Sydney, 21 September 2000. Fencing. Sabre. Mihail Claudiu Covaliu (ROM), 1st, Wiradech Kothny (GER), 3rd. Credit: Getty Images/Doug Pensinger

Take the romantic, swashbuckling epics of Errol Flynn, add some rules, protective clothing and an electronic scoring system, and you have fencing at the Olympic Games. Two rivals stand opposite each other and feint, lunge, parry and riposte until one scores the required number of hits to win.

Evolved from the ancient form of combat, fencing is one of only four sports that has been featured at every modern Olympic Games. It was the first to include recognised professionals in a medals competition after modern Olympic Games founder Pierre de Coubertin arranged special events for professional fencing "masters" in the original 1896 and 1900 competitions.

The clothing has become so protective, though, that officials modified masks a few years ago to return a "human face" to the event. Fine, but for intense reality, the 1924 team foil competition still wins: After the Olympic Games, an Italian and a Hungarian settled a scoring controversy with a real duel.

Discipline's origin

Fencing began as a form of combat and is known to have been practised well before the birth of Christ. Relief carvings in the temple of Madinet-Habu near Luxor, Egypt, dating from approximately 1190 BC depict fencers competing. Many other ancient civilisations, including China, Japan, Persia, Babylonia and Greece, practised swordplay as training for combat.

As a sport, fencing began in either the 14th or 15th century and both Italy and Germany lay claim to the origins of the sport. German fencing masters organised the first guilds in the 15th century, notably the Marxbruder of Frankfurt in 1480. In 1570 Henri Saint-Didier of France gave names to fencing's major movements and most of that nomenclature remains. From the 16th to the 18th century, sword fights and duels were common. Combatants in these duels used a variety of weapons, including singlesticks, quarterstaffs, and backswords, and the bouts were often bloody and occasionally fatal.

Three innovations in the 17th century led to the popularity of fencing as a sport. The first was the development of a light practice weapon with a flattened or "foiled" tip that was also padded to reduce the risk of injury. This weapon was soon called the foil. Second was the development of a set of rules that limited the target to certain areas of the body. The final innovation was the quadrille wire-mesh mask which protected the face and made fencing a safe activity.

Olympic history

Fencing was one of the few sports that admitted professionals prior to the 1980s. In fact, the original Olympic rules, written by Baron Pierre de Coubertin (founder and second President of the International Olympic Committee), specifically stated that fencing professionals, called masters, could compete. Events for masters at the Olympics were held in the foil in 1896 and 1900. Masters also competed in épée and sabre events at both the Olympics in 1900 and the Intercalary Olympic Games in 1906.

Fencing was first contested during the 1896 Olympics and is one of the few sports to have been contested at every Olympic Games. Women's fencing first appeared in the Olympics in 1924. Today, men compete in both team and individual events at the Olympics using three types of swords - the foil, the épée and the sabre. Women compete in both team and individual events at the Olympics using the foil and épée. Women's épée events were first added to the Olympic programme during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Rules

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