Olympic Fencing Review: Foil Rules and Regulations

This foil is one of the three disciplines of Olympic fencing, along with sabre and épée. It is a discipline characterized by specific rules that determine how and when a point is awarded. Here is an overview of the main rules of foil fencing.

Competition equipment

Foil:a light weapon with a flexible blade and a blunt tip. Edge:usually made of steel, with a maximum length of 110 cm. Libra:the weapon weighs about 500 grams.

Target Area

An important goal:In foil fencing, the permitted target is the opponent’s torso, including the front and back of the torso, but excluding the arms, legs and head. Invalid target:Hitting anything other than a valid target does not result in a point being awarded.

Scoring Method

Push: In foil fencing, only thrusting attacks are important. Cutting attacks, typical of sabre fencing, are not taken into account. Correct hit:A hit is only considered valid if the tip of the foil touches a valid target with sufficient force (usually around 500 grams of pressure).

Who understands the heart of the matter

One of the defining characteristics of foil fencing is the “priority” or “convention”, a set of rules that determine who scores a point in the event of simultaneous hits:

Attack: Initial offensive action aimed at hitting the opponent. The attack takes precedence over the counterattack.

Riposte: counterattack after parrying the opponent’s attack. Riposte only takes priority if the initial attack was successfully parried.

Evaporate:defense intended to repel an enemy attack.

Renewal:second attack immediately after parrying.

Sequence of actions

Attack:if a fencer attacks and hits a valid target without being parried, he scores a point.

Parry and retort:if the fencer parries the attack and hits the correct target, he scores a point.

Simultaneous attack:If both fencers attack simultaneously and hit a valid target, the point is awarded to the one who initiated the attack first, unless the other fencer parries and responds.

Points assignment

The electronic scoring system helps determine when a hit is good:

Electric jacket:a conductive cover worn under the uniform that covers a valuable target and signals the scoring system when touched.

Light signal: When the tip of the foil touches the electrical shield on a valid target, a colored light (green or red) lights up. If the hit is off the valid target, a white light lights up.

The judge’s ruling

The judge plays a key role in awarding points, especially when assessing performance in accordance with the convention:

Action Analysis:the judge analyzes the sequence of actions to determine who has priority.

Video Help:if in doubt, the referee can use video assistance to analyse the action and make the correct decision.

Match and score

Duration:A foil match lasts three periods of three minutes each, with a one-minute break between each period.

Steering:The match ends when a fencer reaches 15 points or when total time expires. In the event of a tie at the end of time, the extra minute is played in a “sudden death” fashion (the first to score wins).