The FIE Rules of Fencing

International fencing, and domestic fencing in certain countries (but not in the United States) is governed by the rules of fencing of the Federation Internationale d'Escrime (FIE).

The FIE has rulebooks. A rulebook is really helpful, but once in a while the rulebook itself might be wrong about what the rules of fencing are! Consider how the rules of fencing come to be, and how the rulebooks come to be.

Every once in a while, the FIE adopts completely new rules of fencing as expressed in a completely new rulebook. Although I haven't found confirmation of this, I suspect that each time the rules undergo a radical editorial change, the FIE adopts the new document as being the rules of fencing. But, starting then, the FIE makes minor changes to rules -- not changes to the rulebook, but individual resolutions about individual rules. For this reason, after each major rewrite of the rules there is a series of new revisions of the rulebook as minor changes get made. (Occasionally, a change to the rulebook is made which does not involve changing a rule, but involves editorial, typographic, or layout issues too.)

Almost all of the USFA rules of fencing are derived from the FIE's rules of fencing. Normally, the FIE makes a rule change, and after a suitable delay, the USFA sees the FIE change its rule back, or the USFA adopts an English version of the FIE rule, or the USFA deliberately decides not to follow the lead of the FIE for what it things is an appropriate reason (usually involving differences between the needs of the USFA and its fencing members and the needs of the FIE and internationally-competitive fencers). The FIE rules (also available at a second, newer, URL) are binding on FIE competitions, and the USFA rules on USFA competitions. However, the FIE rules are useful to USFA members for two reasons.

1. Sometimes there is a discussion of some suggested future change to the USFA rules of fencing, but the actual suggested rule change isn't available for discussion. Typically, the rule is already an FIE rule, and it is available for reading in the FIE rules.
2. Sometimes there is something ambiguous or puzzling in the USFA rules of fencing where multiple meanings of an English word leave the meaning of the rule in doubt, or where the English text was borrowed from a British translation from the French and the meaning is clear only if one realizes that an English word is being used in a British instead of American fashion.

Since the English text in the USFA rules of fencing almost always is an American English translation of the French text in the FIE rules (and sometimes a British English translation instead), the intended meaning of the rule can often be found by reading the French text of the correspondingly-numbered FIE rule.

Contents:

• Getting Rulebooks
• The Rulebooks

Getting Rulebooks

Electronic Rulebooks

Although at one time the FIE rules existed entirely on paper, currently, fencers should expect to get rulebooks in electronic form.

The Rulebooks

"The Rulebooks" Contents:

The USFA rules of fencing are contained in a single rulebook. However, the FIE breaks up the rulebook into several rulebooks, which correspond to sections of the USFA rules of fencing. They are:

• Introduction ("règlement d'introduction")
• Technical Rules ("règlement technique")
• Gestures and words of refereeing ("gestes et mots de l'arbitrage")
• Organizational rules ("règles d'organisation")
• Material rules ("règlement du matériel")
• Publicity code ("le code de la publicité")

Introduction ("règlement d'introduction")

Introduction ("règlement d'introduction") -- corresponds to the "prelude" in the USFA rulebook.

Technical Rules ("règlement technique")

Technical Rules ("règlement technique") -- corresponds to the first of three major parts of the USFA rulebook, composed of rules with designations beginning with "t." and ending with a number, which describe what happens on the piste when people fence. The June 2004 edition recently replaced the February 2004 edition, but the only changes were insertions of diagrams of the piste, referee gestures, and target areas, restoration of a missing half-sentence, changes involving presentation at the piste, removal of requirement for the fencer to sign the DE slip, effect on team fencers when one member receives a black card, deletion of femininity testing, and a rewrite of drug testing . (The February 2004 edition had replaced the November 2002 edition, with changes involving drug testing, addition of femininity testing. and changes to how the weapons are fenced which were adopted as USFA changes for August 2004. The November 2002 edition had replaced the May 2002 edition, but the only changes were typographical, grammatical, or concerning referees for junior world cup.)

Gestures and words of refereeing ("gestes et mots de l'arbitrage")

Gestures and words of refereeing part 1 ("gestes et mots de l'arbitrage 1") and gestures and words of refereeing part 2 ("gestes et mots de l'arbitrage 2") -- corresponds to two charts of "Hand Signals for USFA Referees appearing in the USFA's technical rules, between rules t.42 and t.43. Used to exist as two separate one-page documents, but disappeared when successfully inserted btween rules t.42 and t.43 of the Technical Rules ("règlement technique").

Organizational rules ("règles d'organisation")

Organizational rules ("règles d'organisation") -- corresponds to the second of three major parts of the USFA rulebook (what they call "Organization Rules"), composed of rules with designations beginning with "o." and ending with a number, which describe how a competition is organized, and certain information about governing bodies applicable to more than a single competition. The February 2004 edition recently replaced the February 2003 edition, but the only changes concerned the management of specific world-level competitions. (The February 2003 edition had replaced the November 2001 edition, but the only changes were typographical or grammatical.)

Material rules ("règlement du matériel")

Material rules ("règlement du matériel") -- corresponds to the third of three major parts of the USFA rulebook, composed of rules with designations beginning with "m." and ending with a number, which describe the characteristics of material objects (weapons, cords, protective clothing, scoring equipment) used in fencing. The February 2004 edition recently replaced the September 2000 edition, but the changes did not have fundamental effects.

Publicity code ("le code de la publicité")

Publicity code ("le code de la publicité") -- corresponds to the supplement ("suppliment" as appears therein) in the USFA rulebook titled "Fencers’ Publicity Code", composed of rules with numeric designations, which describe how much and in what way the body and equipment of a fencer may bear advertising or other such marks, and to what extent a fencer may be involved in an endorsement contract. The February 2004 edition recently replaced the May 2002 edition, primarily incorporating the requirement for national colors on the arm or leg.

Copyright © 2003-2004 Matthew T. Delevoryas