What is the FIE? Fencing's world governing body explained

The FIE is the Fédération Internationale d’Escrime, the International Fencing Federation and the world governing body for fencing. It was founded in 1913 in Paris and is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It writes the rules of the sport, sets equipment standards and runs the international competitions that decide world rankings.

What does FIE stand for?

FIE is the French name’s initials: Fédération Internationale d’Escrime. French is the traditional language of fencing, which is why the referee’s commands at every level, in Singapore as much as in Paris, are still given in French. If you want to know why, our glossary of fencing terms covers the words you will hear on the strip, and the history of fencing page covers how the sport got here.

What does the FIE do?

The federation has a few clear jobs.

• Rules: it publishes the rulebook for international competition. Target areas, right of way, what counts as a valid touch and what earns a card all come from it. Our guides on how fencing scoring works and what is not allowed in fencing describe the ideas behind those rules in plain language.
• Equipment standards: it sets standards for the kit used at international events. FIE-approved clothing and masks are tested to a higher puncture-resistance rating than basic club kit.
• Competitions: it runs the World Cup circuit and the World Championships, including the junior and cadet categories.
• Rankings: it keeps the world rankings, which are built from results at international events and play a part in Olympic qualification.

The FIE does not run the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee does. What the FIE provides is the sport underneath, which is why you can read our overview of fencing at the Olympics and our history of Olympic fencing alongside this one.

How does the FIE relate to Fencing Singapore?

The FIE works through national federations. Each country has one body that governs fencing at home, and in Singapore that is Fencing Singapore, the National Sports Association (NSA) for fencing. It was established in 1965 and was formerly the Amateur Fencing Association of Singapore. Fencing Masters is an affiliate of Fencing Singapore. Local competitions, national rankings and selection for teams going abroad run through the national body, and the FIE sits above it for international events. The story of how the national body began is in our history of fencing in Singapore.

What does the FIE mean for a beginner?

Very little on day one, and quite a bit later if you want it.

In a beginner class, the rules you pick up are the core rules the whole sport shares: which weapon scores where, what right of way means, how to salute, how a bout starts and stops. Those come from the FIE rulebook, so what you learn in Singapore is recognisable anywhere else in the world. Our guide to the three weapons and fencing swords explained are good places to start with them.

FIE-standard kit matters only if you compete internationally, and most fencers never need it. Beginners can try fencing in club kit, and Fencing Masters lends the mask, jacket and blade once you join, for the first 8 lessons in a group class or the first 10 in private coaching, on a membership of 8 weeks or longer (on a 4-week membership, the loan covers those 4 weeks). If you do move into competition later, our articles on how fencers rank and progress and fencing tournaments, poules and elimination show how the pathway works.

You do not need to know any of the governing bodies to start. If you would like to try fencing, you can request a trial.