The BF Rules Committee, in light of COVID-19, is temporarily suspending the requirement for fencers to shake hands at the end of a match for all BF licensed competitions.
Shaking hands is currently part of the rules of the sport as set out in t.122 (see below). The penalty for refusing to shake hands would normally be a Black card (expulsion from the competition).
Fencers are still required to return to the on-guard line and salute at the end of a match. Competition organisers should remind referees of this rule update as part of the Referee Briefing and ensure this information is passed to the competitors.
BF recommends that affiliated clubs consider adopting a similar approach to ending matches/bouts in club sessions.
For more COVID-19 advice and guidance please click here.
t.122 UPDATE
t.122 Before the beginning of each bout, the two fencers must perform a fencer’s salute to their opponent, to the Referee and to the spectators. Equally, when the final hit has been scored, the bout has not ended until the two fencers have saluted each other, the Referee and the spectators: to this end, they must remain still while the referee is making his decision; when he has given his decision, they must return to their on-guard line and perform a fencer’s salute and shake hands with their opponent. If either or both of the two fencers refuse to comply with these rules, the Referee will penalise him/them as specified for offences of the 4th group (cf. t.158-162, t.169, t.170).
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