In a Sabre bout, Fencer X performs a fleche-like attack where the rear foot completely passes the front foot, and scores a hit. Fencer Y also scores a hit in the same tempo. What is the Referee's correct decision?
Consider the specific sabre convention regarding 'crossover' footwork and its impact on the validity of the offender's score.
This ignores the specific prohibition in sabre against the crossover step during an attack, which necessitates hit annulment for the attacker.
Forward movement with the rear foot passing the front foot in sabre is specifically a Group 1 offence, not Group 2, and the opponent's correctly executed hit should not be annulled.
According to article t.101.5, any forward movement in which the rear foot passes the front foot is forbidden in sabre, resulting in a Group 1 penalty and the annulment of any hit scored by the offender, while the opponent's hit remains valid.
FIE rules for sabre strictly state that any hit scored by a fencer committing the 'rear foot passing front foot' violation must be annulled.
Question 2/ 26
During a Foil bout, Fencer X is hit on the valid target. However, Fencer X was in an abnormal position and had substituted their head (non-valid target) for part of the torso. What should the Referee decide regarding the hit?
Look for the rule regarding the 'substitution' of target areas in conventional weapons.
Article t.79.1.c states that hits arriving off the target are counted as valid whenever a fencer has substituted a non-valid surface for a valid one due to an abnormal position.
Fencers are responsible for maintaining the valid target area; deliberately or accidentally substituting it does not transfer the right to score to the offender.
This ignores the rule that penalises the fencer for substituting target areas, which would normally result in the hit being awarded to the opponent.
While covering the target is a penalty, the specific rule for target substitution at foil allows the hit to be counted as if it landed on the valid surface.
Focus on how the rules handle double hits when one signal is caused by an object other than the opponent.
The Referee must investigate the materiality of the hits; a hit on a non-valid surface (like uninsulated ground) cannot be scored even if the lamp lights up.
There is no reason to annul Fencer Y's valid hit simply because Fencer X hit the ground; only the invalid action is discounted.
Article t.93 and t.94.5 specify that hits made on the ground where it is not insulated must be disregarded, and in the case of a double hit where one is valid and the other is not, only the valid hit is scored.
Technical specification m.43 states that depending on the resistance, the apparatus registers a valid hit up to 200 ohms and non-valid hits above this value.
Audible signals are simultaneous with light signals and are not used to indicate circuit resistance levels.
Resistance values relate to the discrimination between valid (conductive) and non-valid surfaces on a single fencer's side, not the timing of hits between two fencers.
Question 5/ 26
At the beginning of the third period of an individual direct elimination bout with the score tied at 14-14, there is one minute of fencing without a hit. What is the correct procedure for the Referee?
Check the specific score-based exceptions for non-combativity sanctions.
P-cards are not awarded at this score, and a bout cannot end on a double penalty hit for non-combativity at match point.
While this is the standard procedure for the first instance of non-combativity, the rules provide a specific exemption for the final point of a bout.
Drawing lots is reserved for the end of the 'last minute' of extra time if the score remains tied, not for instances of non-combativity at 14-14.
Article t.124.3.a explicitly states that no P-card (yellow, red, or black) may be awarded in individual competitions at a score of 14-14.
Question 6/ 26
According to the rules for 'Coming on guard', if a team match consists of a team with two right-handers and one left-hander against a team with one right-hander and two left-handers, which team is placed on the Referee's right?
The rule prioritises the majority of a specific hand orientation within the team.
Tournament seeding determines the match order and priority in some tie-breaks, but not the physical positioning on the piste relative to the Referee.
Individual hand orientation only dictates positioning in a bout between two fencers if a left-hander is called first, not the placement of entire teams.
Article t.22.2 specifies that the team which has the greater number of right-handed fencers should be placed on the Referee's right.
The 'first called' rule only applies if both teams have the same number of right- and left-handed fencers.
Question 7/ 26
A fencer is penalised with a Red Card during a bout for a Second Group offence. Later in the same bout, they commit their first First Group offence. What is the resulting penalty?
Consider how penalties from higher groups affect the 'warning' status of lower group offences.
P-cards are specific to non-combativity and are not cumulative with standard disciplinary cards.
Although it is the first First Group offence, the prior Red Card prevents the fencer from receiving a lower-tier Yellow Card warning.
A Black Card is generally reserved for repeat 3rd group offences or single 4th group offences; a first-time Group 1 offence after a Group 2 offence does not warrant exclusion.
Article t.165 states that if a fencer has already been penalised by a Red Card (even from a 2nd or 3rd group offence), they receive a further Red Card for their first infringement of the First Group.
Question 8/ 26
During the final 10 seconds of a bout, the timer must display the time in specific increments. Which of the following correctly describes the display when the judging apparatus is stopped?
Precision requirements increase when the action is halted near the end of the bout.
The rules do not require thousandth-of-a-second precision for the visible timer.
The technical rules (book m) specify that during the last 10 seconds, the time must be displayed to a tenth of a second when running and to a hundredth when stopped.
Tenths are used while the clock is running; once stopped, higher precision is required.
While the video system uses hundredths, the visual timer on the piste must also show this precision when stopped at the end of a bout.
Question 9/ 26
If a fencer's weapon is found to be equipped with electronic communication equipment allowing them to receive instructions during a bout, what is the immediate penalty?
Identify which group of offences involves fraudulent or technologically assisted 'cheating'.
The mere possession/equipment with such devices is the offence, regardless of proven use during the phrase.
Electronic communication is considered a serious breach of sportsmanship and fairness, bypasses warnings, and results in immediate exclusion.
This is a 4th Group offence, not a 2nd Group offence; the penalty is far more severe than a single penalty hit.
The table of offences (t.170, 4.1) classifies the use of electronic communication equipment as a 4th Group offence, which carries the penalty of a Black Card.
Question 10/ 26
In a Sabre bout, a hit is made 'through the blade'—touching both the opponent's weapon and the valid target at the same time. When is this hit considered valid?
This rule addresses the ambiguity of simultaneous contact with the target and the guard/blade.
While 4\ ms is an electrical specification for the apparatus (m.51.5), the technical rule for the fencer focuses on the clarity of the hit on the target surface.
Sabre allows hits with the point, cutting edge, or back of the blade; the 'through the blade' rule applies regardless of the part of the blade used.
Article t.96.4 explicitly states that hits through the blade are valid whenever they arrive clearly on the target.
A parry must be a distinct defensive action; a hit that simultaneously grazes the blade and lands squarely on the target is not necessarily parried.
Question 11/ 26
During a team match, a fencer is awarded a P-Black card for a third instance of non-combativity when the scores are tied. How is the winner of the match determined?
Identify the tie-breaking factor used specifically for non-combativity 'black cards' when the score is level.
A P-black card ends the match immediately; it does not trigger extra fencing time.
According to t.124.2.c.i, if scores are equal when a P-black card is awarded, the fencer/team with the higher initial seeding (based on FIE ranking) wins.
Lots are drawn for priority in the 'last minute' of extra time, but for P-black cards at equal scores, seeding is the tie-breaker.
Only the team with the lower seeding/score is 'penalised' with the loss; they still receive the corresponding points for their final rank as having lost that match.
Question 12/ 26
What is the consequence for a fencer who refuses to salute their opponent, the referee, and the spectators at the end of a bout?
Etiquette violations like the salute belong to the most severe group of disciplinary offences.
While a Referee might initially remind a fencer, a formal refusal is a 4th Group offence and cannot be settled with a simple warning.
Exclusion from the competition means the fencer loses their individual classification and placement for that event.
The salute is a fundamental requirement of fencing etiquette; its refusal is treated more severely than a standard in-bout technical fault.
Refusal to salute is a 4th Group offence (t.122, t.170), which results in a Black Card, entailing exclusion and a 60-day suspension.
Question 13/ 26
In Foil, if a fencer initiates a compound attack and the opponent makes a stop-hit that arrives before the attacker begins their final movement, who is awarded the hit?
This relates to the 'interval of fencing time' required for a defensive action to gain priority over a preparation.
Foil is a conventional weapon where only one hit is typically awarded based on priority (right of way); double hits result in annulment or a point to the person with priority.
Article t.88 and t.89.5.e state that against a compound attack, a stop-hit is valid if it precedes the conclusion of the attack by an interval of fencing time (i.e., before the final movement).
Priority is lost during a compound attack if the attacker is hit before they have completed the preparation and started the final motion.
If the stop-hit is 'in time' (before the final motion), it gains priority over the continuing attack.
Question 14/ 26
A fencer accidentally crosses the lateral boundary of the piste with one foot while trying to parry an attack. They successfully parry and score an immediate riposte. Is the hit valid?
Check the difference between leaving with one foot versus both feet, and the timing of the offensive action.
Article t.36 states that a fencer who involuntarily crosses a boundary due to accidental causes (like the momentum of play) incurs no penalty.
Total annulment only occurs if both feet leave the piste (with some weapon-specific exceptions for the opponent's hit).
The 'one foot' rule for valid actions started before the halt applies to all three weapons.
Article t.33.3 states that a hit scored by a fencer who leaves the piste with only one foot is valid, provided the action started before the 'Halt!' command.
What is the minimum amount of time a Referee must wait between the first, second, and third calls for a fencer to appear on the piste before they are eliminated?
Think of the standard 'piste call' sequence used to maintain the competition schedule.
This interval is too short to allow a fencer to navigate a large competition hall after being called.
While teams must present themselves 10 minutes before the start time (t.118), the actual sequence of disciplinary calls on the piste follows a one-minute rhythm.
Five minutes is the total rest time allowed for certain injuries or medical breaks, but not the interval for roll-call absences.
Article t.119 and the t.170 table specify three calls at one-minute intervals before elimination.
Question 17/ 26
In a Foil match, a hit is made on the opponent's valid target. The Referee tests the apparatus and finds that a 'non-valid' hit made by the fencer who was just hit is not being registered by the machine. What must the Referee do?
Consider how a 'missing' white light affects the legality of the subsequent action in the phrase.
If the equipment failure is due to a malfunction (not fraudulent alteration), the hit is annulled but no card is given; the fencer simply changes equipment.
Article t.80 states the Referee must annul a hit if a test shows that a 'non-valid' hit made by the fencer against whom the hit was awarded is not registered.
Apparatus failures only result in the annulment of the most recent hit/phrase, not the reset of the entire period.
Failures in the apparatus to register non-valid hits are critical because a non-valid hit would normally stop the phrase and prevent a subsequent valid hit from counting.
Question 18/ 26
A fencer is found to be training or warming up at a competition venue without wearing regulation fencing clothing. Which group of offences does this belong to?
Safety violations outside the bout are often grouped with 'disturbing order'.
Group 2 is generally for in-bout technical errors like hitting with the guard; safety gear violations in the hall are in Group 3.
While it might seem like a minor safety warning, FIE rules categorise it higher to ensure strict safety compliance during training.
The table in t.170 (offence 3.5) specifically lists warming up or training without conforming clothing as a 3rd Group offence.
Group 4 is reserved for the most serious ethical and sporting breaches, such as doping or refusal to salute.
Question 19/ 26
What is the permitted maximum curve (bend) allowed in a Foil blade?
This is a precise measurement related to weapon safety and standardisation.
A 2cm bend is considered excessive and would result in the weapon being rejected during checking (t.71).
The limit is strictly 1cm to prevent the blade from being used in a dangerous or 'flicking' manner that circumvents traditional parries.
This is more restrictive than the official 1cm limit.
According to the theoretical questions for foil, the maximum bend allowed is 1cm, and it must be along the plane of the groove.
Look for the rule regarding 'name and nationality' and the timeline for compliance.
Missing printing is a regulatory issue handled by staged elimination threats, not by adding penalty hits to the current bout's score.
The rules provide a specific grace period for printing; it is not a direct penalty-hit offence at the start of the tournament.
Article t.75.1 allows the fencer until the next stage (e.g., from pools to the table of 64) to get the printing done, provided they wear a jacket that otherwise conforms to the rules.
Elimination for this violation only occurs if the fencer fails to correct it by the start of the next stage of the competition.
Question 21/ 26
During a relay match in a team competition, a P-card (Yellow, Red, or Black) is awarded. What is the rule regarding its transferability?
Consider the scope of 'a match' in team fencing (relays vs. the entire team encounter).
Article t.124.3.a states that P-cards received during one match (9 relays) are valid for that match only and not transferable to the following match.
Like standard cards, P-cards reset between matches to ensure each encounter starts on equal terms.
P-cards accumulate across the entire team match to prevent continuous non-combativity by different team members.
In team matches, the penalty applies to the team as a whole, regardless of which fencer is currently on the piste.
Question 22/ 26
In Sabre, if both fencers hit each other simultaneously and the Referee determines it was a 'simultaneous action' (simultaneous conception and execution of attack), what is the result?
How do conventional weapons handle attacks that happen at the exact same time with equal priority?
The hand position on orthopedic grips is specifically restricted to prevent 'cheating' the reach or angle of the blade.
Article t.21.3 specifies that orthopedic handles must be held with the thumb's upper surface in the same plane as the groove.
The thumb position is strictly regulated to ensure the weapon is used as a thrusting tool and not thrown or manipulated with excessive leverage.
Question 26/ 26
During the last relay of a team match, a hit is scored that brings the score to 44-44. There is then one minute of non-combativity. What is the procedure?
Consider the special score threshold for team matches where non-combativity penalties are suspended.
Extra time and priority (sudden death) are triggered by the expiration of the full 3-minute relay time with an equal score, not by a minute of non-combativity at match point.
Seeding is used to break a P-black tie, but here, the match must continue because P-cards are not even issued at this score.
Like the 14-14 individual rule, the 44-44 team rule prevents a match from being influenced by P-cards at the final point.
Article t.124.3.a states that no P-card (yellow, red, or black) may be awarded in team matches at a score of 44-44.