Fencing Tournament Structures

• Fencing tournaments have varying formats and can be individual or team competitions

Competition Weapons

• A tournament can include all three weapons, or be specific, such as an Épée Challenge with individual épée only

Gender Divisions

• Men and women compete separately except for team fights

Individual Events Overview

• Individual events have pools and direct eliminations

Pools Explained

• Fencers are divided into groups where each fencer faces every other fencer once
• Pool bouts last for three minutes and are fenced to five points, and if no fencer reaches five points in that time, the one with the most points wins
• Athletes are classified according to their results in the pools and this determines the elimination round start

Determining a Fencer's Place

• Ranking determined by victories divided by matches fenced
• Ranking determined by the indicator score, which is calculated from hits for and against during pool rounds
• Ranking determined by hits scored
• In case of equality between two fencers, random lots are drawn to determine their place in the table

Pool Composition Example

• For 24 participants, the athletes are distributed, according to ranking

Pool Results Scoresheet

• Recorded on a scoresheet and must be signed by the fencers after their last match
• The referee notes how many points each fencer scored in the bout
• If a fencer wins with five points, a "V" (victoire) is noted instead of 5
• A "Vx" indicates that at the end of 3 minutes the athlete wins with the indicated points

Reading the Scoresheet

• Points the athlete has received by opponents are listed in the columns
• Points the athlete has given to the opponents are listed in the lines

Direct Eliminations: Explained

• Fencers are sorted in a table of some power of 2 (16, 32, 64, etc.) based on the number of competitors
• Fencers are slotted into the table: first place vs. last place, and second vs. second last, etc
• Elimination round matches in foil and épée are fenced in three periods of three minutes each
• In between each period, there is a one-minute break
• Sabre matches are faster, thus when one fencer reaches 8 points, there is a one-minute break
• In all three weapons, the match goes until 15 points, or the fencer with the most points wins
• The winner continues, and the loser is eliminated

Match Start Protocol

• The referee stands at the side of the piste
• Fencers enter the pista fully dressed, except for their masks
• Fencers connect to the electronic scoring apparatus and test the weapons to ensure all is functioning
• The fencers retreat to their en-garde lines

Pre-Bout Actions

• The fencers must salute each other, or risk suspension or disqualification
• After the salutes, the referee calls "On guard!"
• The referee calls "Ready?", when fencers are in the on-guard position
• The referee calls "Play!" or "Fence!", and the bout begins

Reasons for Bout Interruption:

• A touch has been made
• The rules have been breached
• The situation is unsafe
• The action has become disorganized such that the referee can no longer follow

Protocol After Interruption

• The referee will explain the reasons for stopping it and analyze what has happened
• The referee will award points or give out penalties
• If a point has been awarded, competitors return to the en-garde lines
• Otherwise, athletes remain approximately where they were when the bout was interrupted

Modern Fencing Penalties

• Modern fencing includes the addition of penalty cards

Yellow card

• When a fencer is penalized with a yellow card, that fencer is warned, but no other action is taken

Red Card

• When a fencer is penalized with a red card, that fencer is warned, and a touch is awarded to the opponent

Black Card

• When a fencer is penalized with a black card, that fencer may be excluded from multiple events
• Player may be excluded from the competition
• Player may be excluded from the tournament, venue, or suspended from future tournaments in cases of serious offenses
• Spectators can also be carded or expelled

Two Yellows

• When a fencer is penalized with two yellow cards during the same match, a touch is awarded to his/her opponent

Categorization of Offenses

• Offenses are broken down into four groups, with penalties assessed based on the offense group
• Group 1 offenses are penalized with a yellow card
• Group 2 and 3 offenses are penalized with a red card
• Group 4 offenses are penalized with a black card

Group 1 Offenses

• An example for group 1 offense are actions such as making bodily contact with the opposing fencer (in foil or saber)
• Other examples are delaying the bout, or removing equipment
• The first group 1 offense gets a yellow card

Group 2 offenses

• An example for group 2 offenses are actions that are vindictive or violent in nature
• Other examples are the failure to report to the strip with proper inspection marks on equipment
• They are penalized with a red card

Group 3 Offenses

• An example for group 3 offenses are actions such as actions include disturbing the order of a bout
• Other examples are intentionally falsifying inspection marks
• The first group 3 offense gets a red card
• Any subsequent group 3 offense is penalized with a black card

Group 4 Offenses

• An example for group 4 offenses are actions that include doping and manifest cheating
• Other examples are other breaches of protocol, such as a refusal to salute
• They are penalized with a black card

Penalty for Stepping off the Piste

• A specific penalty exists when one or both feet go off the side edge of the piste
• Halt is called, and the opponent may advance one meter towards the penalized fencer
• The penalized fencer must retreat to 'normal' distance so that both fencers can stand on-guard, with their arms and swords extended directly at their opponent, and their blades do not cross.
• If the back edge of the piste impedes the fencer, then the opponent receives a point