Fencing Draft notes:Introduction

Notes from Earl Marshal for next update

Remove section 1.6 - this information should be included in the relevant section of the rules, and the Change log, as we run the risk of duplicating rules, and then not keeping the changes aligned.

Changes for v 6.0

1.6.1

Was

"During practices, for weapons drills with an opponent, you must wear eye protection. For drills with the spear, you must wear full face protection."

Now

"For drills against opponents with a spear, you must wear full face protection."

Functional change

Removes requirement for eye protection in drills, but keeps requirement for full face protection when drilling against spear. Updated to specify against spear, as the person using the spear is not at risk from the spear.

Reasoning

The current rules do not improve safety, as spectacles and sunglasses are not personal protective equipment and cause an unacceptable level of risk-acceptance, as fencers can believe they are protected.

The current rules are also not enforceable because there is no useful and consistent way to define "drill". Some marshals consider that demonstrating an action with a sword is a "drill" and thus requires eye protection (even if the person the sword is pointed at does not move and is in full gear) and others consider a "drill" anything up to full speed sparring. Defining "drill" as anything other than full sparring, the broadest possible capture definition, is not useful because "sparring" is also not simple to define and you end up in a situation where anyone picking up a sword needs eye wear which doesn't actually protect them.

From a risk perspective, the existing requirement does not meaningfully improve safety and is impractical. Fencers are able to take a risk-based approach to training depending on their own training and opponent, given there is no international case base to suggest lack of eye protection causes heightened risk, nor are these rules mirrored at Society level.

For spears, given the chance that an accident could cause a catastrophic injury, additional protection is warranted.