Fencing Referee General Test UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
What are the uniform format requirements? - CORRECT ANSWER The letters must be in
dark blue, in capitals, between 8 cm and 10 cm high, and between 1 cm and 1.5 cm wide,
according to the length of the name.
The protective plastron must be checked every: - CORRECT ANSWER Pool, team match
and direct elimination bout.
What action should a Referee take if a fencer reports to the strip with a jacket that has a torn
sleeve? - CORRECT ANSWER Safety is of the utmost importance and under no
circumstances should Fencer X be allowed to fence a competition with a jacket that has
tears/holes. Clothing/equipment non-conforming to the rules is an offense of the 1st group and
should be penalized with a Yellow Card. Practically speaking, give them a time limit. The rule
says "reasonable amount of time." However, some people might think that means a half hour.
That would cause considerable delay to the tournament - enforce the rule but have common
sense. If you want to alter the order of pool bouts, you must ask Bout Committee permission.
A fencer in a Y-12 women's sabre competition presents to the strip without chest protection and
without a plastron. What should the referee do? - CORRECT ANSWER This fencer has
committed two individual offenses of the first group for equipment not conforming to the rules,
one for the missing plastron and another for the missing chest protector as this is a women's
event. For the first of these offenses the fencer receives a Yellow Card and for the second she
receives a Red Card. The fencer should then be allowed a reasonable amount of time to find
conforming equipment. It is important to enforce this rule for the safety of all fencers.
A fencer at a national event reports to the strip without their last name on the back of their
uniform between the shoulders. What is the correct outcome? - CORRECT ANSWER The
absence of a fencer's name on the uniform is a second group offense punished with a Group 2
Red Card at the start of each bout in which the fencer reports without an appropriate uniform. In
the case of USA Fencing events, the name may also be on the leg, so in this particular case the
referee should ensure that the fencer's name is not present on the rear leg of the knickers before
applying a 2nd group Red Card.
, Fencer comes to the strip and the mask's tongue/spring does not touch the back of the fencer's
head and the elastic strap does not lay next to the lower back of the head. What does the referee
do? - CORRECT ANSWER The referee must ensure that the mask is safe for use, even if
there is an inspection mark on it. The rule states that the strap must be positioned low enough
across the rear of the cervical region that the position of the strap on the head ensures the mask
cannot slide off. The band must be in a solid material: when stretched the material should not
sustain permanent plastic deformation and should quickly return to its original shape and size.
Before the start of the bout and with no other penalties given, the Referee notices that there is no
safety strap on the back of the mask of Fencer X. What does the referee do? - CORRECT
ANSWER All masks must have lateral straps as specified in the rules. In this case, Fencer
X has committed an offense of a 1st group by presenting with non-conforming equipment and a
Yellow Card should be issued. If Fencer X cannot affix a horizontal strap to the mask, then the
mask should be confiscated and Fencer X should be required to find another mask.
A fencer with one foot off of the SIDE of the strip is a: - CORRECT ANSWER "Halt."
If a fencer has one foot off the side of the strip, that fencer loses: - CORRECT
ANSWER One meter during their next attack.
If a fencer has one foot off the side of the strip while deep in the warning zone, what will
happen? - CORRECT ANSWER A point is awarded to their opponent and both move back
to en garde position.
If a fencer has one foot off, can they still earn a touch? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes if the
action is started before the ref calls "halt."
If BOTH of a fencer's feet are off of the strip, that fencer loses: - CORRECT
ANSWER One meter during their next attack.
If Fencer X lands a touch on Fencer Y while both of X's feet are off the rear limits, X's touch is: -
CORRECT ANSWER Annulled.
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
What are the uniform format requirements? - CORRECT ANSWER The letters must be in
dark blue, in capitals, between 8 cm and 10 cm high, and between 1 cm and 1.5 cm wide,
according to the length of the name.
The protective plastron must be checked every: - CORRECT ANSWER Pool, team match
and direct elimination bout.
What action should a Referee take if a fencer reports to the strip with a jacket that has a torn
sleeve? - CORRECT ANSWER Safety is of the utmost importance and under no
circumstances should Fencer X be allowed to fence a competition with a jacket that has
tears/holes. Clothing/equipment non-conforming to the rules is an offense of the 1st group and
should be penalized with a Yellow Card. Practically speaking, give them a time limit. The rule
says "reasonable amount of time." However, some people might think that means a half hour.
That would cause considerable delay to the tournament - enforce the rule but have common
sense. If you want to alter the order of pool bouts, you must ask Bout Committee permission.
A fencer in a Y-12 women's sabre competition presents to the strip without chest protection and
without a plastron. What should the referee do? - CORRECT ANSWER This fencer has
committed two individual offenses of the first group for equipment not conforming to the rules,
one for the missing plastron and another for the missing chest protector as this is a women's
event. For the first of these offenses the fencer receives a Yellow Card and for the second she
receives a Red Card. The fencer should then be allowed a reasonable amount of time to find
conforming equipment. It is important to enforce this rule for the safety of all fencers.
A fencer at a national event reports to the strip without their last name on the back of their
uniform between the shoulders. What is the correct outcome? - CORRECT ANSWER The
absence of a fencer's name on the uniform is a second group offense punished with a Group 2
Red Card at the start of each bout in which the fencer reports without an appropriate uniform. In
the case of USA Fencing events, the name may also be on the leg, so in this particular case the
referee should ensure that the fencer's name is not present on the rear leg of the knickers before
applying a 2nd group Red Card.
, Fencer comes to the strip and the mask's tongue/spring does not touch the back of the fencer's
head and the elastic strap does not lay next to the lower back of the head. What does the referee
do? - CORRECT ANSWER The referee must ensure that the mask is safe for use, even if
there is an inspection mark on it. The rule states that the strap must be positioned low enough
across the rear of the cervical region that the position of the strap on the head ensures the mask
cannot slide off. The band must be in a solid material: when stretched the material should not
sustain permanent plastic deformation and should quickly return to its original shape and size.
Before the start of the bout and with no other penalties given, the Referee notices that there is no
safety strap on the back of the mask of Fencer X. What does the referee do? - CORRECT
ANSWER All masks must have lateral straps as specified in the rules. In this case, Fencer
X has committed an offense of a 1st group by presenting with non-conforming equipment and a
Yellow Card should be issued. If Fencer X cannot affix a horizontal strap to the mask, then the
mask should be confiscated and Fencer X should be required to find another mask.
A fencer with one foot off of the SIDE of the strip is a: - CORRECT ANSWER "Halt."
If a fencer has one foot off the side of the strip, that fencer loses: - CORRECT
ANSWER One meter during their next attack.
If a fencer has one foot off the side of the strip while deep in the warning zone, what will
happen? - CORRECT ANSWER A point is awarded to their opponent and both move back
to en garde position.
If a fencer has one foot off, can they still earn a touch? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes if the
action is started before the ref calls "halt."
If BOTH of a fencer's feet are off of the strip, that fencer loses: - CORRECT
ANSWER One meter during their next attack.
If Fencer X lands a touch on Fencer Y while both of X's feet are off the rear limits, X's touch is: -
CORRECT ANSWER Annulled.
