Fencing Rules

FENCING RULES
December 2011 Edition

USA Fencing, 2011

Foreword
This American Version of the international rules governing fencing competitions is translated and adapted from the 2001 French edition published by the FIE and incorporates changes made by the FIE Congresses and adopted by the USA Fencing Board of Directors through October 2011. Unless otherwise noted here or in the USAFencing Operations Manual, these rules apply to fencing competitions in the United States. The publication in electronic format with year and revision dating at the bottom of each page is intended to simplify the incorporation of future changes to the rules. Updates to the rules will be made available as approved on the Fencing Officials Commission website. The United States Fencing Association, Inc.doing business as USA Fencing (founded as the Amateur Fencers League of America in 1891) is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization primarily engaged in increasing participation in the sport of fencing. Membership in USA Fencing, in an appropriate category, is open to anyone who has an interest in fencing. USA Fencing is the official governing body for amateur fencing activities in the UnitedStates, and is so recognized by the Unites States Olympic Committee and the International Fencing Federation (FIE). Accordingly, the authority to enact, amend, and repeal the rules governing amateur fencing in the Unites States rests solely with the Board of Directors of USA Fencing. As a matter of policy, USA Fencing normally follows the technical rules enacted for the sport by the FIE, withoccasional minor exceptions that are duly announced. The rules for fencing, as set forth in this book, therefore apply to all USA Fencing championships and nationally-rated competitions, and, unless exceptions have been announced in advance by the appropriate authorities, apply also to all events scheduled by any Section or Division of USA Fencing, or held under USA Fencing auspices. “USA Fencing” is aregistered trademark of the United States Fencing Association, Inc. USA Fencing One Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909-5774 TEL: 719/866-4511 FAX: 719/866-5737 E-mail: info@usfencing.org http://www.usfencing.org Copyright © 2011 United States Fencing Association, Inc. doing business as USA Fencing. Permission to copy this work electronically or in print is granted only if reproduced in wholefor personal or classroom use. It may not be edited, altered, or otherwise modified, except with the express permission of USA Fencing. Reproduction for sale or any other commercial purpose is strictly prohibited.

USA Fencing Rules for Competition

ii

December 2011

Preface
This American edition incorporates the most recent FIE rules changes, using terms commonly used in Americanfencing. Some changes of form have been made to increase the clarity of the text, without altering the original intent. At times, a note is provided in text that is boxed off in order to explain application of a certain rule. The 2010 update was a significant and much needed update to the 2008 USFA rulebook. The content of the rules did not significantly change, although the discerning reader willnotice some differences in translation. These changes were intended to standardize the language used throughout the US version of the rules. The Table of Contents, the index, and all crossreferences through the text now have hyperlinks to facilitate finding related rules. This most recent update corrects errata from the previous version, as well as the most recent modifications to the rules. New textfrom the prior version is marked in blue text to facilitate identifying changes, although deleted text is not noted. The numbering of the rules has also changed in places, and extended numbering has now been added, in order to align the US rules with the British and French international rules. The Organizational Rules section has also been completely updated to match the current FIE rules. The...