Resources & Protocols for Officials

Referees' Commission Policies

• USA Fencing Officials’ Contract (2022-2023 season)
• Harassment Policy
• Code of Ethics (updated for 2022-23)
• Referee Workplace Code of Conduct (updated for 2022-23) 
• Referee Commission Complaint and Hearing Procedures (Updated for 2024-25)

Update for 2022-23 Season

The following email was sent to referees on July 29, 2022:

Hi [first name],

We hope you’re enjoying your summer and taking some time to recharge your batteries ahead of what is shaping up to be another incredible fencing season.

On that note, we’re reaching out to share that the Referees’ Commission has some new policies to announce for the 2022-23 season. You can find them (and other key forms) outlined on this page and below. Please review the policies carefully.

You’re also invited to a Zoom meeting to discuss these changes, learn more about the rationale behind them and ask any questions you might have. 

The meeting is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Aug. 1. Find Zoom details at the end of this email.

Below you’ll read about:

1. Referee Ratings System Change
2. Minor Hiring Policy
3. Referee Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics
4. Referee Travel Policy
5. Zoom Meeting to Discuss Changes

1. Referee Ratings System Change

The Referees’ Commission has realigned referee ratings to match requirements for local, regional and national events. Moving away from the current ratings of P for having passed exams in a particular weapon, and the 10 – 1 scale — with the lower number representing the higher level of the referee — the new rating scale is:

• P – Passed the appropriate exams for that weapon
• L2 – Beginning referee working at local level events
• L1 – Referee with demonstrated competency to work higher level local events
• R2 – Referee with demonstrated competency to work at regional level events
• R1 – Referee with demonstrated competency to work higher levels at regional events
• N2 – Referee with demonstrated competency to work national Level events
• N1 – Referee with demonstrated competency to work highest level national events

Note: R1 rated referees are eligible for selection to referee at national events, depending on tournament needs.

N2 and N1 ratings will be awarded during the annual Referees’ Commission meeting.

Changes to the referee ratings system also impact eligibility criteria for Certified Referee Observers (CROs) and Certified Referee Instructors (CRIs). Under the revised system, a CRO must either be a multi-weapon referee with an N2 (or higher) in two weapons or an N1 in a single weapon and must have a minimum of an R1 in any weapon in which they are conducting referee observations. CROs may award referee ratings to an R1 level; however, must hold a rating at least one level above the rating that they are awarding in each weapon. Under the revised system, a CRI must be a multi-weapon referee with an N1 in at least two weapons and must have a minimum of an R1 in any weapon in which they are conducting referee observations. CRIs may award referee ratings to an R1 level; however, must hold a rating at least one level above the rating that they are awarding in each weapon. Additionally, CRIs may make recommendations to Domestic Assignments for R1-rated referees to begin working at national events. CRIs may also provide feedback to the Referees’ Commission nominating referees for consideration for promotion to N2. Other eligibility criteria and responsibilities for CROs and CRIs remain unchanged.

Regional event bid packages will require an N2 head referee.

There will be an automatic decay of referee ratings. If a referee has not worked to their level over the course of four full seasons, their rating will reduce by one level. (i.e., an N2 becomes an R1 if over the course of four full seasons from the awarding of the N2 rating the referee does not renew that rating) Ratings of R2, L1 and L2 will not decay. A rating of a P is good for one full season at the end of which, if the potential referee has not been observed and awarded at least an L2 rating, the individual will have to start over again with the seminar and exam process.

Notes:

1. Please be patient while we update our website, bid packets and referee availability form with this new information. 
2. The RC will review current referees and convert their ratings to the new ratings system before the season begins.

2. Minor Hiring Policy

The Referees’ Commission has adopted a new minor hiring policy:

Minor referees will no longer be hired for national events. Keeping in line with USOPC and U.S. Center for SafeSport guidelines in conjunction with logistic challenges, no referee will be hired for national events who is not at least 18 years of age and fully SafeSport and background check compliant as of the first date of competition for the respective tournament. This requirement applies to full-time, part-time and walk-on referees.

Referees at regional events must be at least 13 years of age on the date of the event.

This new age requirement policy does not apply to local events, and there is no age requirement to attend referee certification seminars necessary to become a certified referee.

Minimum age to referee by tournament level

3. Referee Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics

The Referees’ Commission has adopted a new Referee Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics for the 2022-2023 season and beyond.

The following links are to the new Referee Code of Conduct and updated Referee Code of Ethics:

• Referee Workplace Code of Conduct
• Referee Code of Ethics

4. Referee Travel Policy

For the 2022-23 national events season, USA Fencing will be partnering again with Cain Travel on our flight bookings for all tournament officials. Whenever possible, officials should book their flight tickets with Cain Travel. If you are hired for an event and have not created a profile with Cain in order to book and manage your reservations, please email nationalevents@usafencing.org to receive information on how to set up your profile.

If an official is not able to book their flight to a national tournament with Cain Travel for any reason, they MUST contact the National Office for approval to book their ticket on their own BEFORE purchasing. 

To receive approval to book your flight, please email nationalevents@usafencing.org and include a copy of the itinerary and price for the ticket you wish to book. If an official books a ticket for a flight without first receiving approval from the National Office, the flight will NOT be eligible for reimbursement after the event — no exceptions. 

Sincerely,

USA Fencing and the Referees’ Commission

USA Fencing Tournament Officials Support Policy

Posted April 2024

USA Fencing referees, tournament officials, tournament staff and others acting in a representative role of USA Fencing are entitled to a harassment-free environment.In the event that an official receives any undue conduct inclusive of harassment, they are encouraged to report that immediately to USA Fencing using the FenceSafe reporting form available at  https://www.usafencing.org/fencesafe-report.In the event that an official, acting reasonably within their role as a USA Fencing representative, receives a legal threat, they are asked to pass this to USA Fencing, which will support the individual with defense resources. Officials are asked to immediately contact our Athlete Safety & Compliance Manager, Christina Pachuta, by email —(c.pachuta@usafencing.org) with a copy to the CEO Phil Andrews (p.andrews@usafencing.org).

This form is to provide a mechanism for reporting grievances and complaints that arise under any of the policies adopted by the Referees' Commission. 

File a report.

Review the Referee Commission Complaint and Hearing Procedures

Two rules provide additional context for this discussion. t.96 appears in the section of the technical rules specific to sabre conventions and is titled “method of making a touch.” t.121 is in the general section of disciplinary rules for competitions and is titled “fencing etiquette.” The text below is from the current USA Fencing Rules (January 2023). Other than Americanization of terms, the current FIE Rules (December 2024) are nearly identical, with the addition of language in t.96.3 specifying violations of the rule should be penalized as an offense of the first group.

t.96.3

It is forbidden to score a touch with the guard. Any touches registered by hitting with the guard must be annulled, the fencer at fault being penalized as specified in Articles t.158-162, t.165, t.170.

t.121.2

All bouts must preserve the character of a courteous and frank encounter.  All irregular actions (flèche attack which finishes with a collision jostling the opponent, disorderly fencing, irregular movements on the strip, touches achieved with violence, blows struck with the guard, an intentional fall down to avoid the touch) or anti-sporting behavior are strictly forbidden (cf. t.158-162, t.170). Should such an offense occur, any touch scored by the fencer at fault is annulled.

While the infraction group is not explicitly listed in these rules, each cross-references t.170, which is the rule that provides the penalty chart table. In t.170, t.96.3 appears in the section for infractions of the 1^st group (yellow card on first offense within the group, and red cards thereafter, with the warning represented by the yellow card valid for the current bout), while t.121.2 appears in the section for infractions of the 2^nd group (red card on the first and subsequent offenses). Each is marked with a notation calling for annulment of any touch scored by the fencer at fault.

1. Q: Didn’t the FIE recently change t.96.3?

A: Yes, twice. At the 2023 FIE Congress, the FIE modified a number of rules to explicitly indicate which penalty group is associated with an infraction. As part of this, language was added to t.96.3 indicating infractions should be penalized as an offense of the 2nd group. The group listed was an error and no equivalent change was made to t.170, where the infraction remained listed in the 1st group. At the 2024 FIE Congress, t.96.3 was updated again to correct this error and indicate infractions should be penalized as an offence in the 1st group.

2. Q: This note specifies it applies to sabre competitions. I referee foil and/or epee. Should I change how I referee?

A: The guidance from the FIE has been specifically to sabre referees and t.96 is a rule in the sabre-specific part of the technical rules. The scenario at the core of the guidance – incidental contact between a bell guard and mask – is relatively common in sabre and relatively rare in the other two weapons. This note is intended to guide refereeing practice in USA Fencing domestic sabre competitions and not foil or epee competitions.

3. Q: What about red cards for a blow with the bell guard?

A: t.121.2, which is applicable to all weapons, prohibits “blows struck with the guard.” Infractions of this rule are penalized in the 2nd group (red card on each instance). The key interpretation here hinges on the definition of a “blow.” Current convention is that a “blow” with the bell guard implies a fairly high degree of force involved.

Severe contact (a “blow”) with the bell guard should be penalized as a 2nd group penalty. This is a rare situation that typically involves either deliberate intent or substantial lack of control over one’s actions. This level of lack of control is much more common at lower competitive levels where athletes may have incompletely developed technique and distance control. This rule should only be invoked if the referee believes something dangerous or violent has occurred as part of the fencing action.

4. Q: The note specifies follow through to the mask. What about other parts of the body?

A: The guidance the FIE has been providing to referees has specifically focused on follow through where the bell guard makes contact with the opponent’s mask. Equivalent actions where there is light, incidental contact with other parts of the opponent (e.g., shoulder, arm, or torso) are not typically penalized.

5. Q: What if the opponent causes the contact? That is, if after a correctly executed attack, the opponent collapses distance and initiates contact between their mask and the bell guard?

A: This is a judgment call for the referee, looking at which fencer is “at fault” or has caused the situation to occur. A fencer should be penalized for inadequate technique or care, such that their bell guard makes contact with their opponent’s mask; however, a fencer should not be penalized if the contact is primarily the result of their opponent's action.

6. Q: What if the action isn’t a follow through but the bell guard is the part of the weapon that makes the initial contact?

A: In sabre, the bell guard is electrically indistinguishable from the rest of the weapon (i.e., the blade). Therefore, if the bell guard makes contact with the opponent’s lamé, the scoring machine will treat it the same as if the blade had made contact (i.e., a cut has arrived). While this is a rare situation, it is possible and does happen. In this case, the fencer whose bell guard has scored a touch has violated t.96.3 and should be penalized accordingly (1st group). This is true regardless of what portion of the valid target has been scored upon (i.e., any of mask, electrical jacket, or glove cuff).

7. Q: Why are there differences between the FIE Rules and the USA Fencing Rules?

A: USA Fencing maintains a distinct rulebook covering domestic competitions to incorporate US terminology and spelling conventions and to retain the flexibility to modify rules designed for international competitions to better suit the needs of USA Fencing domestic competitions and athletes. Most USA Fencing rules mirror the equivalent FIE rules, however there are inevitable delays in incorporating changes made by the FIE into the USA Fencing Rules. Referees in USA Fencing domestic competitions should use the USA Fencing Rules when there are differences.

In the scenarios described in this note, there are no meaningful differences in the rules between the FIE and USA Fencing. This note is intended to better align interpretation and implementation of the rules between international and domestic competition.