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Fencing

Fencing is a one-on-one combat sport in which athletes score by making contact with an opponent using a bladed weapon on a marked strip of play (the piste). Modern sport fencing is fenced with electronic scoring equipment that registers touches and helps referees judge actions consistently across bouts. International rules for fencing competition are set and maintained by the International Fencing Federation (FIE), which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the world governing body for the sport, and fencing has been on the Olympic program since 1896.

• Foil: thrusting weapon with a limited target on the trunk.
• Epee: thrusting weapon where the entire body is valid target.
• Sabre: cutting and thrusting weapon with target above the hips.

Weapons and valid target

Foil is a thrusting weapon, so touches are made with the point. In foil, the valid target is confined to the trunk and excludes the limbs and head; the bib area under the chin is also included within the defined target limits for foil in the rules. Epee is also a thrusting weapon, but its valid target includes the whole body, including clothing and equipment, which makes contact anywhere on the opponent count as a touch when properly registered. Sabre allows touches with the cutting edge, the flat, the back of the blade, and the point, and its valid target is any part of the body above a horizontal line drawn between the top of the hip bones and then around the trunk.

Scoring, right of way, and double hits

In foil and sabre, referees apply conventions (often described as right of way) to decide which fencer is awarded the touch when both fencers appear to score in the same exchange. Depending on the actions, the referee may award the touch to one fencer or annul the exchange if it is judged simultaneous. In epee, there is no right of way, and when both competitors are hit and the scoring apparatus registers both hits as valid, it is treated as a double hit and a point is scored against each fencer. The FIE also describes a specific timing window for epee double hits (lockout time) that determines whether two touches are considered simultaneous for scoring.

Piste dimensions and markings

Fencing is contested on a piste with standardized dimensions and lines that support consistent refereeing across venues. Under FIE technical rules, the combat area is 1.50 meters wide and 14 meters long, with on-guard lines placed 2 meters on each side of the center line. Rear limit lines are placed 7 meters from the center line, and the last 2 meters before each rear limit line are distinguished as a warning zone to help fencers recognize when they are close to the end of the piste.

Common bout formats and time limits

Competition formats commonly include pool rounds followed by direct elimination. Under FIE technical rules, pool bouts end when one fencer has scored 5 hits or when 3 minutes of effective fencing time have passed, with additional rules to resolve certain tied situations. Direct elimination bouts are fenced to 15 hits or end when three periods of three minutes have passed, with a one-minute rest between periods; if the score is tied at the end of regulation time, fencing continues for a deciding hit under a one-minute limit with priority assigned by drawing lots. Team fencing under FIE rules is typically contested as a relay to 45 hits, with each leg fenced as a cumulative five-hit segment under a three-minute time limit per bout.

Protective equipment and clothing

Fencing is built around protective gear designed to reduce injury risk while allowing freedom of movement. Common requirements across organized competition include a fencing mask, jacket, breeches or fencing pants, knee-high socks, a glove on the weapon hand, and an underarm protector (plastron). In electric fencing, additional pieces are used to connect the fencer to the scoring apparatus; in foil and sabre, conductive equipment (such as a lamé covering the valid target area) is used so the scoring system can distinguish valid touches from off-target contact.

Governance and competition pathway

The FIE establishes the rules used for international competitions and oversees their application, including major event circuits such as World Cups and World Championships across age categories. National governing bodies and clubs typically organize local and domestic competition, introducing athletes to standardized rules, officiating, and equipment checks that align with the broader international framework. This structure allows fencers to progress from club events to national tournaments and, for top athletes, to international competition governed by FIE regulations.