Just when it appeared as if these Olympics couldn’t get any more scandalous, between the poison in the pool and the security issues, the fencing starts this weekend.
A fixture on the program since the 1896 Summer Games, which kicked off the modern Olympiad, fencing is the sport where old-world tradition meets new-world technology. Referees actually say “en garde” before the swordplay, and points are scored electronically to keep pace with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it touches of steel. The rules of engagement are complicated, and it’s down to the referee to determine which strikes are legal. That’s a lot of room for interpretation. And, some would have us believe, corruption.
