Referee Development
The Canadian Fencing Federation delegates provincial referee training and certification to provincial branches. FENB provides this certification assistance to its members through a structured two-level program for each weapon.
Program Framework
Core program elements
- Recruit members as referees
- Educate candidates on referee knowledge
- Supply practical experience in clubs and competitions
- Provide mentorship from experienced referees
- Recognize referee contributions
Club Level
Club referee certification
Theory
Boundary rules, common penalties, right-of-way rules, basic terminology, and corner judge rules.
Practical
Correct commands and movement with action, corner judge system operation, starting distance, recognition of yellow card offenses, and hitting accuracy of 75% across 10 bouts.
Provincial Level
Provincial referee certification
Theory — Part 1 (6–7 hours)
Professionalism and role of the referee, responsibilities and rights, tournament procedures, and safety. No exam.
Theory — Part 2 (6–7 hours)
General rules covering equipment, penalties, injuries, hit annulment, team competition, and terminology. Written exam required (75% pass).
Theory — Part 3 (9–12 hours)
Weapon-specific training with written exam (75% pass).
Practical Evaluation
Judge three 5-hit bouts and one 15-hit bout between experienced fencers.
Certification Pathway
Candidates progress through supervised tournament refereeing (minimum 12 hours across 4 tournaments), a practice exam evaluation, and a provincial exam under out-of-province evaluation.