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03-general.md

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General rules

The Process of the Bouts

  1. Each bout is performed for a set amount of time or until a set amount of hits. This is achieved through a series of separate, independent assaults.

  2. The competitors present themselves in the arena when called by the referee before each pool or direct elimination bout, in appropriate gear conforming to the rules and be ready to fence.

  3. An additional equipment check will be performed by the referee directly before each round to confirm completeness of safety gear and weapons. The Referee has the right to repeat this check any time they find it necessary. Fencers who appear in the arena wearing or using unapproved or incomplete equipment will be penalised according to the Rulebook's regulations, and will not be allowed to start or continue competing without having the item(s) approved or replaced with approved ones (see the Equipment Standards).

  4. Each fencer is allowed one coach/second who is allowed to be near the arena during bouts. This person may speak to their fencer during breaks but may not disturb the bout with verbal or physical gestures. Generally, it is the fencer who should address the referee for help, clarification or appeals, the seconds should not interfere with the bout in any other way than advising their fencers during breaks.

  5. The competitors called first place themselves to the right of the referee behind the on guard line.

  6. Pool bouts last 3 minutes of effective fencing time; or until one of the fencers reaches 5 points. Direct Elimination bouts last 2 * 3 minutes of effective fencing time, with one minute resting period after the first 3 minutes period; or until one of the fencers reaches 7 points. The 'End of Time' is going to be announced by a Timekeeper, but the match can be stopped only by the referee.

  7. Before the beginning of each bout, the two fencers called on the arena salute to their opponent, and the referee. Competitors come on guard when the referee gives the order ‘On guard!’, after which the referee asks, ‘Are you ready?’. On the affirmative, or in the absence of a negative reply, the command will be given for fencing to commence with the word ‘Fence!’.

  8. The assault stops when the Referee commands ‘Halt!/Stop!’. The most common reasons for stopping a bout:

    1. a valid hit has been made
    2. an invalid hit has been made, which may complicate the evaluation of any further actions
    3. a fencer has left the arena with both feet
    4. end of time
    5. dangerous or confused fencing
    6. equipment failure
    7. injury
    8. a fencer has requested to break the assault

  9. Fencers may ask for a break by signaling with their arm raised. This may be done due to any reason that proves to be valid (e.g. equipment failure, injury). However, the assault stops only when the Referee gives the command to stop.

  10. No actions that have started before the command to start or after the command to stop may be counted as valid. Starting any action before the command to start and initiating an action after the command to stop belong to the first group of offences.

  11. Invalid hits may be disregarded at the Referee's discretion as if never happened, when the Referee is able to clearly follow the assault.

  12. However, if when the Referee stops the bout, a hit that the referee believed invalid and ignored before the conclusion of the last assault proves to have been valid, the Referee shall, if possible, make a decision in relation to the actual first hit, even if this results in the annulment of other valid hits that happened afterwards.

  13. When a competitor crosses one of the boundaries of the arena with both feet completely off the arena, the Referee must immediately stop the assault.

  14. If the fencer goes off the arena with both feet, the Referee must annul everything that has occurred after the boundary has been crossed.

  15. A hit scored by the fencer who leaves the arena with one foot only is valid provided that the action was started before the bout was stopped, even if the fencer leaves the arena afterwards.

  16. Should a competitor cross the boundary of the arena completely — i.e. with both feet — without having scored any valid hits before crossing the limit of the arena

    1. upon the first occasion within a bout, the fencer receives a verbal warning
    2. upon each subsequent cases within the bout, a hit will be scored against him (as if they had been hit).

  17. A competitor who involuntarily crosses one of the boundaries of the arena as the result of any accidental cause (such as jostling/being pushed out by the opponent) incurs no penalty.

  18. After each valid hit and in case the bout is stopped for other reasons (confused fencing, malfunction, unsuccessful grappling, etc.) the bout continues from the 'On guard' position, at the starting line.

  19. When available, fencers have the right to appeal for video review once during bout. If the video review alters the referee's verdict in their favour, they retain the right to appeal for video review during that bout.

  20. In case the points of the fencers are equal at the time limit, an additional minute of time is given, during which the first valid hit wins the bout. Additionally, before overtime starts, the referee flips a coin and randomly assigns one of the two fencers with priority. If the sudden death overtime runs out with neither fencer scoring, the fencer with priority wins the bout. This randomly assigned priority has no effect on the judgment of actions during the overtime.

  21. At the end of the bout the referee will announce the winner and the final score. The opponents shall salute to the referees and the opponent and shake hands with the opponent (Refusal to observe this rule by one or both of the opponents belongs to the third group of offences).

  22. After the pool round and each direct elimination bout, the fencers shall check and sign the result sheet filled in by the referee during the bout, before leaving the arena.

  23. For an equipment failure which occurs in the course of a bout, the referee may allow a break in the fight lasting up to 3 minutes (measured from the point when the failure has been acknowledged by the referee). This time interval can be used to mend or replace, and check the equipment in question. If a fencer is not able to continue fencing before or at the end of the break, the referee has the authority to disqualify the fencer from that bout.

  24. For an injury or cramp which occurs in the course of a bout the referee may allow a break in the fight lasting up to 10 minutes (measured from the point when the qualified staff give their opinion). This time interval is reserved for the treatment of the injury or cramp which brought it about. No further interruption can be allowed in the same bout for the same injury. If the professional attendant deems the fencer unsafe/incapable to fence before or at the end of the 10-minute break, they have the authority to withdraw the fencer from the bout, or the competition.

  25. In case the fencer forfeits one bout due to an equipment malfunction or injury, during the pool phase, the other contestant is declared as winning, but the score is not annulled (it is possible to win a bout while having less points than the opponent, in this case). In the direct elimination phase, the other contestant is declared as winning, and the fencer does not lose their place in the overall classification of the competition.

  26. Only one bout can be forfeited in the pool, should the fencer be unable to fence through a bout a second time, they must withdraw from the competition. (They may still participate in other competitions/weapons in the tournament)

  27. In case the fencer is withdrawn from the competition during the pool bouts, their results shall be scratched, and their opponents shall be declared as winning V0-D0 in each of their past or future pool bouts, regardless of the previously achieved results. The withdrawn fencer does not participate in the calculation of ranking for the direct elimination table.

  28. If the fencer withdraws from the competition during the last pool bout, the score shall be recorded as if they had forfeited only one pool bout (see previous paragraph), but they will not be included in the calculation if ranking for the direct elimination table.

  29. If the fencer withdraws during the direct elimination phase, the opponent is declared as winning, and the fencer does not lose their place in the overall classification of the competition.

The methods of scoring hits

  1. Fencing time is the time required to perform one simple fencing action. In judging hits, referees will count immediate actions that start up to the moment of the first hit, as relevant actions.

  2. When only one of the fencers receives a hit within one period of fencing time, the fencer who was hit is called one point against.

  3. In case both fencers hit within one period of fencing time, three different tactical situations are defined in the rules.

    1. A simultaneous hit is the result of a similar conception and execution of both fencers at the same time. In these cases, both fencers are called a point against.

    2. A double hit occurs when both fencers get hit within a period of fencing time, but are not simultaneous actions, are evaluated according to the rules or each specific weapon.

    3. An after-action is a double hit situation, where the fencer at fault starts a counter action (or the finishing move of a compound action) at or after the moment of receiving a hit. After-actions do not score, and do not nullify the hit received.

  4. Hits can be made using the weapon in the following ways:

    1. Cut - carried out with the edge or the flat of the blade on any valid target. A cut must be performed with a visually distinctive trajectory (preparation more than 45 degrees) and must correspond with an action that would probably cause the target area to be wounded, e.g. hitting head with the flat surface of the sword also counts
    2. Thrust - carried out with the point of the weapon on any valid target. A valid thrust must be performed in such a way that it would be visually distinctive, e.g. the blade will be bent at the end of the action and the point will traverse at least 20cm.
    3. Slice - carried out with the edge of the weapon on any valid target. A slice must be a movement which is defined by pushing or pulling of the blade against the valid area in a visually distinctive way.
    4. Strike - using the pommel of the weapon against the opponent’s facial part of mask.
    5. The referee may call an action as a valid hit, when a weapon action results in a passively constraining position for the opponent, for a considerable time during which the opponent is unable to break free. This may be the result of of grappling, locks involving the weapon, or opposing actions that restrain the opponent’s weapon movement for a considerable time, until the referee finds all criteria of dominance met, and calls “Halt!”. Hits received while this dominant position is upheld are not considered valid. However, dominance can not be applied to situations, when the opponent can practically break free and initiate valid actions, even if by some active measures, the weapon contact is not completely broken. It is up to the referee’s discretion to judge the validity of dominance actions.

Close quarter combat

Close quarter combat and grappling are allowed with the following regulations:

  1. The Referee may call 'Halt!' after an unsuccessful period of grappling.

  2. Grappling on the opponent's blade is allowed, if the blade is controlled. Seizing of the blade needs to be momentary, and followed by an immediate 'clean' hit to score a point. If the competitor can not achieve a hit consequently to seizing the blade, the Referee will call 'Halt!' and award no points. Failing to control the blade will be counted as a point against the competitor who attempted to enter grappling.

  3. Grappling actions that score a point are:

    1. take-downs and throws followed/accompanied by a simple and immediate hit with the weapon (within a period of fencing time)
    2. controlling the opponent via grappling with or without the weapon, until the Referee calls 'Halt!'

  4. Ground action is not allowed, the Referee shall call “Halt!” when one of the fencers falls to the ground, or whenever the referee is unable to judge the action any more, or when a reasonable time has passed for dominance to apply.

  5. Disarming is allowed and scores a point, unless the disarmed fencer immediately (before the referee calls 'Halt!') controls the opponent's weapon and enters grappling.

  6. If a fencer accidentally drops the weapon, or falls without the opponent's interaction, the Referee shall call 'Halt!'. A hit that started before the fencer obviously lost the weapon should be counted as valid even if it arrives afterwards, but in the spirit of sportsmanship, no intentional new attack should be initiated if the opponent has fallen or lost the weapon.

Forbidden actions

  1. Neck-wrenching, lifting the opponent off the ground, full application of joint locks, small-joint manipulation, or other potentially dangerous wrestling techniques, punching, kicking, violent jostling, and throwing the weapon are strictly forbidden.

  2. Excessive force, brutality or unnecessary violence are forbidden.

  3. Hitting the back of the head the spine, the back of the knee or the foot is forbidden.

  4. Turning the head or covering a valid target with a non-valid one belongs to the first group of offences.

  5. Hitting the arena floor with any weapon due to bad measure in an action will be penalised according to the first group of offences (cases resulting from the opponent’s interactions, accidental touches, and touching the floor after having hit the opponent, may be disregarded by the Referee).

  6. It is forbidden to hit with the cross-guard; and in all circumstances, to hit the back of the head, spine and back of the knee, and the foot of the opponent and will be penalised.