To clarify the rules regarding the boundaries of the piste, following the 2005-2009 revisions, this is our current understanding:
- If both feet go over the back line a red card is awarded to the fencer going off piste. Warning lines are visual cues only ( no halts to inform fencers).
- If you go off the side of the piste with one foot the fight is halted and returned to the centre of the piste from the original starting point of the fencing phrase.
- If you go off with two feet you return to piste, but retreat one metre; so if you go off the side one metre from the end you my find yourself off the end of the piste and red card issued.
- All hits scored by the fencers before leaving the piste take priority over the fencer leaving of the piste (ie hits come first, a halt is called for this, not leaving the piste) and fencers are returned their en guard lines as normal.
- Any attempt to leave the piste to avoid being hit is a yellow card on first infraction followed by a red if it happens again.
- If a fencer already has a yellow card from another error it’s straight to red.
