, whether at the beginning of the
bout or subsequently, in the centre of the width of the piste. When placed on
guard during the bout, the distance between the two competitors must be such
that, in the position point-in-line, the points
of the two blades cannot make contact.
After the scoring of a valid hit the competitors are put on guard in the
middle of the piste. If no hit is awarded they are replaced in the position
which they occupied when the bout was interrupted.
At the beginning of each period (in a direct elimination bout) and of
any additional minute of fencing time, the fencers are placed on guard in the
middle of the piste.
The competitors may not be replaced on guard, at their correct distance,
in such a way as to place behind the rear line of the piste a fencer who was in
front of that line when the bout was halted.
If he already had one foot behind the rear line, he remains in that
position.
If a fencer has crossed the lateral boundaries of the piste, he may be
put back on guard at the correct distance even if this places him behind the
rear line and thereby causes a hit to be awarded against him.
Competitors come on guard when the Referee gives the order On guard,
after which the Referee asks, Are you ready?. On receiving an affirmative
reply, or in the absence of a negative reply, he gives the command for fencing
to commence with the word Play.
The fencers must
come on guard correctly and remain completely still until the command Play is
given by the Referee. At foil and sabre, fencers may not come on guard in the
point-in-line position.
3. Beginning, stopping
and restarting the bout.
t.18 1. Beginning the bout
The start of the bout is signalled by the word Play. No movement made
or initiated before the word Play is counted.
2.Stopping the bout
The bout stops on the word Halt, except in the case of special events
occurring which modify the regular and normal conditions of the bout (cf. also
t.32).
Directly the order Halt has been given, a competitor may not start a
new action; only the movement which has been begun before the order was given
remains valid. Everything which takes place afterwards is entirely non-valid
(But cf. t.32).
If a competitor stops before the word Halt, and is hit, the hit is
valid.
The order Halt is also given if the fencing of the competitors is
dangerous, confused, or contrary to the Rules, if one of the competitors is
disarmed or leaves the piste, or if, while retreating, he approaches too near
the spectators or the Referee (cf. t.28, t.55/6 and t.73/j).
3..Leaving the piste
The Referee may not allow a fencer to leave the piste, save in
exceptional circumstances. If a competitor does so without permission he is
liable to incur the penalties enumerated in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.).
4. Fencing at close quarters
t.19 Fencing at close quarters is allowed so long as the competitors can
wield their weapons correctly and the Referee can, at foil and sabre, follow
the phrase.
5. Corps ΰ corps
t.20 Corps ΰ corps is said to exist when the two
competitors are in contact; when this occurs the Referee must stop the bout (cf.
t.25, t.63).
At foil and in
sabre it is forbidden for a fencer to cause corps ΰ corps (even without
brutality or violence). Should such an offence occur, the Referee will penalise
the fencer at fault as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.).
At all three weapons it is forbidden for a fencer to cause corps ΰ corps
intentionally to avoid being hit, or to jostle the opponent. Should such an
offence occur, the Referee will penalise the fencer at fault as specified in
Articles t.114, t.116, t.120 and any hit scored by the fencer at fault is
annulled.
6. Displacing the
target and passing the opponent
t.21 Displacing the target and ducking are allowed even if during the action
the unarmed hand comes into contact with the piste.
It is forbidden to turn ones back on ones opponent during the bout.
Should such an offence occur, the Referee will penalise the fencer at
fault as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120 and any hit scored by the
fencer at fault is annulled.
When a fencer goes past his opponent during a bout, the Referee must
immediately call Halt and replace the competitors in the positions which they
occupied before the passing took place.
When hits are made as a fencer passes his opponent, the hit made
immediately is valid; a hit made after passing his opponent by the competitor
who has made the passing movement is annulled, but the hit made immediately,
even when turning round, by the competitor who has been subjected to the
offensive action, is valid.
If during a bout a fencer who has made a flθche attack has a hit
registered against him and he continues to run beyond the extreme limit of the
piste sufficiently far to cause his spool or his connecting line to his spool
to be torn out, the hit which he has received will not be annulled (cf. t.103).
7. Substitution and use of the non-sword hand and arm
t.22 The use of the non-sword hand and arm to carry out an offensive or
defensive action is forbidden (cf. t.114, t.116, t.120). Should such an offence
occur, the hit scored by the fencer at fault is annulled.
At foil and sabre, it is forbidden to protect the target area or to
substitute another part of the body for the target area, either by covering or
by an abnormal movement (cf. t.114, t.116, t.120).
During the fight, the fencer must not, under any circumstances, take
hold of any part of the electrical equipment with his non-sword hand (cf.
t.114, t.116, t.120).
t.23 If during a bout the Referee notices
that one of the fencers is making use of his non-sword arm and/or hand, or is protecting
or covering the valid target with a non-valid surface, he can call for the help
of two neutral judges who will be designated by the Directoire Technique. These
judges, one on each side of the piste, will watch all aspects of the fight and
will indicate, by raising their hand or when asked by the Referee, if the
non-sword arm or hand has been used, or if the fencer has protected or covered
the valid target with a non-valid surface (cf. t.49, t.114, t.116, t.120).
The Referee may also make the fencers change places so that the fencer
committing this fault does not have his back to the Referee.
8. Ground gained or lost
t.24 When the order Halt is given ground gained is held until a hit has
been given. When competitors are replaced on guard, each fencer should retire
an equal distance in order to keep fencing distance (cf. t.17).
t.25 However, if the bout has been stopped on account of corps ΰ corps, the
fencers are replaced on guard in such a position that the competitor who has
sustained the corps ΰ corps is at the place which he previously occupied; this
also applies if the opponent has subjected him to a flθche attack, even without
corps ΰ corps.
9. Crossing the limits of the piste
(a) Stopping the bout
t.26 When a competitor crosses one of the lateral
boundaries of the piste with one or both feet,
the Referee must immediately call Halt. If the
fencer goes off the piste with both feet, the Referee must annul everything
that has occurred after the boundary has been crossed, except a hit received by
the competitior who has crossed the
boundary, even after he has crossed it, provided that this hit results
from a simple and immediate action.
However, a hit scored by the fencer who leaves the piste with one foot only is
valid, provided that the action was started before the Halt.
If one of the competitors leaves the piste only a hit
made by the fencer who remains on the piste with at least one foot can be
counted valid, even in the case of a double hit.
(b) Rear limits
t.27 Should a competitor cross the rear limit of the piste completely i.e.
with both feet a hit will be scored against him.
t.28 A competitor who crosses one of the lateral boundaries
of the piste with one or both feet is penalised. When the competitors are
replaced on guard, the opponent of the competitor who has crossed the lateral
boundary will step forward one metre from the position he occupied when the
opponent left the piste; the competitor who is penalised must retire in order
to resume the correct fencing distance.
If the exercise of this penalty places a competitor
with both feet beyond the rear limit of the piste, that competitor is
considered as having been hit.
A competitor who crosses one of the boundaries of the
piste with one or both feet e.g. when making a flθche to avoid being hit
will be penalised as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
(d) Leaving the piste accidentally
t.29 A competitor who unintentionally crosses
one of the boundaries of the piste as the result of an accidental cause (such
as jostling) incurs no penalty whatever.
10. Duration of the bout
t.30 Duration of the bout is held to mean the effective
duration, that is the total of the intervals of time between the orders
Play and Halt.
The duration of the bout is registered by the Referee or by a
time-keeper. For the finals of all official competitions, as well as for all
bouts for which a chronometer is visible to the spectators, the chronometer
must be so placed that it is visible to the two fencers on the piste and to the
Referee.
The effective duration
of a bout is:
For pools, 5 hits,
maximum 3 minutes
For direct
elimination bouts, 15 hits, maximum 9 minutes divided into 3 periods of 3 minutes, with one minutes pause between any two
periods.
For team matches, 3
minutes for each lap or bout
t.31 The fencers may ask how much time they have left to fence each time that
the fencing is interrupted.
Any fencer who attempts improperly to cause or to prolong interruptions
to the bout is penalised as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
t.32 At the expiration of the regulation fencing time, if the clock is linked
to the scoring apparatus (obligatory standard for finals of official FIE
competitions), it must set off automatically a loud audible signal, and
automatically cut off the scoring
apparatus, without canceling hits registered before the disconnection.
The bout stops with the audible signal.
If the clock is not linked to the scoring apparatus, the time-keeper
must shout Halt (or operate a sound signal) which stops the fight; in this
case even a coup lancι is not valid.
Should there be a failure of the clock or an error by the time-keeper,
the Referee must himself estimate how much fencing time is left.
11. Accidents, withdrawal of a competitor
t.33 For an accident which occurs in the course of a bout and which is
properly attested by the delegate of the FIE Medical Committee or by the doctor
on duty, the Referee will allow a break in the bout lasting no longer than 10
minutes. This break should be timed from the point when the doctor gave his
opinion and be strictly reserved for the treatment of the accident which
brought it about. If the doctor considers, before or at the end of the
10-minute break, that the fencer is incapable of continuing the fight, he will
decide that the fencer should retire (individual events) and/or be replaced, if
possible (team events) (cf.o.44).
During the remainder of the same day, a fencer cannot be allowed a
further break unless as a result of a different injury.
Should a fencer demand a break which is deemed by the delegate of the
Medical Committee or by the doctor on duty to be unjustified, the Referee will
penalise that fencer as specified in Articles t.114, t.117, t.120.
In team events a fencer judged unable to continue the event by the
doctor may, nevertheless, on the advice of the same doctor, fence in subsequent
matches on the same day.
The Directoire Technique may
modify the order of bouts in a pool in order to ensure the efficient running of
the competition (cf. o.16).
CHAPTER 6. REFEREEING AND JUDGING OF HITS
t.34 By accepting a position as referee or judge, the person so designated
pledges his honour to respect the rules and to cause them to be respected, and
to carry out his duties with the strictest impartiality and absolute
concentration.
1. The Referee
t.35 All bouts in fencing are directed by a Referee who
must be in possession of an up-to-date national or international refereeing
license. For reasons of expediency, National Category referees who are
candidates for the FIE refereeing exams are authorised to Referee Junior World
Cup competitions. The Referee has many duties:
(a) He calls the roll of the competitors (cf.
t.86).
(b) He directs the bout.
(c) Before each bout, he must
check the weapons, clothes and equipment of the fencers, according to the
regulations described below.
(d) He superintends the proper functioning of the electrical apparatus.
Either on his own initiative or when asked to do so by a team captain or competitor,
he implements tests necessary to verify the apparatus and locate any faults
which may be found. He will prevent the competitors from hindering the tests by unplugging or
changing their equipment at the wrong moment.
(e) He directs the judges, time-keepers,
scorers, etc.
(f) He positions himself and moves in such a way as to be able to follow
the bout while always being able to see the illumination of the signal lamps.
(g) He penalises faults (cf. t.96).
(h) He awards the hits (cf. t.40ss).
(i) He maintains order (cf. t.96).
(j) Whenever he considers it necessary, he should consult the experts
concerning the electrical apparatus (cf. o.7).
2. Judges
t.36 The Referee fulfils his functions with the aid of an apparatus for the
automatic registering of hits; he may also be assisted by two judges watching
for the use of the unarmed hand or arm, substitution of the valid target, hits
scored on the floor at ιpιe, reversal of the line of the shoulders in foil,
leaving the piste to the side or the rear or any other offence defined in the
Rules (cf. t.120).
The judges are obligatory for all individual competition finals (whether
of 4 or 8 fencers) and for the final (2 teams) of team events.
The judges are placed on each side of the Referee, on either side of the
piste; they watch all aspects of the entire fight.
The judges must change ends halfway through each bout or after each
period so as not to watch the same fencer the whole time.
3. Attribution of referees
1. Olympic Games and World Championships.
(a) Individual competitions
t.37 For the rounds of pools and the preliminary direct elimination table,
the delegates of the Refereeing Committee select referees by lot.
For the main direct elimination table, the delegates of the Refereeing
Committee establish a list of a sufficient number of the best referees present,
taking account of their nationalities. These referees are assigned by drawing lots to each quarter of the table to
referee the bouts in the order of the table. If it is not possible to proceed
in this way, the refereeing delegates may switch over the referees between the
different quarters of the table.
At the end of each round, the delegates of the Refereeing Committee may
withdraw a referee whose performance was not satisfactory. However, a referee
will not be changed in the course of a bout except in exceptional circumstances
(e.g. physical disability of the referee). In such a case the decision will be
made by the delegates of the Refereeing Committee (this rule is equally valid for
team competitions).
For the final, the delegates of the Refereeing Committee provide a list
of from 48 referees, of whom:
24 must be entirely neutral;
24 may be chosen without taking account of their nationality.
For the first four bouts, referees are selected by lot from among the
entirely neutral ones.
After the first four bouts, lots are again drawn, taking account of the
nationalities of the fencers still qualified.
The drawing of lots is done with the help of a computer.
t.38 (b) Team competitions
The delegates of the Refereeing Committee and the Directoire Technique
will choose referees who seem to them competent from among the neutral A and B
Grade referees present, and lots will be drawn between these referees.
2. World Cup Competitions
t.39 The Directoire Technique, assisted for finals by the Official Observer
of the FIE, applies the rules described in Articles t.37 and t.38, above.
4. Method of judging hits
(a) Materiality of the hit
t.40 The materiality of the hit is established according to
the indications of the apparatus, and when necessary by consulting the judges
(cf.t.36).
Only the indications of the electrical apparatus as indicated by its own
lamps or by the extension lamps can be taken into consideration for judging hits.
Under no circumstances can the Referee declare a competitor to be hit unless
the hit has been properly registered by the apparatus (except as provided for
in Articles t.49, o.17, o.24 or when a penalty hit has been awarded)
t.41 On the other hand, the Referee should, in the cases enumerated for each
weapon, annul a hit registered by the apparatus (cf. t.53ss, t.66ss, t.73).
(b) Validity or priority of the hit
t.42 As soon as the bout has stopped, the Referee reconstructs briefly the
movements which composed the last fencing phrase (for
the weapons of convention).
For finals, the Referee may make use of a television monitor to check
decisions should he be uncertain.
After reaching his decision regarding the materiality of a hit, the
Referee, by applying the rules, decides against which fencer a hit is to be
awarded, whether both are hit (ιpιe) or if there is no valid hit (cf. t.55ss,
t.64ss, t.74ss).
The Referee would
use the following gestures (see Figure 3).
5. Regulation equipment and checking of equipment by the Referee
t.43 Before the start of each pool, team match or bout by direct elimination,
the Referee must assemble all the competitors on the piste and verify that:
at all weapons, the FIE guarantee label is present on the fencers
equipment (clothing, masks).
at foil, the conductive jacket conforms to the provision of Article
m.28 when each competitor is standing upright, is on guard and is in the lunge
position;
at ιpιe, the material from which the clothing is made has not too
smooth a surface, and the competitor is wearing a jacket conforming to the
regulations;
at sabre, the conductive jacket conforms to the provision of Article
m.34 when each competitor is standing upright, is on guard and is in the lunge
position;
at all three weapons, each fencer is wearing, under his jacket, a
regulation protective under-plastron, made of cloth which can resist 800
For bouts in the direct elimination and the finals at the World
Championships and the Olympic Games, and for finals of World Cup competitions,
the two fencers in each bout will go to the material checking zone, located
near the piste, 30 minutes before they are due on the piste. Their equipment
will be tested under the responsibility of the SEMI (or the designated expert
for finals of World Cup competitions). If any anomaly is identified the
equipment at fault will be changed at once, without any penalty being applied.
The SEMI delegate will hand over the bodywires, the masks and the weapons that
have been checked to the Referee for the bout. Ten minutes before they are due
on the piste the fencers will report to the Referee designated for their bout.
The Referee will hand over a bodywire to each of the fencers in the access zone
for the piste. He will check that the fencers are wearing regulation
under-jacket protection. The Referee and the fencers must stay together. in the
access zone until they go on the piste. One minute before they go on the piste
the Referee will give a weapon to each fencer, for him to plug in his bodywire.
No check will be carried out on the piste prior to the bout.
Competition organisers must organise a waiting area where the fencers
can warm-up during this checking procedure.
t.44 In addition to the checks mentioned above, the Referee of a bout may at
any time, on his own initiative or at the request of a fencer or of a team
captain, carry out such checks, or verify the checks already carried out or
even carry out, or have carried out, new checks. (cf
t.35).
He will in any case, before each bout, ensure that the guarantee label
is present on the clothing, the blade and the mask of each fencer, and that the
insulation of the wires inside the guard and the pressure of the spring in the
point of foils and ιpιes conform with
the Rules. Checking the insulation of the wires and the pressure of the spring
will be repeated each time a weapon is changed.
At ιpιe the Referee will check the total travel and the residual travel
of the pointe darrκt:
He will check the total travel by inserting a gauge measuring 1.5mm
between the barrel of the pointe darrκt and the tip. This gauge, provided by
the Organising Committee, may have a tolerance of ± 0.05 mm, i.e. from 1.45 mm
to 1.55 mm.
He will check the residual travel by inserting a gauge measuring 0.5
mm between the barrel of the pointe darrκt and the tip. The apparatus should
not register when the pointe darrκt is depressed. This gauge, provided by the
Organising Committee, may have a tolerance of ±0.05 mm, i.e. from 0.45 mm to
0.55 mm.
For details of the weight used for the check, see Part 1, Chapter 1 of
the Material Rules.
At the beginning of
the bout the Referee will place the reserve equipment that has been checked
near the appropriate end of the piste for the fencer concerned.
6. Non-regulation equipment
t.45 In whatever circumstances a fencer on the piste is found to be in
possession of equipment which is non-regulation or defective, this equipment
will be immediately confiscated and submitted to the experts on duty for examination.
(cf m.8, m.9, m.12, m.13, m.16, m.17, m.23).
The equipment in question will only be returned to the owner after the measures
necessitated by this examination have been completed and, if appropriate, after
the payment of any expenses for repairs. The equipment must be rechecked before
it is used again.
1. If a fencer appears on the piste:
with only one regulation weapon conforming with the Rules (cf. t.86);
or
with only one regulation bodywire; or
with a weapon or a bodywire which does not work or which does not
conform with the Rules; or
without wearing a protective under-plastron (cf. t.43 above); or
with a conductive jacket which does not fully cover the valid target;
or
with clothing which does not conform with the Rules;
the Referee will apply the penalties according to Articles t.114, t.116,
t.120 (first group).
2. When during a bout an irregularity is found in the equipment which
could be caused by conditions during the bout:
Examples:
conductive jacket with holes in which hits are registered as
non-valid,
weapon or bodywire no longer functioning,
pressure of the spring in the point too weak,
the travel in the point no longer regulation,
the Referee will apply neither warning nor penalty and
any hit scored with the equipment which
has become defective will be awarded.
However, even during the course of a bout, any fencer
whose weapon, at the moment he presents himself on guard and ready to fence,
has a curve which exceeds that permitted (cf m.8, m.16, m.23) will be penalised
in accordance with articles t.114, t.116, and t.120.
3. If, when a fencer appears on the piste or during a bout, it is
established that the equipment used by the fencer:
(a) does not bear the marks applied at the preliminary check, the
Referee will:
annul the last hit, if any, scored by the fencer at fault;
penalise him as specified in Articles t.114, t.117, t.120.
(b) does not conform to the rules in a way not covered by the
preliminary
check, the Referee will:
penalise him as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
(c) has been passed by the preliminary check but presents irregularities
which could have been made deliberately; or
(d) bears the marks of the preliminary check which have been imitated or
transferred; or
(e) has been altered in any way to allow the recording of hits or the
nonfunctioning of the apparatus at will; then,
in cases (c), (d) and (e), the Referee must immediately confiscate the
equipment (weapon, bodywire and if necessary the conductive jacket), and have
it examined by the expert on duty.
After having
obtained the opinion of the expert (a member of the Committee for Electrical
Apparatus and Equipment at the fencing events at the Olympic Games and at World
Championships), who has established the facts (cf. m.33ss), the Referee will
apply the following sanctions, without prejudice to the application of Article
t.96d;
in cases (c) and (d) the Referee will penalise the fencer as specified
in Articles t.114, t.118, t.120, and annul the last hit, if any, scored by the
fencer at fault.
in the case of (e) the Referee will penalise the fencer as specified
in Articles t.114, t.119, t.120.
While awaiting the decision of the Referee that bout will be suspended
but the other bouts in the pool may continue.
PART 2. FOIL
THE CONVENTIONS OF FENCING
A. METHOD OF MAKING A
HIT
t.46 The foil is a
thrusting weapon only. Offensive actions with this weapon are made therefore
with the point and with the point only.
Pushing or letting
drag the point of the electric weapon on the electric piste is forbidden during
the actual bout (between Play and Halt).
Placing
the point of the weapon on the
piste at any time to straighten it is also
forbidden.
At foil it is
forbidden, during the course of fencing, to advance the shoulder of the non-sword
arm in front of the shoulder of the sword-arm (cf. t.36). Any hit scored by the
fencer at fault while committing this offence will be annulled.
Any breaking of these
rules will be punished according to Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
B. TARGET
1. Limitation of the
target
t.47 In foil, only hits
which arrive on the target are counted as valid.
The target at foil
excludes the limbs and the head. It is confined to the trunk, the upper limit
being the collar up to 6 cm above the prominences of the collar bones; at the
sides to the seams of the sleeves, which should cross the head of the humerus;
and the lower limit following a horizontal line across the back joining the
tops of the hip bones, thence by straight lines to the junction of the lines of
the groin (see Figure 4, above).
2. Hits off the target
t.48 A hit which is made on a part of the body other than the target (whether
directly or as a result of a parry) is not counted as a valid hit, but it stops
the phrase and therefore annuls all hits which are scored thereafter (but cf.
t.49).
3. Extension of the
valid target
t.49 However, hits which arrive off the target are counted as valid whenever,
by reason of an abnormal position, the fencer has substituted this non-valid
target for the valid target. The Referee may question the judges about this,
but he alone must decide whether the hit is valid or not.
C. JUDGING OF HITS IN
FOIL
t.50
Foil
competitions are judged with an electrical recording apparatus.
I. MATERIALITY OF THE
HIT
t.51 Only the indications of the recording apparatus can be taken into
consideration for judging the materiality of hits. Under no circumstances can
the Referee declare a competitor to be hit unless the hit has been properly
registered by the apparatus (except as provided.for in Articles t.49, o.17,
o.24, or when a penalty hit has been awarded).
t.52 When using the apparatus it should be noted that:
(a) If a non-valid hit has been scored the apparatus will not register a
possible valid hit scored on the same side of the apparatus.
(b) The apparatus does not indicate whether there is any priority in
time between two or more hits which it registers simultaneously.
II. ANNULMENT OF A HIT
t.53 1. The Referee will disregard hits which are registered as a result of
actions:
started before the word Play or after the word Halt (cf. t.18);
which are made on any object other than the opponent or his equipment
(cf. t.41).
A competitor who, intentionally, causes the apparatus to register a hit
by placing his point on the ground or on any surface other than that of the
opponent will be penalised as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
Fencers are forbidden to place a non-insulated part of their weapon in
contact with their conductive jacket with the intention of jamming the
electrical apparatus and thus avoiding being hit.
The penalty for committing such an offence is specified in Articles
t.114, t.116, t.120. Any hit scored by the fencer at fault is annulled.
t.54 2. The Referee must, on the other hand, take into account possible
failures of the electrical equipment, in particular:
(a) He must annul a hit which has just been awarded as a result of a hit
signalled as on the valid target (coloured lamp) if he establishes, by tests
made under his personal supervision, before the bout has effectively
recommenced (the command Play) and without any of the equipment in use having
been changed (cf. t.35/d):
either that a hit registered as valid against the competitor against
whom the hit has been awarded can be made without there being in fact a valid
hit;
or that a non-valid hit made by the fencer against whom the hit was
awarded is not registered by the apparatus;
or that a valid hit made by the fencer against whom the hit was
awarded does not cause any hit either valid or non-valid to be registered;
or that the registration of hits made by the competitor against whom
the hit was awarded does not remain recorded on the apparatus.
(b) On the other hand, when the Referee has decided that a hit made by a
competitor has priority, this hit shall not be annulled if subsequently it is
found that a valid hit made by the opponent is registered as non-valid or that
the weapon of the fencer against whom the hit was awarded is permanently
registering a non-valid hit.
(c) If a fencers equipment does not conform to the provisions of
Articles m.27 and m.28, a hit made off the target which is registered by the
apparatus as valid will not be annulled.
3. The Referee must also apply the following rules:
(a) Only the last hit made before the fault was established can be
annulled.
(b) A competitor who makes any modification in or who changes his
equipment without being asked by the Referee to do so, before the Referee has
given his decision, loses all right to the annulment of the hit (cf. t.35/d).
(c) If the bout has effectively recommenced a competitor cannot claim
the annulment of a hit awarded against him before the said recommencement of
the bout.
(d) The location of a fault found in the equipment (including the
equipment of the competitors) is of no importance for this possible annulment.
(e) It is not
necessary that the failure found should repeat itself each time a test is made;
but it is essential that the fault should be manifested to the Referee without
the possibility of doubt at least once during the tests made by him or under
his supervision.
(f) When a competitor against whom a hit has been registered has broken
his blade, the hit must be annulled unless the breaking of the blade has
occurred clearly after the hit has been registered.
(g) The Referee must pay particular attention to hits which are not
registered or which are registered abnormally. Should such defects be repeated,
the Referee must ask a member of the Committee for Electrical Apparatus and
Equipment or an expert technician on duty to verify that the equipment conforms
to the Rules.
The Referee must ensure that nothing is altered in the competitors
equipment or in the whole of the electrical apparatus before the expert carries
out his check.
4. Whenever accidental causes make it impossible to carry out tests, the
hit will be considered doubtful and annulled.
5. If hits are registered simultaneously on both sides of the apparatus,
and the Referee cannot establish the priority with certainty, the competitors
must be placed on guard.
6. In accordance with the general rules (cf. t.18) the Referee must stop
the bout, even if no hit is registered by the apparatus, whenever play becomes
confused and he is no longer able to analyse the phrase.
7. The Referee
should also supervise the state of the conductive piste; he must not allow the
bout to commence or to continue if the conductive piste has holes in it which
might affect the proper registering of hits. (The organisers must make the necessary
arrangements to ensure the rapid repair or replacement of the conductive
pistes.)
III. VALIDITY OR
PRIORITY OF THE HIT
1. Preface
t.55 The Referee alone decides as to the validity or the priority of
the hit by applying the following basic rules which are the conventions
applicable to foil fencing.
2. Respect of the fencing phrase
t.56 (a) Every attack, that is every initial offensive action, which is
correctly executed must be parried or completely avoided and the phrase must be
followed through that is to say, coordinated (cf. t.7).
In order to judge the correctness of an attack the following points must
be considered:
1. The simple attack, direct or indirect (cf. t.8), is correctly
executed when the straightening of the arm, the point threatening the valid
target, precedes the initiation of the lunge or the flθche.
2. The compound attack (cf. t.8) is correctly executed when the arm is
straightened in the presentation of the first feint, with the point threatening
the valid target, and the arm is not bent during the successive actions of the
attack and the initiation of the lunge or the flθche.
3. The attack with a step-forward-lunge or a step-forward-flθche is
correctly executed when the extending of the arm precedes the end of the step forward
and the initiation of the lunge or the flθche.
4. Actions, simple or compound, steps or feints which are executed with
a bent arm, are not considered as attacks but as preparations, laying
themselves open to the initiation of the offensive or defensive/offensive
action of the opponent (cf. t.8).
To judge the priority of an attack when analysing the fencing phrase, it
should be noted that:
5. If the attack is initiated when the opponent is not point in
line (cf. t.10), it may be executed
either with a direct thrust, or by a disengage, or by a cutover, or may even be
preceded by a beat or successful feints obliging the opponent to parry.
6. If the attack is initiated when the opponent is point in line (cf.
t.10), the attacker must, first, deflect the opponents blade. Referees must
ensure that a mere contact of the blades is not considered as sufficient to
deflect the opponents blade (cf. t.60/2a).
7. If the attacker,
when attempting to deflect the opponents blade, fails to find it (dιrobement),
the right of attack passes to the opponent.
8. Continuous steps forward, with the legs crossing one another,
constitute a preparation and on this
preparation any simple attack has priority.
t.57 (b) The parry gives the right to riposte: the simple riposte may be
direct or indirect, but to annul any subsequent action by the attacker, it must
be executed immediately, without indecision or delay.
t.58 (c) When a compound attack is made, if the opponent finds the blade
during one of the feints, he has the right to riposte.
t.59 (d) When compound attacks are made, the opponent has the right to stop
hit; but to be valid the stop hit must precede the conclusion of the attack by
an interval of fencing time; that is to say that the stop hit must arrive before
the attacker has begun the final movement of the attack.
3. Judging of hits
t.60 In applying these basic conventions of foil fencing,
the Referee should judge as follows.
When during a phrase, both fencers are hit simultaneously, there is
either a simultaneous action or a double hit.
The first of these conditions is due to simultaneous conception and
execution of an attack by both fencers; in this case the hits exchanged are
annulled for both fencers even if one of them has been hit off the target.
The double hit, on the other hand, is the result of a faulty action on
the part of one of the fencers.
Therefore, when there is not a period of fencing time between the hits:
1. Only the fencer who is attacked is counted as hit:
(a) If he makes a stop hit on the opponents simple attack.
(b) If, instead of parrying, he attempts to avoid the hit and does not
succeed in so doing.
(c) If, after making a successful parry, he makes a momentary pause
which gives his opponent the right to
renew the attack (redoublement, remise or reprise).
(d) If, during a compound attack, he
makes a stop hit without being in time.
(e) If, having his point in line (cf. t.10) and being subjected to a
beat or a taking of the blade (prise de fer) which deflects his blade, he attacks
or places the point in line again instead of parrying a direct thrust made by
the opponent.
2. Only the fencer who attacks is counted as hit:
(a) If he initiates his attack when his opponent has his point in line
(cf. t.10) without deflecting the opponents weapon. Referees must ensure that
a mere contact of the blades is not considered as sufficient to deflect the
opponents blade.
(b) If he attempts to find the blade, does not succeed (is the object of
a dιrobement) and continues the attack.
(c) If, during a compound attack, his opponent finds the blade, but he
continues the attack and his opponent ripostes immediately.
(d) If, during a compound attack, he makes a momentary pause, during
which time the opponent makes a stop hit, while the fencer continues the
attack.
(e) If, during a compound attack, he is stop-hit in time before
beginning the final movement.
(f) If he makes a hit by a remise, redoublement or reprise when the
original attack has been parried and his opponent has made a riposte which is
immediate, simple, and executed in one period of fencing time without
withdrawing the arm.
3. The Referee must replace the competitors on guard each time
that there is a double hit and he is unable to judge clearly on which side the
fault lies.
One of the most difficult cases to judge arises when a stop hit is made
and there is doubt as to whether it was made sufficiently in time in relation
to the final movement of a compound attack. Generally, in such cases, the
double hit occurs through the fault
of both fencers
concerned, which justifies the Referee replacing them on guard. (The fault of
the attacker consists of indecision, slowness of execution or the making of
feints which are not sufficiently effective. The fault of the defender lies in
delay or slowness in making the stop hit.)
PART 3. EPEE
THE CONVENTIONS OF FENCING
A. METHOD OF MAKING A
HIT
t.61 The ιpιe is a thrusting weapon only. Attacks with this weapon are
therefore made with the point, and with the point only.
Pushing or letting the point of the electric weapon drag on the electric
piste is forbidden during the actual bout (between Play and Halt).
Placing the point of the
weapon on the piste at any time to straighten
it is also forbidden.
Any breaking of this rule will be penalised according to Articles t.114,
t.116, t.120.
B. THE TARGET
t.62 At ιpιe the target includes the whole of the fencers body including his
clothing and equipment.
Thus any point
which arrives counts as a hit whatever part of the body (trunk, limbs or head),
the clothing or the equipment it touches (see Figure 5).
C. CORPS A CORPS AND
FLΘCHE ATTACKS
t.63 At ιpιe a fencer who either by a flθche attack or by advancing
vigorously brings about a corps ΰ corps even several times in succession
(without brutality or violence) does not transgress the basic conventions of
fencing and commits no fault thereby (cf. t.20, t.25).
A fencer who intentionally causes corps ΰ corps to avoid being hit or
who jostles his opponent is penalised according to Articles t.114, t.116,
t.120.
The flθche ending systematically in a corps ΰ corps referred to in
this article must not be confused with the flθche resulting in a shock which
jostles the opponent which is considered as an act of intentional brutality at
all three weapons and is punished as such (cf. t.87, t.120).
On the other hand the flθche which is made by running, even going past
the opponent, and without a corps ΰ corps is not forbidden: the Referee should
not call Halt too soon, in order not to annul a possible riposte; if, when
making such a running flθche without hitting his opponent, the fencer who makes
the flθche crosses the lateral boundaries of the piste, he must be punished as
laid down in Article t.28.
D. JUDGING OF HITS IN EPEE
t.64 Epιe competitions are judged with an electrical recording apparatus.
When both competitors are hit, and the apparatus registers both these
hits as valid, there is a double hit, that is to say a hit is scored for
each competitor.
1. Basic principle
t.65 Only the indications of the electrical recording apparatus can be taken
into consideration for judging the materiality of hits. In no circumstances can
the Referee declare a competitor to be hit unless the hit has been properly
registered by the apparatus (except as provided for in Articles o.17 and o.24
or when a penalty hit has been awarded).
2. The annulment of hits
t.66 1. In arriving at his judgement, the Referee will disregard hits which
are registered as a result of actions:
started before the word Play or after the word Halt (cf. t.18);
caused by the meeting of the points of the ιpιes or by a hit made on
the ground where it is not insulated;
or which are made on any object other than the opponent, including his
equipment (cf. t.36, t.67/e).
Any competitor who, intentionally, causes the apparatus to register a
hit by placing his point on any surface other than that of his opponent, will
be penalised as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
t.67 2. The Referee must take note of possible failures of the electrical
equipment and must annul the last hit registered in the following
circumstances:
(a) If a hit made on the guard of the competitor against whom the hit
was registered or on the conductive piste causes the apparatus to register a
hit;
(b) If a hit properly made by the competitor against whom the hit was
registered does not cause the apparatus to register a hit;
(c) If the apparatus fortuitously registers a hit on the side of the
competitor against whom the hit was registered, for example, after a beat on
the blade, by any movements of his opponent, or as a result of any cause other
than a properly made hit;
(d) If the registering of a hit made by the competitor against whom the
hit was registered is annulled by a subsequent hit made by his opponent.
(e) Special cases
If a double hit
is registered and one hit is valid and the
other is not valid (such as a hit made on some surface other than on the
opponent (cf. t.66) or a hit made after leaving the piste (cf. t.26ss), only
the valid hit is scored.
If a double hit is registered by an established hit and a doubtful hit
(failure of the electrical apparatus) the fencer who has made the established
hit may choose to accept the double hit or ask to have it annulled.
t.68 3. The Referee must also apply the following rules regarding the
annulment of hits:
(a) Only the last hit which precedes the establishment of the failure of
the apparatus may be annulled and then only if it is the competitor against
whom the hit was registered who is placed at a disadvantage by the failure.
(b) The failure must be determined by tests made immediately after the
bout was stopped, under the supervision of the Referee and without changing
anything whatever of the equipment in use.
(c) With these tests, one is trying only to establish whether there is
material possibility of a mistake in the judgement as a result of a fault. The
location of this fault in the electrical equipment, including that of either of
the fencers, is unimportant in reaching
a decision.
(d) A competitor who makes any modification in, or changes his equipment
without being asked by the Referee to do so, before a judgement is pronounced,
loses his right to the annulment of the hit (cf. t.35/d). Similarly after again
coming on guard and after the bout has effectively recommenced a competitor
cannot claim the annulment of a hit registered against him before the said
recommencement of the bout.
(e) It is not necessary, in order
to justify the annulment of a hit, that the failure found should repeat itself
each time a test is made, but it is essential that the fault should be
established by the Referee without the possibility of doubt at least once.
(f) If the incidents mentioned in Article t.67 occur as a result of the
competitors bodywire being unplugged (either near the hand or at the back of
the fencer), they cannot justify the annulment of the hit registered.
However, if the safety device prescribed by Article m.55/4 is missing or
not functioning, the hit should be annulled if the plug at the fencers back
has become unplugged.
(g) The fact that the ιpιe of a competitor has large or small areas of
insulation formed by oxidation, by glue, paint or any other material on the
guard, on the blade or elsewhere, on which his opponents hits can cause a hit
to be signalled, or that the electric tip is badly fixed to the end of the
blade so that it can be unscrewed or tightened by hand, cannot justify the
annulment of hits registered against that competitor.
(h) When a
competitor against whom a hit has been registered has broken his blade, the hit
must be annulled unless the breaking of the blade has occurred clearly after
the hit has been registered.
(i) If a competitor tears the conductive piste by a hit made on the
ground and, at the same time, the apparatus registers a hit against his
opponent, the hit must be annulled.
(j) Whenever, owing to some accidental cause, tests cannot be made, the
hit must be considered as doubtful and must be annulled (but cf. t.67/e).
(k) The Referee must pay particular attention to hits which are not
registered or which are registered abnormally. Should such defects be repeated,
the Referee must ask the members of the Committee for Electrical Apparatus and
Equipment present or an expert technician on duty to verify that the equipment
conforms to the Rules.
The Referee must ensure that nothing is altered either in the
competitors equipment or in the whole of the electrical apparatus before the
expert makes the check.
t.69 4. The Referee must supervise the condition of the conductive piste; he
must not allow the bout to commence or to continue if the conductive piste has
holes in it which might affect the proper registering of hits or cause
accidents. (The organisers must make the necessary arrangements to ensure the
rapid repair or replacement of the conductive pistes.)
PART 4. SABRE
THE CONVENTIONS OF FENCING
A. METHOD OF MAKING A HIT
t.70 The sabre is a weapon for thrusting and cutting with
both the cutting edge and the back of the blade.
(a) All hits made with the cutting edge, the flat or the back of the
blade are counted as good (cuts and back-cuts).
It is forbidden to hit with the guard. Any hits caused by hitting with
the guard must be annulled, the fencer so hitting being penalised as specified
in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
(b) Point hits which slip over the valid target, or cuts which merely
brush the opponents target (passι hits) do not count.
(c) Hits through the blade, that is to say those which touch at the same
time the valid target and the sabre of the opponent, are valid whenever they
arrive clearly on the target.
(d) Placing the point of the weapon on
the piste at any time to straighten it is
forbidden. Any breaking of this rule will be punished according to Articles
t.114, t.116, t.120.
B. LIMITATION OF THE TARGET
t.71 Only hits which arrive on the target are counted as valid.
The target comprises any part of the body above a horizontal line drawn
between the top of the folds formed by the thighs and by the trunk of the
fencer when in the on-guard position (see Figure 6, above).
t.72 A hit which arrives on a non-valid part of the target is not counted as
a hit; it does not stop the fencing phrase and does not annul any subsequent
hits.
If a fencer substitutes a non-valid part of his target for a valid part,
either by covering it or by any abnormal movement, the Referee must penalise
him by applying the penalties specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
C. JUDGING OF HITS IN SABRE
I. MATERIALITY AND ANNULMENT OF HITS
t.73 Only hits registered by the apparatus may be taken into account. In no
case may the Referee award a hit unless it has been properly registered by the
apparatus (except as laid down in the Rules, cf. o.17, o.24 and for penalty
hits). He will not take account of hits scored by movements started before
Play or after Halt (cf.t.18).
However, the Referee must take into account any possible malfunctions in the electrical equipment; in particular he must annul a hit he has just awarded in accordance with a signal from the apparatus if it can be established, by tests carried out under his attentive supervision, before the bout has effectively re-started and with no changes having been made to the equipment (cf. t.35/d):
that a hit made by the fencer judged to have been hit does not cause the
apparatus to register;
that a hit made by the fencer judged to have been hit does not remain
fixed on the apparatus;
that the signal of a hit against the fencer judged to have been hit
can be produced either without there having been in fact a valid hit, or by a
hit on the weapon or on a non-valid surface.
If the sabre of the fencer judged to have been hit does not conform with
Article m.24/4 and 24/6 (insulation of
the interior and exterior of the guard, of the handle and of the pommel), there
will be no annulment, even if a hit on the weapon causes a signal to register.
The Referee should also apply the following rules:
(a) Only the last hit made before the fault was established can be
annulled;
(b) A competitor who makes any modification in or who changes his
equipment without being asked by the Referee to do so, before the Referee has
given his decision, loses all right to the annulment of the hit (cf. t.35/d);
(c) If the bout has effectively recommenced, a competitor cannot claim
the annulment of a hit awarded against him before the said recommencement of
the bout;
(d) The location of a fault in the equipment (including the equipment of
the competitors) has no bearing on whether or not a hit should be annulled;
(e) It is not necessary that a fault should repeat itself every time a
test is made; but it is essential that the fault should be manifested to the
Referee without the possibility of doubt at least once during the tests made
under his supervision;
(f) When a competitor against whom a hit has been registered has broken
his blade, the hit must be annulled unless the breaking of the blade has
occurred clearly after the hit has been registered.
(g) The Referee must pay particular attention to hits which are not
registered or are registered abnormally. Should such defects be repeated, the
Referee must ask a member of the Committee for Electrical Apparatus and
Equipment, or an expert technician on duty, to verify that the equipment
conforms to the Rules.
(h) Whenever accidental causes make it impossible to carry out tests,
the hit will be considered doubtful and therefore annulled;
(i) If there are signals on both sides of the apparatus, the Referee
will apply the rules in Article t.80.
(j) In accordance with the general rules (cf. t.18) the Referee must
stop the bout, even if no hit is registered on the apparatus, whenever the
fencing becomes confused and he is no longer able to analyse the phrase.
II. VALIDITY OR
PRIORITY OF THE HIT
1. Preface
t.74 The Referee alone decides as to the validity or the priority of the hit
by applying the following basic rules which are the conventions applicable to
sabre fencing.
2. Respect of the fencing phrase
t.75 (a) Any attack properly executed (cf. t.7) must be parried, or
completely avoided, and the phrase must be followed through.
(b) The attack is correctly carried out when the straightening of the
arm, with the point or the cutting edge continuously threatening the valid
target, precedes the initiation of the lunge.
1. An attack with a lunge is correctly carried out:
in a simple attack (cf. t.8) when the arm is straightened with
the lunge and the hit arrives at the latest when the front foot hits the piste;
in a compound attack (cf. t.8) when, with the arm straightening
in the correct forming of the first feint (cf. t.77), the hit arrives at the
latest when the front foot hits the piste or immediately afterwards.
2. An attack with a step-forward-lunge is correctly carried out:
as a simple attack (cf. t.8) when the arm is straightening
before the completion of the step-forward and when the hit arrives at the
latest at the end of the lunge;
as a compound attack (cf. t.8) when, with the arm straightening
in the correct forming of the first feint (cf. t.77) during the step-forward,
the hit arrives at the latest at the end of the lunge.
3. The flθche and any forward movement crossing the legs or feet is
forbidden. Any offence will be penalised as specified in Articles t.114, t.116,
t.120. Any hit scored by the fencer at fault will be annulled. However, any hit
correctly executed by his opponent is valid.
t.76 (c) In order to judge the correctness of an attack the following points
must be considered:
1. If the attack is initiated when the opponent has his point in line
(cf. t.10) the attacker must first deflect his opponents weapon. Referees must
ensure that a mere contact of the blades is not considered as sufficient to
deflect the opponents blade.
2. If, when attempting to find the opponents blade to deflect it, the
blade is not found (dιrobement), the right of attack passes to the opponent.
3. If the attack is commenced when the opponents blade is not in
line, the attack may be completed either direct, or by a disengagement or by a
cutover, or else be preceded by feints (cf. t.77) which oblige the opponent to
parry.
t.77 (d) In compound
attacks, the feint must be correctly carried out, i.e.:
1. A feint with the point, with the arm straightened and the point
threatening the target continuously.
2. A feint with a cut, the arm straightened, the blade and the arm
forming an obtuse angle of about 135°, with the cutting edge threatening a
valid part of the target.
(e) If during a compound attack the opponent finds the blade during one
of the feints, he has the right to riposte.
(f) In a compound attack the opponent has the right to stop-hit; but, in
order to be valid, the stop hit must precede the last movement of the attack by
one period of fencing time, i.e. the
stop hit must arrive before the attacker has started the last movement of the
attack itself.
t.78 (g) Attacks by beats on the blade
1. In an attack by beating on the blade, this attack is correctly
carried out and retains its priority when the beat is made on the foible of
the opponents blade, i.e. the two-thirds of the blade furthest from the guard.
2. In an attack by beating on the blade, when the beat is made on the forte
of the opponents blade, i.e. the one-third of the blade nearest the guard,
the attack is badly executed and the beat gives the opponent the right to an
immediate riposte.
t.79 (h) The parry gives the right to riposte; a simple riposte may be direct
or indirect, but in order to annul any subsequent movement by the attacker, it
must be carried out immediately, without any hesitation or pause.
Against cuts with the cutting edge, the flat or the back of the blade,
the object of the parry is to prevent hits made by the opponent arriving on the
valid target; therefore:
1. The parry is properly carried out when, before the completion of the
attack, it prevents the arrival of that attack by closing the line in which
that attack is to finish.
2. When a parry is properly executed, the attack by the opponent must be
declared parried, and judged as such by the Referee, even if, as a result of
its flexibility, the tip of the opponents weapon makes contact with the
target.
3. Judging of hits
t.80 In applying these basic conventions of sabre fencing,
the Referee should judge as follows.
When during a phrase both fencers are hit simultaneously there is either
a simultaneous action or a double hit:
1. The first of these conditions is due to simultaneous conception and
execution of an attack by both fencers; in this case the hits exchanged are
annulled for both fencers.
2. The double hit (coup double) on the other hand, is the result of a
clearly faulty action on the part of one of the fencers.
Therefore, when there is not an interval of fencing time between the
hits:
1. The fencer who is attacked is alone counted as hit:
(a) If he makes a stop hit on the opponents
simple attack.
(b) If, instead of parrying, he attempts to avoid the hit and does not
succeed in so doing.
(c) If, after making a successful parry, he makes a momentary pause
(delayed riposte) which gives his opponent the right to renew the attack
(redoublement, or remise or reprise).
(d) If, during a compound attack, he makes a stop hit without being in
time.
(e) If, having his point in line (cf. t.10) and being subjected to a
beat or a taking of the blade (prise de fer) which deflects his blade, he
attacks or places his point in line again instead of parrying a direct hit made
by his opponent.
2. The fencer who attacks is alone counted as hit:
(a) If he initiated his attack when his opponent had his point in line
and without deflecting the opponents weapon. Referees must ensure that a mere
contact of the blades is not considered as sufficient to deflect the opponents
blade.
(b) If he attempts to find the blade, does not succeed (because of a
derobement) and continues the attack.
(c) If, during a compound attack, he allows his opponent to find the
blade, and continues the attack while his opponent ripostes immediately.
(d) If, during a compound attack, he bends his arm or makes a momentary
pause, during which time the opponent makes a stop hit or an attack while the
attacker subsequently continues his own attack.
(e) If, during a compound attack, he is stop hit one period of fencing
time (temps descrime) before he makes his final movement.
(f) If he makes a hit by a remise, redoublement or reprise following a
parry by his opponent which has been followed by a riposte which is immediate,
simple and executed in one period of fencing time without withdrawing the arm.
3. When there is a double hit (coup double), and if the Referee is
unable to clearly judge from which side the fault has come, he must replace
the competitors on guard.
One of the most difficult cases to judge arises when a stop hit is made
and there is doubt as to whether it was made sufficiently in time in relation
to the final movement of a compound attack. Generally, in such cases, the
double hit occurs through the fault of both fencers concerned, which justifies
the Referee replacing them on guard. (The fault of the attacker consists of
indecision, slowness of execution or the making of feints which are not
sufficiently effective. The fault of the defender lies in delay or slowness in
making the stop hit.)
PART 5. DISCIPLINARY RULES
FOR COMPETITIONS 2
CHAPTER 1. APPLICATION
1. Persons subject to these rules
t.81 The regulations laid down in this Part apply to all persons who take
part in, or who are present in any capacity whatsoever at an international
fencing competition (organisers, officials, referees, fencers, auxiliary
personnel, team captains, trainers, spectators, etc.), whatever their
nationality.
Hereinafter, all these persons are described as fencers.
2. Maintenance of order and discipline
t.82 Fencers must observe strictly and faithfully the Rules and the Statutes
of the FIE, the particular rules for the competition in which they are engaged,
the traditional customs of courtesy and integrity and the instructions of the
officials.
In particular they will subscribe, in an orderly, disciplined and
sporting manner, to the following provisions; all breaches of these rules may entail
punishments by the competent disciplinary authorities after, or even without,
prior warning, according to the facts and circumstances (cf. t.113t.120).
Everybody taking part in or present at a fencing competition must remain
orderly and must not disturb the smooth running of the competition. During
bouts no one is allowed to go near the pistes, to give advice to the fencers,
to criticise the Referee or the judges, to insult them or to attempt to
influence them in any way. Even the team captain must remain in the space
assigned to him and he may only intervene in the situations and in the manner
provided for in Article t.90 of the Rules. The Referee must stop immediately
any activity which disturbs the smooth running of the bout which he is refereeing
(cf. t.96).
Smoking in competition halls is forbidden. Smoking will be considered as
a disturbance of the smooth running of the competition (cf. t.83).
Any breach of the rules will be punished as laid down in Articles t.114,
t.118, t.120.
t.83 The Referee and/or the Directoire Technique, on their own authority or
at the request of an official delegate of the FIE or of the Organising
Committee, can decide to expel from the competition venue, with or without a
warning, any person who by his gestures, attitude or language disturbs the good
order or smooth running of the event.
3. The competitors
(a) Pledge of honour
t.84 By the mere fact of entering a fencing competition, the fencers pledge
their honour to observe the regulations and the decisions of the judges, to be
respectful towards the members of the jury and scrupulously to obey the orders
and injunctions of the Referee (cf. t.114, t.116, t.120).
(b) Refusing to fence
an opponent
t.85 No fencer (individual or team) from an FIE member national federation
may take part in an official competition if he refuses to fence against any
other fencer whatsoever (individual or
team) correctly entered in the event. Should this rule be broken, the
competitor concerned, individual or team, shall immediately be disqualified and the FIE shall consider whether there are grounds, and to
what extent, for taking sanctions against the national federation to which the
disqualified competitor belongs (cf. FIE Statutes 1.2.4 and Rules Article
t.120).
(c) Presence on time
t.86 The fencers, completely equipped, with all equipment conforming with the
regulations (cf. t.43t.45) and ready to fence, must be present at the time and
place appointed for the beginning of the pool, match, or bout of direct
elimination, or at the time appointed for the checking of their equipment
before their bout (cf. t.43), as well as during the competition, whenever the
Referee requires it.
When
presenting themselves to fence a bout, the fencers must arrive on the piste
completely ready to fence regulation clothing, jacket fastened, hair correct,
sword hand gloved and holding the weapon, bodywire connected to the plug inside
the guard. The mask should be carried in the unarmed hand. Under no
circumstances should the fencers dress or undress in public except in the case
of an accident duly recognised by the Doctor on duty or by a representative of
the Medical Commission (cf. t.45, t.114, t.116, t.120)
They must arrive on
the piste, to fence their bouts, with two weapons (one as a spare) and two bodywires
(one as a spare) which satisfy the Regulations and are in perfect working order
(cf. t.45, t.114, t.116, t.120).
For any fencer not
present, or any team which does not have all its members present, when called
by the Referee at the time published for the beginning of the pool, match or
bouts of direct elimination, there will be two repetitions of the call, at
intervals of one minute, to be followed by exclusion from the competition by
the Referee if the fencer or the entire team have not presented themselves by
the third call (cf. t.114, t.119, t.120)
In the course of
the competition (individual or team), when a fencer has been warned that it is
his turn to fence and if he does not present himself when called by the
Referee, the Referee will apply the penalties provided for in Articles t.114,
t.116, t.120.
Equally, should a fencer abandon a bout by leaving the piste (cf.
t.18/3), he will be penalised as specified in Articles t.114, t.116, t.120.
During a team match, should there be a modification in the order of
bouts in the match, either intentionally or unintentionally, the team which has
made the modification loses the match (cf. t.120, o.44).
(d) Fencing etiquette
t.87 The competitors must fence faithfully and strictly according to the
rules laid down in these Rules. All breaches of these rules will incur the
penalties laid down hereinafter (cf. t.114t.120).
All bouts must preserve the character of a courteous and frank
encounter. All irregular actions (flθche attack which finishes with a collision
jostling the opponent, disorderly fencing, irregular movements on the piste,
hits achieved with violence, hits made while falling) are strictly forbidden
(cf. t.114t.120). Should such an offence occur, any hit scored by the fencer
at fault is annulled.
Before the beginning and at the end of each bout, the two fencers must
perform a fencing salute to their opponent, to the Referee and to the
spectators. If one of the two fencers refuses to comply with this rule, the
Referee will suspend him for the remainder of the competition taking place and
from the following two FIE competitions in the weapon concerned (cf. t.114,
t.118, t.120). If the two fencers together commit the offence, they will be
suspended for the remainder of the competition taking place and from the
following two FIE competitions in the weapon concerned (cf. t.114, t.119,
t.120).
During the
first and second periods of a direct elimination bout, when both fencers make
clear their desire to stop fencing or show evident passivity, the referee will
immediately call halt! and the two fencers will take their regulation one
minute rest. In pools and in the third period of a direct elimination bout,
should there be passivity on the part of both fencers, the referee will warn
the fencers (but without imposing a yellow card). If there is obvious
repetition, the referee will call halt! and proceed to the last minute of the
time allowed for the bout. This minute will be decisive and will be preceded by
a drawing of lots to decide the winner should the scores be equal at the end of
the minute.
When the final hit
has been scored, the bout is not ended until the two fencers have saluted each
other, the audience and the Referee. To this end, they must remain still while
the Referee is making his decision. When he has given his decision, they must
proceed with the fencers salute, which is performed by lifting the weapon
guard up to the chin, and must shake hands with their opponent, with the
unarmed hand.
The fencer, whether
on or off the piste, must keep his mask on until the Referee calls halt. He may
under no circumstances address the Referee until the Referee has made his
decision (cf. t.114, t.116, t.120)
Under no circumstances
may fencers remove their clothes on the piste, even to change their bodywire
(cf. t.114, t.116, t.120).
Immediately after
the end of a pool or a direct elimination bout the fencers must sign the pool
or bout score sheet, under the responsibility of the Referee who must check the
accuracy of the results on this score sheet. Before the score sheet is returned
to the Directoire Technique, the Referee must indicate in writing if a fencer
refuses to sign it. No subsequent appeal relating to the results will be
allowed.
(e) Personal effort
t.88 Competitors must fence to their utmost ability in a sportsmanlike manner
until the end of the competition in order to obtain the best possible
classification, without giving away hits or seeking to be favored by being
given hits by anyone (cf. t.114, t.119, t.120).
4. The Team Manager
t.89 In all competitions, all competitors of the same nationality must be
under the direction of a team manager (who may or may not fence), who is
responsible to the Directoire Technique or the Organising Committee for the
discipline, conduct, and sportsmanship of the members of his team.
5. The team captain
t.90 In team events, only the team captain has the right to
be placed with his fencers in the Piste Enclosure and to approach the President
of the Directoire Technique, the referees, etc., in order to decide technical
matters, or to register protests.
The members of the team who have scrupulously abided by his decisions
may not be held responsible by the relevant authorities. However, they are
personally responsible for any actions they commit for which their team captain
has not taken authority and for any offence committed by them in violation of
the present Rules.
6. The referees and judges
t.91 The members of the jury must fulfil their duties not only with total
impartiality but also with the utmost attention (cf. t.34).
7. The instructors,
trainers and technicians
t.92 The instructors, trainers and technicians are not allowed to remain near
their fencers in the Piste Enclosure during the competition.
The Referee may, whenever he considers it necessary, authorise a person
to come briefly to the assistance of a fencer.
Each nation which has a fencer taking part in the round of the
competition in progress may designate a maximum of two people who have the
right to be positioned near the Piste Enclosure, outside it but close to
a point of access. The organisers must provide the necessary space for these
people.
In team competitions, there must be enclosures
reserved for the team members. Only the team captain and one coach have the
right to be with the team fencers inside the team enclosures, which must be
clearly marked out by yellow lines on the ground or some other method. They
should be 9 m2 in area and be located at a distance of between 2 and 6 m. from
each end of and outside the Piste Enclosure, which is 18 x 8 m. During team
matches, the team members not actually fencing must remain within their Team
Enclosure.
During team competitions, no-one has the right to
enter the Piste Enclosure without the referees permission. In the case of such
an offence, the referee will penalise the offending team as provided for in
Articles t.114, t.116 and t.120. A warning imposed on a team is valid for the
complete team match. Should a fencer, within the same match, commit another
offence from the first group, the referee will penalise him on each occasion
with a red card.
8. The spectators
t.93 Spectators are obliged not to interfere with the good order of a
competition, to do nothing which may tend to influence the fencers or the
Referee, and to respect the decisions of the latter even when they do not agree
with them. They must obey any instructions which the Referee may deem it
necessary to give them (cf. t.82, t.118, t.120).
CHAPTER 2. THE DISCIPLINARY
AUTHORITIES
AND THEIR COMPETENCE
The following articles only regulate discipline at
competition venues. Depending on the
gravity of the offences established, they do not exclude the application of the
Disciplinary Code of the F.I.E. (Chapter VII of the Statutes of the F.I.E.),
which complete or, if the case arises, take priority over the following
articles.
1. Jurisdiction
t.94 The order and discipline of fencing competitions is the responsibility,
in varying degrees, of the following persons or authorities:
The Referee (cf.
t.96)
The Directoire
Technique (cf. t.97, o.56o.62)
The Executive
Committee of the IOC at the Olympic Games (cf. t.98)
The Central Office
of the FIE (cf. t.129, o.63)
The Executive
Committee of the FIE (cf. t.99)
The FIE
Disciplinary Commission (cf. t.100)
The
Sports Arbitration Council
(See also
the Disciplinary Code of the FIE (Chapter VII of the FIE Statutes)
2. Principle of
jurisdiction
t.95 (a) Whatever juridical authority has
taken a decision, this decision may be subject to an appeal to a higher
juridical authority, but only to one such appeal.
(b) No decision on a question of fact can be
the subject of an appeal (cf. t.122).
(c) An
appeal against a decision only suspends that decision when it can be
judged immediately.
(d) Every appeal must be accompanied by the deposit of
a guaranty of US$80, or its equivalent in another currency, this sum may be
confiscated in whole or in part to the benefit of the FIE if the appeal is
rejected on the grounds that it is frivolous; this decision will be taken by
the juridical authority responsible for hearing the appeal.
However, appeals
against the decisions of the Referee do not require the deposit of the
guarantees mentioned above (cf. t.122).
3. The Referee
t.96 (a) The Referee is responsible not only for the direction of the bout,
the judging of hits and the checking of equipment, but equally for the maintenance
of order in the bouts which he is refereeing (cf. t.35/i).
(b) In his capacity as director of the bout and arbiter of hits, he can,
in accordance with the rules, penalise the competitors, either by refusing to
award a hit which they have in fact made on the opponent, or by awarding
against them a hit which they have
not in fact received, or by excluding them from the competition which he
is refereeing, all, according to the
circumstances, with or without prior warning. In these circumstances, and if he
has judged on a matter of fact, his decisions are irrevocable (cf.
t.122).
(c) By reason of
the right of jurisdiction which he has over all the fencers who participate in,
or are present at a competition which he is refereeing, he can also propose to
the Directoire Technique the expulsion from the venue of the competition of the
spectators, trainers, instructors and other persons who accompany the
competitors (cf. t.114, t.118, t.120).
(d) Finally, he may recommend to the Directoire Technique all
other penalties which he considers appropriate (exclusion from the whole
competition, suspension or disqualification) (cf. t.97).
(e) The Directoire Technique is the authority competent to deal with
appeals against the decisions of the Referee (cf. t.97ss, t.122).
4. The Directoire
Technique (cf. o.56o.62)
t.97 (a) The Directoire
Technique has jurisdiction over all the fencers who take part in or are present
at a competition which it is running.
When necessary it can
intervene on its own initiative in all disputes.
It may impose, either on its own initiative or at the request of a
referee, all the penalties which are applicable during competitions.
(b) It is the
juridical authority to deal with appeals against the decisions of referees.
(c) It sends direct to the Central Office of the FIE announcements of
disciplinary penalties pronounced during the competitions, as well as any
requests for censure, suspension, extension of penalty or permanent suspension,
and requests for ultimate appeals.
(d) The Directoire
Technique activates any penalty imposed against which no appeal is possible or
which is not subject to suspension (cf.t.95).
(e) The
decisions of the Directoire Technique that it takes spontaneously or in its own
right (as the first level of authority) are subject to appeal to the
Disciplinary Committee of the FIE.
.
All the decisions of
the Directoire Technique are immediately enforceable. No appeal against a
decision can suspend that decision during a competition.
5. The Executive
Committee of the IOC at the Olympic Games
t.98 The Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is
the final arbiter for all disputes of a non-technical nature which may arise
during the Olympic Games. It may intervene either on its own responsibility, or
at the request of a national Olympic Committee, the FIE or the Organising
Committee.
6. FIE - Central Office, Disciplinary Commission,
Executive Committee
t.99 All disciplinary matters referred to the F.I.E.
by a national federation, a Directoire Technique or any other competent body on
the occasion of an official F.I.E. competition are addressed to the Central
Office of the F.I.E. This latter
transmits them to the competent body.
The Disciplinary Commission of the F.I.E. is the
juridical body of the F.I.E. that, within the limits of the territories over
which the F.I.E. has authority, settles all disciplinary matters referred to
the F.I.E. and judges all appeals against decisions taken by a Directoire
Technique.
The
Sports Arbitration Tribunal in Lausanne (TAS) judges all appeals against the
decisions of the tribunals of the Disciplinary Commission.
In
urgent cases, the FIE Bureau may take the administrative measures necessary for
the suspension of the licence of the accused in accordance with the
Disciplinary Code.
The Executive Committee ensures that the
decisions of the Disciplinary Commission are respected and carried out.
See the Disciplinary Code of the F.I.E. (Chapter VII of the
F.I.E. Statutes).
CHAPTER 3. PENALTIES
1. Classification of
penalties
t.101 There are two distinct categories of penalty applicable to the two sorts
of offence (cf. t.114ss).
1. Penalties related
to fencing, applicable to offences committed while fencing. These are:
the loss of ground
on the piste
refusal to award a
hit actually made
awarding a hit which
has not in fact been received
exclusion from the
competition
2. Disciplinary
penalties applicable to offences concerned with maintenance of order,
discipline or sportsmanship. These are:
awarding a hit which
has not in fact been received
exclusion from the
competition
exclusion from
participation in the whole tournament
expulsion from the
venue of the competition
disqualification
censure
fine
temporary suspension
permanent suspension
All
these penalties, except permanent suspension, can be applied by the competent
authorities and the Directoire Technique.
Temporary
suspension can only be applied by these authorities only in the case of a
fencer refusing to salute (cf. t.87, t.120)
See the
Disciplinary Code of the FIE (Chapter VII of the FIE Statutes)
2. Penalties related
to fencing
(a) Loss of ground on
the piste (cf. t.28)
t.102 A competitor who crosses the lateral boundaries of the piste with one or both feet is penalised by the loss of one
metre of ground.
(b) Refusal to award a hit actually made
t.103 Although a competitor may in fact have hit the opponent on the target,
this hit may be disallowed, either because it did not arrive during the period
of time during which fencing is allowed, or because the competitor had crossed
the boundaries of the piste, or because of defects in the electrical equipment,
or because violence was involved in the making of the hit, or because of other
reasons as laid down in the Rules (cf. t.18, t.20t.22, t.26ss, t.32, t.41,
t.45, t.46, t.53s, t.60, t.66ss, t.70, t.73, t.80, t.87, t.114, t.120).
(c) Award of a hit which has not in fact been
received
t.104 A competitor may have a hit awarded against him which he has not in fact
received, either because he has crossed the rear limit of the piste (cf. t.27),
or because he has committed an offence which has prevented his opponent fencing
(a flθche attack which jostles the opponent, a corps ΰ corps in foil or sabre,
the use of the unarmed hand while fencing, etc.) (cf. t.120).
(d) Exclusion from the
competition
t.105 A competitor who, while fencing, commits certain violent or
vindictive actions against his opponent, or who does not fence to his utmost
ability, or who profit from a fraudulent agreement with their opponent, may be
excluded from the competition.
A competitor who is excluded from a competition may not continue to take
part in that competition, even if he is already qualified for promotion to the
next round. He loses the right to his individual classification and the place
that he occupied remains unfilled; but the points obtained by the fencer up to
the moment of his expulsion remain valid for the classification of the team in
the team event, providing that he actually takes part in that team event.
3. Disciplinary
penalties
(e) Exclusion from the
competition
t.106 Exclusion from a competition may also be imposed for a disciplinary
offence (failure to appear on the piste as required, weapons not in accordance
with the rules, reprehensible attitude towards a judge, etc.).
The consequences of such exclusion for the competitor are the same as
those described in Article t.105 above.
(f) Exclusion from participation in the whole
tournament
t.107 Tournament is the name given to a number of competitions held at the same place, at
the same period and under the same aegis.
A competitor who is excluded from a tournament will no longer be allowed
to participate in any competition during that tournament, either at the same
weapon or another.
When this penalty
is imposed on a team, the position of each member of that team must be examined
individually, and the members of that team may, according to the circumstances,
have different penalties imposed on them (cf. t.90).
(g) Expulsion from the
venue of the competition or the tournament
t.108 All participants or non-competitors who participate in or are present at
a competition (instructors, trainers, technicians, supporters, officials,
spectators) may be expelled. Such expulsion has the effect of forbidding them
access to the venue for the duration of the competition or tournament (cf.
t.120).
In no circumstances
can the imposition of this penalty give cause for redress to anyone.
(h) Disqualification
t.109 Disqualification of a competitor (for example, because he does not
conform to the rules regarding age, qualification, etc. required for the
competition) does not necessarily incur his suspension or permanent suspension,
if he has acted in good faith; a request for supplementary penalties for
fraudulent intention may, however, be made against the competitor.
A team which has
included a competitor who is disqualified necessarily incurs the penalty of
that member and is also disqualified.
The consequences of
disqualification are the same as those for exclusion from the competition (see
Article t.105 above).
(i) Censure
t.110 In cases where a more severe disciplinary sanction is
not justified, the fencer or the official may be sanctioned by censure.
(j) Temporary
suspension
t.111 A competitor who is
suspended cannot take part in any official FIE
competition during the time he is suspended..
All other persons
who are suspended are debarred from exercising their functions within the
limits of time and place fixed when the suspension is imposed.
(k) Permanent
suspension
t.112 Permanent suspension involves the same consequences as suspension, but
is permanent (except for the special provision for clemency laid down in
Article t.128 below).
4. Announcement of
penalties
t.113 The Directoire Technique is required to inform the Central Office of the
FIE without delay of penalties applied during the competition and their reasons
(cf. .97/c).
At the Olympic
Games, the Directoire Technique must advise the IOC via the Organising
Committee.
CHAPTER 4. OFFENCES, THEIR PENALTIES
AND THE COMPETENT JURIDICAL AUTHORITIES
1. The types (groups)
of penalty
t.114 There are three types of penalty to be applied in the cases indicated in
the table in Article t.120. They are cumulative and they are valid for the bout
with the exception of exclusion, which is indicated by a Black Card. Certain
offences can result in the annulment of the hit scored by the fencer at fault.
During the bout,
only hits scored in circumstances connected with the offences may be annulled
(cf.120).
The penalties are as
follows:
a warning, indicated by a Yellow Card with which the Referee
identifies the fencer at fault. The fencer then knows that any further offence
on his part will result in a penalty hit.
a penalty hit, demonstrated by a Red Card with which the Referee
identifies the fencer at fault. A hit is added to the score of the opponent and
may, if the last hit is at stake, lead to the loss of the bout. Furthermore, a
Red Card can only be followed by another Red Card or by a Black Card, depending
on the nature of the second offence (cf. t.120).
exclusion, from the competition or the whole tournament as
applicable (for a fencer), or expulsion from the competition venue (any person
disturbing the order of the competition), demonstrated by a Black Card by which
the Referee identifies the fencer or person at fault.
All warnings
(Yellow Cards), penalty hits (Red Cards) and exclusions (Black Cards) must be
noted on the score sheet of the bout, the pool or the match, together with the
group to which they belong.
2. Competence
t.115 The offences and their penalties which appear in different articles of
the Rules are summarised in the list that follows in Article t.120; they are
divided into four groups (cf. t.116t.119).
All these penalties
are within the competence of the Referee, although the Directoire Technique
still retains the right to intervene on its own initiative (cf. t.97).
3. The first group of
offences
t.116 The first infringement, in this first group, is penalised by a Yellow
Card (warning). If, during the same bout, the fencer commits the same or
a different offence in this group, the Referee penalises him, on each occasion,
with a Red Card (penalty hit). If the fencer at fault has already been
penalised by a Red Card because of an offence listed in the second or third
group, he receives a further Red Card for the first infringement relating to
the first group.
4. The second group of
offences
t.117 Every offence in the second group, including the first infringement, is
penalised by a Red Card (penalty hit).
5. The third group of
offences
t.118 The first infringement in the third group is penalised by a Red Card (penalty
hit), even if the fencer at fault has already received a Red Card as a
result of offences in the first or second groups.
If during the same bout the fencer commits the same or a different
offence in this group, he is penalised with a Black Card (exclusion from the
competition).
Any person not on the
piste who disturbs the order of the competition receives:
On the first
infringement, a warning which must be noted on the bout score sheet and
recorded by the Directoire Technique.
At the second infringement during the same competition a Black Card (expulsion
from the competition venue).
In the most serious
cases concerning disturbance either on or off the piste, the Referee may
exclude or expel the person at fault immediately.
6. The fourth group of
offences.
t.119 The first infringement in the fourth group is penalised by a Black Card (exclusion
from the competition or the whole tournament, as applicable).
7. Offences and
penalties
t.120 See the Schedule of Offences and Penalties below
Schedule of Offences
and Penalties
Offence
Article First Offence Second Offence Third & Subseq. First Group Leaving the piste without permission
...t.18/3 Simple corp-a-corps (foil & sabre) (*)
.
.t.20 Corp-a-corps to avoid being hit(*)
.t.20, t.63 Turning back on opponent. (*)
.t.21 Use of non-sword arm\hand.(*)
..
. t.22 Touching/taking hold of electric equipment (*)
t.22 Covering / substitution of valid target (*)
. t.22, t.49, t.72 Leaving the piste to avoid being hit
..t.28 Interruption of bout without valid reason
..t.31 Placing the weapon on the piste to straighten it.
t.46, t.61, t.70/d Clothing /equipment not working or not conforming to the rules Absence of second regulation weapon or body wire
t.45/1 &
3.b At foil & epee, placing, bending, dragging weapon point on conductive piste
...t.46,
t.61 Bringing weapon into contact with conductive jacket (*)
. t.53 At sabre, hit made with the coquille (*); any forward movement crossing the legs or feet.(*)
...t.70, t.75/3 Refusal to obey the Referee
. t.82, t.84 Jostling, disorderly fencing (*); removing mask before the Referee calls "halt", undressing on the piste
..t.87 Unjustified appeal
.t.122 Irregular movements on the piste (*); hits made with violence or while falling (*)
.
.t.87 Yellow Card Red Card Red Card Second Group Interruption of bout for claimed injury not confirmed by Doctor
t.33 Absence of weapon check marks (*)
.
.t.45/3.a Absence of name on back of
jacket, absence of national colours when necessary
...t.45 Dangerous, violent or vindictive action, blow with the guard or pommel (*)
t.87 Deliberate hit not on
opponent
...t.53, t.66