Introduction

Fencing is one of only four sports that have been featured in every modern Olympic Games, beginning in 1896.

Fencing calls for adaptability, inventiveness, good organization, and patience. This is achieved by good partnership between the fencer and the fencing master. Hard effort is needed if a competitor is to be ready for a match, and long hours must be spent in training, where great attention and discipline are needed.

Evolved from the ancient form of combat, fencing is one of only four sports that has been featured at every modern Olympic Games. It was the first to include recognised professionals in a medals competition after modern Olympic Games founder Pierre de Coubertin arranged special events for professional fencing "masters" in the original 1896 and 1900 competitions.

The clothing has become so protective, though, that officials modified masks a few years ago to return a "human face" to the event. Fine, but for intense reality, the 1924 team foil competition still wins: After the Olympic Games, an Italian and a Hungarian settled a scoring controversy with a real duel.

Understanding Fencing

Foil, epie and sabre are the three weapons used in the sport of Fencing, in which both men and women compete. The target areas, as well as the blade, differ for the three weapons.

Foil

The lightest of the three types of weapon.

Epie

The descendant of the ancient dueling sword.

Sabre

A lighter version of a cavalry sword, this until recently was used by male fencers only. Women will compete in sabre in 2004.

Piste

Fencing matches take place indoors on a special surface called a piste, 14 metres long and 1.5 metres wide. The piste has a centre line; two guard-lines 2 metres to the right and the left of the centre line; warning lines; and end-lines.

Dress

For protection, fencers wear a vest and jacket, a mask, and a glove. They also wear breeches and special fencing shoes.

Electrical scoring apparatus

The apparatus consists of a 12V circuit connected to the fencers. This gives the fencers and the judge the right to decide and analyse hits. The coloured lights of this apparatus register valid hits, while the white lights register hits landing outside the valid target area.

Individual bouts

Each bout shall consist of three rounds of three minutes each, with one minute between rounds. The winner is the fencer who first scores 15 valid hits on the opponent or who scores the greater number of hits by the end of the bout. If the players are level by the end of normal match time, one minute's extra time will be fenced and the winner shall be the first to score a touch on the opponent.

Team bouts

A team consists of three fencers, and the winning team is the first one to score a total of 45 hits on the fencers of the opposing team, or the one to score the greater number of hits by the end of the bout. If the teams are tied after the end of regulation time, there is a one minute extra time where the team with the first hit wins the match.

In the case that neither teams get a hit at the end of the extra time period, the winner is the team that was selected by coin toss before the start of the extra time.