Fencing

Fencing

Final of the Challenge Réseau Ferré de France–Trophée Monal 2012, épée world cup tournament in Paris.
Highest governing body	FIE
First played	Between the 17th and 19th centuries Europe
Characteristics
Contact	Semi-contact
Team members	Singles or Team Relay
Mixed gender	Yes, separate
Type	indoor
Equipment	Épée, Foil, Sabre, Body cord, Lamé, Grip
Venue	Piste
Glossary	Glossary of fencing
Presence
Country or region	Worldwide
Olympic	Part of Summer Olympic programme since 1896
Paralympic	part of Summer Paralympic programme since 1960

Fencing

Also known as	Épée Fencing, Foil Fencing, Sabre Fencing
Focus	Weaponry
Hardness	Semi-Contact
Olympic sport	Present since inaugural 1896 Olympics
Official website	www.fie.ch www.fie.org

Fencing^[1] is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also saber); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, singlestick, appeared in the 1904 Olympics but was dropped after that, and is not a part of modern fencing. Fencing was one of the first sports to be played in the Olympics. Based on the traditional skills of swordsmanship, the modern sport arose at the end of the 19th century, with the Italian school having modified the historical European martial art of classical fencing, and the French school later refining the Italian system. There are three forms of modern fencing, each of which uses a different kind of weapon and has different rules; thus the sport itself is divided into three competitive scenes: foil, épée, and sabre. Most competitive fencers choose to specialize in one weapon only.

Competitive fencing is one of the five activities which have been featured in every modern Olympic Games, the other four being athletics, cycling, swimming, and gymnastics.