HISTORICAL NOTE

The technical rules of the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime were unanimously adopted by the International Congress of National Olympic Committees held at Paris in June 1914 for use in all events at the Olympic Games. They were first codified in 1914 by the Marquis de Chasseloup-Laubat and Monsieur Paul Anspach and issued in 1919 with the title of 'Rules for Competitions'.

They were modified by various FIE Congresses and were revised after the 1931 Congress and again after the 1954 Congress when they were renamed 'Technical Rules'. They were revised and modernised after the 1958 Congress and renamed 'Rules for Competitions'.

The amendments made by the Congresses held between 1964 and 1972 were incorporated in the new updated edition published in 1972. The amendments made by the Congresses held between 1973 and 1983 inclusive were incorporated in the new French updated edition published in 1983. Subsequent amendments were included in a restructured edition published in 1997.

FOIL

The Rules for Foil were adopted on 12 June 1914 by the Committee for Foil of the FIE at a meeting in Paris under the presidency of General G. Ettore, representing the Italian Fencing Federation, who edited the proposed rules.

They were basically the same as those drawn up by Monsieur Camille Prévost, President of the Académie d'Armes and President of the Technical Committee for Foil of the French National Federation. They also conformed to the rules drawn up by the Marquis de Chasseloup- Laubat for 'Les Armes de France', to the various earlier international regulations drawn up by the different countries affiliated to the FIE, and to the Franco-Italian rules.

The rules governing foil competitions judged with the electrical judging apparatus were adopted in 1957 and modified by various later Congresses up to the present date.

EPEE

The Rules for Epée drawn up in 1914 set down in detail and completed all the various épée rules which existed prior to the foundation of the FIE and which had been adopted since 1892 both in France and elsewhere, notably by:

— The Permanent Committee of la Société d'Escrime à l'Epée de Paris; l'Académie d'Epée; la Société d'Entraînement à l'Escrime et au Pistolet; and les Armes de France — The 1905 International Committee, subject to the laws of each country with regard to duelling — L'Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sport Athlétiques (USFSA) — Le Comité National des Sports de France — The French Olympic Committee — The Organising Committees for the Tournaments held at Nice, on the Riviera, at Ostend, etc.

The rules governing épée competitions judged with the electrical judging apparatus were adopted in 1936 and subsequently modified by various later Congresses up to the present date.

The Congress of 1984 approved the introduction of Ladies' Epée; the Congress of 1987 decided that World Championships for Ladies' Epée should be organised from 1989 onwards.

SABRE

The FIE Sabre Rules include the essential portions of the rules which were adopted at the Olympic Games in London in 1908 and in Stockholm in 1912.

They also conform to the basic principles of the Ostend rules and of the Hungarian rules and were adopted on 12 June 1914 by the Committee for Sabre of the FIE assembled in Paris under the chairmanship of Dr Bela Nagy, President of the Hungarian Fencing Federation, who edited the proposed rules.

The rules governing sabre events fenced with an electrical apparatus were adopted in 1988.

(BOCOG)