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-sex | 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 |
| Also known as | Épée fencing, foil fencing, sabre fencing |
|---|---|
| Focus | Weaponry |
| Hardness | Semi-contact |
| Olympic sport | Present since inaugural 1896 Olympics |
| Official website | fie |
Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: foil, épée, and sabre (also spelled saber), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fencers specialise in one of these disciplines. The modern sport gained prominence near the end of the 19th century, evolving from historical European swordsmanship. The Italian school altered the historical European martial art of classical fencing, and the French school later refined that system. Scoring points in a fencing competition is done by making contact with the opponent with one's sword.
The 1904 Olympic Games featured a fourth discipline of fencing known as singlestick, but it was dropped after that year and is not a part of modern fencing. Competitive fencing was one of the first sports to be featured in the Olympics and, along with athletics, cycling, swimming, and gymnastics, has been featured in every modern Olympics.