In the world of fencing, you’ll often see athletes connected by wires during competitions. This might lead you to wonder: Why Are Fencers Tethered? The answer lies in the modern scoring system used in fencing, which relies on electricity to accurately and objectively detect touches. This tether is actually a crucial part of the electric scoring equipment that has revolutionized the sport.
The tether, also known as a body cord, is an electrical cable that connects a fencer to the scoring apparatus. This cord isn’t just a simple wire; it’s designed to be durable and flexible, allowing fencers to move freely while maintaining a reliable connection. Inside the body cord are wires that run from the fencer’s weapon and conductive clothing (lamé and mask in saber and foil, or just the weapon in épée) to the scoring box.
Before electric scoring, judging touches in fencing was a far more subjective process. Historically, especially in saber, referees had to judge whether a hit landed with sufficient pressure. This was, as you can imagine, open to interpretation and debate. There were attempts to make scoring more objective, such as using ink-tipped weapons to mark the opponent’s jacket or even barbed tips to catch on clothing. However, these methods were unreliable and ultimately abandoned.
The introduction of electric scoring brought a new level of precision and fairness to fencing. Now, when a fencer makes a valid touch on their opponent, the electrical circuit is completed, and the scoring box registers a touch, typically indicated by lights and sometimes a sound.
Each of the three fencing weapons – foil, épée, and saber – utilizes the electric scoring system, though with slight variations. In foil and épée, a certain amount of pressure is required to register a touch (500g for foil and 750g for épée). This is because these weapons score only with the point. Saber, initially requiring pressure in non-electric scoring, now scores electrically with any contact on the valid target area, thanks to advancements in electric equipment.
For saber and foil, the target area also includes electrically conductive clothing. Saber fencers use special all-metal masks and conductive jackets (lamés) to define the valid target area, and these are also connected to the scoring system via the body cord. While Olympic masks feature a clear fiberglass rectangle for visibility, this area is not a valid target in saber or foil. Fencers also wear a glove with a metallic cuff which is part of the valid target area in foil.
In conclusion, fencers are tethered because this connection is integral to the electric scoring system, which is essential for fair, accurate, and objective officiating in modern fencing competitions. This system has evolved significantly over time, moving from subjective judgments to precise electronic detection, enhancing the integrity and excitement of the sport.
