In which sport are foil, épée, and sabre used?

Foil, épée, and sabre are the three weapons used in fencing. Although all three involve swordplay, each weapon has different target areas, scoring rules, and conventions governing valid hits.

Foil is a light thrusting weapon, and its valid target is the torso. Épée is heavier and also scores with thrusts, but the entire body is a valid target. Sabre allows both thrusts and cuts, with the valid target covering the body above the waist, including the head and arms. Electronic scoring equipment registers contact during modern competitions.

The distinctions developed from different traditions of armed and sporting combat. Fencing became an Olympic sport at the first modern Games in Athens in 1896, although the women’s foil competition was not added until 1924. A frequent mistake is treating fencing as one weapon discipline; Olympic fencing actually awards separate events for each weapon, individually and by team.