Regional Tournament Requirements

Venue Requirements

Minimum Requirements​

The fencing venue is one of the most important elements in hosting a​ successful tournament. At a minimum, it needs to be available one hour​ before the close of registration for the first event until one hour after the​ last event concludes for the entire tournament.​

• Venues should be clean and safe from hazards (such as electrical​ cords), or areas deemed unsafe (such as fencing on a dock or outside)​
• Venues should provide adequate space between the strips and the​ strips and spectators​
• Ceiling height is sufficient to permit safe and unobstructed fencing​
• Venue safety and security, including evacuation plans​
• Venue flooring should be smooth with a wood, concrete, composition​ or carpet surface on which fencing strips can be positioned​
• Competition area must be well lit with even lighting throughout the​ venue to permit not only safe competition, but also to facilitate​ accurate officiating of the tournament​
• Adequate space on or near the competition floor for armory,​ registration, officials' lounge, medical, and vendor booths​
• Adequate space on or near the competition floor for posting pools, DE​ tables and results​
• Adequate space for stage or designated area for the Bout Committee​ and head referee​
• Should be centrally located with visibility of all strips and​ equipped with sufficient tables, chairs and electrical outlets for​ equipment needed to run the tournament​
• PA system needs to reach all areas of the venue, including designated​ official's lounge, with a microphone located at the BC stage​
• Adequate space for spectators​
• Adequate space for athlete equipment storage​
• Adequate parking and easily accessible hotels​
• A readily available source of free drinking water​
• Enough restrooms to accommodate the size of the tournament​
• Readily accessible food options, in and around the venue​
• Adequate heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) facilities to maintain​ temperature in the competition hall​
• Venues must fully comply with all relevant requirements of the​ Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure accessibility for tournament​ participants, coaches, staff and attendees​

Venue Changes

If, after a bid has been awarded, the organizer needs to change venues, a Location Change request form will need to be filled out. Please note venue changes will not be approved unless an unforeseen circumstance outside of the organizer’s control has taken place. That form can be found here: https://forms.gle/26Higv66GaKnYvar8

Organizers will need to email the Regional Events Manager after the form it completed to notify them that a submission has been made.

Strip Requirements

Minimum Requirements
Tournament organizers must run an adequate number of strips to accommodate the size of their tournament and maintain the safety of athletes and/or referees.

Strip Specifications

• Each fencing strip must include 2m (6.5ft) of empty space on either end that is designated as a safety zone.
• The strip layout must also provide an adequate amount of space for the referee on the side of each strip. Referees should have a minimum of 1.4m (4.5ft) of their own space stripe side. For regionals using a strip layout where officials are back-to-back, this means a minimum of 2.7m (9ft).
• The scoring box to be placed approximately 1 meter out from the center of the opposite side of the strip.
• At least four strips must be grounded, unless otherwise approved by the National Office.

Requirements by Circuit
ROC/RJCC/RYC
A minimum of four grounded strips are required to accommodate an event final from the round of eight fencers

• Note: tournaments with a combination category (ROC/RJCC, SYC/RJCC, etc.) will need to provide additional grounded strips to accommodate multiple event finals that occur at the same time unless otherwise approved by the National Office.

SYC
At a minimum, SYC tournaments must have enough grounded strips to accommodate two simultaneous event finals from the round of eight fencers

RPC
At a minimum, RPC’s need to have at least one grounded frame. It is strongly encouraged that all parafencing frames being utilized are grounded. The minimum number of recommended frames to parafencers is as follows:

• 0-4 parafencers = 1 frame
• 5-8 parafencers = 2 frames
• 10-14 parafencers – 3 frames

Tournament Schedule

Minimum Requirements​

Schedules should be designated with consideration given to the projected number of participants in relation to the available strips and number of referees hired. Consideration must also be given to fencers competing in cross-over age groups when creating a schedule. If the regional tournament is run over multiple days, events within the same weapon and gender with direct age cross over should not be scheduled on the same day. ​

When creating a schedule, organizers must also consider demands of the armory check in relation to the first events of the day, when the armory is busiest. ​

All schedules need to be clearly posted on the USA Fencing registration site. If the schedule needs to be adjusted after registration opens, all changes need to be communicated with the registered fencers.

Schedule Specifications

• Whenever possible, events should not be running past 9PM at night.
• Organizers should not create a schedule that has events starting after 4PM.
• Tournaments with more than 15 events per day will not be allowed to use caps for their events

Schedule Changes

Organizers will not be able to make changes to their tournament schedule after registration has opened without the permission and assistance of the Regional Events Manager.

• Schedule changes where an event moves days will not be approved – barring any unforeseen circumstances.
• Schedule changes of more than hour will not be approved within the 2-week mark from the start of the tournament
• Schedule changes of an hour or less need to be approved and communicated no fewer than 5 days from the start of the tournament.

Tournament Cancelation and Rescheduling Policy ​

In extreme circumstances, regional tournaments may be cancelled, delayed or rescheduled. This decision will be made by a combination of the tournament organizer, the Regional Events Manager, and the Director of Events. USA Fencing has the right to require any regional tournament to be cancelled, delayed or rescheduled if it is in the best interest of the membership due to unforeseen extreme weather occurrences or other catastrophic circumstances. ​

Regional tournaments, which are cancelled due to no fault of the organizer, may be rescheduled, if possible, within the season for which the tournament was awarded. ​

Organizers may NOT cancel, delay, or reschedule their regional tournament without the approval of the National Office. Organizers cancelling a regional tournament without approval shall refund all monies paid by the registered entrants, including fees associated with non-regional events being held in conjunction with the regional tournament. If such a cancellation is made unreasonably and/or on short notice, the organizer may additionally be held responsible for the reimbursement of expenses incurred by registered entrants. Organizers are strongly encouraged to maintain general business liability insurance to provide for such an occurrence. USA Fencing will not be held responsible for the refund or reimbursement of any such fees or expenses, and by bidding, tournament organizers agree to hold USA Fencing harmless and to indemnify USA Fencing against any claims made by tournament entrants because of the cancellation of a tournament or because of the withdrawal of sanction by USA Fencing as elsewhere provided in the bid packet​.

Non-regional Events

Running of Non-regional Events

Organizers can host non-regional events in conjunction with their regional tournament, if approved by the National Office. Running non-regional events in conjunction with a regional tournament cannot negatively impact the regional tournament. Organizers will need to make sure their competition schedule and hired staff can accommodate both events. ​

Plans to include non-regional events with a regional tournament should be included in the bid. If organizers would like to add non-regional events after their bid has been approved, they will need to submit an updated schedule and/or strip management plan to the Regional Events Manager for approval. The Regional Events Manger may ask for more information regarding the addition of non-regional events.​

If organizers would like non-regional events to be sanctioned, they will need to be run through the approval process for the designated division. ​

Referee Requirements

Minimum Requirements

Any referee who is at least thirteen years of age at the time of the regional tournament and has completed the referee exam and seminar requirements to receive a P rating, is eligible to officiate at a regional tournament. Head referees are required to have an R1 rating or higher for regional tournaments. All referees are required to have a current USA Fencing membership, background check, and sign the Referee Contract before officiating in any local, regional, or national tournaments. 

Referee Compensation

It is required that all referees who work in a tournament for more than a single round of pools be compensated for their time - this includes P level referees. Referees should be compensated appropriately for their level of proficiency and amount of work performed.

Referee compensation is determined by the tournament organizer and should be communicated with the referees during the hiring process.

If an organizer needs assistance in hiring referees, they should contact the Referees' Commission. 

Tournament Staff

Staff Compliance

The amateur sports organization or person requesting sanction from a national governing body will implement and abide by the policies and procedures to prevent the abuse, including emotional, physical and child abuse, of amateur athletes participating in amateur athletic activities applicable to such a national governing body. All regional tournaments must fully adhere to the USA Fencing FenceSafe Handbook, which requires that all event staff must have a current USA Fencing membership, SafeSport training, and background check. This includes, but is not limited to: ​

• Referees​
• Bout Committee members​
• Armorer members​
• Coaches​

Additionally, all regional tournaments are required to follow and implement the USA Fencing Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP). Failure to adhere to these policies could result in sanctions and/or loss of the right to host future events. ​

Bout Committee​

The size of the Bout Committee should correlate to the size of the tournament. The recommended ratio of Bout Committee personnel to registrations is 1:300. Experience is essential to running a successful tournament. If organizers need assistance in hiring qualified Bout Committee staff, they should contact the Regional Events Manager.

IT Lead

Organizers need to have at least one person, onsite, designated as the IT lead for the tournament. This person should know how to set up and maintain any network and computers needed for the running and operation of the tournament.

Armorers​

A minimum of two armorers is required at all regional tournaments. The number of armorers should correlate with the size of the tournament and suffice in moving athletes through equipment check in a timely manner. Regional tournament head techs must be hired from the national hire list.

Medical​

Regional organizers are required to have at least one medical professional on site for the entirety of the tournament. If the size of the tournament requires more, the organizer will need to plan accordingly. Medical staff can be a physician, athletic trainer, paramedic, or other medical professional that can provide basic medical care. Basic medical care as it applies to regional tournaments is taping, ice and diagnosis of common injuries. ​

Medical staff must be equipped with proper medical supplies and have access to ice. Medical staff should have access to the tournament’s Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and know where the nearest hospital is in case of an emergency.​

Medical Staff do not need to have a current background check, SafeSport training, or membership IF they do not have constant/consistent contact with minors. However, if they do not have a current background check or SafeSport training, they are not allowed to perform preventative care (i.e. taping before injury, massage, chiropractic adjustments, etc.).

If organizers are having trouble finding medical staff for their tournament, they should reach out to the Regional Events Manager.

SafeSport Contact​

An on-site SafeSport contact needs to be named, and all event participants should be aware that they can report any potential misconduct that they experience, witness, or are made aware to this person or via the website. This person needs to be a current USA Fencing member and have a current background check and SafeSport training. The SafeSport contact must be available for the entirety of the tournament.

Event Capping

For organizers wishing to cap their events, the following capping structure will be required at the opening of registrations. Initial caps for the event should be set within these parameters, and then, at four weeks out from the start of the tournament, organizers may adjust their caps, based upon demand across the different events. Whenever possible, organizers are still encouraged to adjust their caps and add entries equally for the two genders in the same weapon/age category (i.e. JNRME and JNRWE).

Tournaments with more than 15 events per day will not be allowed to use capping.

Equipment Requirements

Uniforms - standard fencing uniform is required at regional events (jacket, pants, knee-high socks, fencing glove).​

• No item can have any rips, tears, or holes​
• Warmup pants are not allowed in competition​
• Fencing glove must cover the lower half of the forearm​
• Tape cannot be used to cover holes on gloves​
• 800 N requirement for saber must be enforced​
• Names are not required on uniforms at regional tournaments​

Plastrons - standard fencing plastrons (underarm protectors) are required with every uniform and for all regional tournaments​

Chest Protector - chest protectors are required for female fencers. For foil, any chest protector, male or female, must have the approved neoprene layer. ​

Mask ​

• A 12K punch test is required on all masks being used at a regional tournament. ​
• sewn in bib visual inspections​
• Masks cannot have any rips, tears or holes in the bib​
• All rivets must be installed​
• Covering over the welds must be present and installed so it will not catch a blade​
• Conductive bib in foil is required​
• Retrofit conductive bibs must be installed such that they will not catch a blade​
• Masks are tested for conductivity of 5 ohms or less with no dead areas​
• If tabs are present, they must be conductive – if they are not conductive, they must be removed​
• Tabs are not required​
• Elastic strap at back of mask is required and must be tight enough to prevent the mask from falling off​

Lame – must be tested for conductivity of 5 ohms or less with no dead areas. Lames must not have any rips, tears or holes or loose seams​

Body/Mask Cord – must be tested for continuity and conductivity of 1 ohm or less per line. Clips must be visibly soldered and free of corrosion. ​

Weapon Handle – Any attachment to a weapon’s handle must fix the hand in one position such that the top of the thumb is no more than 2 cm from the inner surface of the guard. French grip epee handles shall not exceed 20 cm in length when measured from the front of the guard to the end of the pommel nut

Regional Tournament Fee Structure

Registration Components

Regional Tournament registrations comprise the following fees:

• Registration fee – one registration fee will be applied per fencer registering. Organizers collect 100% of the registration fee at the point of sale.
• Event fee – one event fee will be applied for each event the fencer registers to compete in. Organizers collect 85% of the event fee at the point of sale. The remaining 15% is held in escrow to be disbursed after the tournament as finalized.
• Admin fee – one admin fee will be applied per fencer registering. The admin fee is collected by USA Fencing and is used to offset the cost of maintaining the registration platform.
• Sanction fee – one sanction fee will be applied per circuit the fencer registers to compete in. The sanction fee is collected by USA Fencing and is used to offset the cost of insurance for regional tournaments.
• Credit card processing fee – the credit card processing fee is roughly 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. The participant pays this fee, and it is collected directly by Stripe.

Pricing Structure

The pricing structure for each circuit will be as follows for the 2025-26 season and moving forward into future seasons.

• Registration Fee
  • SYC: $50
  • ROC/RJCC/RYC: $35
  • RPC: $20
• Event Fee
  • SYC: $65
  • ROC/RJCC/RYC: $55
  • RPC: $30
• Admin Fee: $3
• Sanction Fee: $9
• Credit Card Processing Fee: 2.9% + $0.30

Organizers may be granted an exemption to charge more than the standard fee amount(s) if budgetary limitations are substantiated. This request MUST be made here in the original online bid to be considered. High venue rental costs and staff travel/housing are examples of reasons for such a request.

Regional Financial Policies

Stripe

All regional tournaments will be required to create a Stripe account to connect with their tournament as their “merchant account.” Tournament registration will not go live until the Merchant Account/Stripe Account has been connected and approved. If the wrong Stripe account is connected, the Regional Events Manager can clear out the connected account in order for the organizer to connect the correct account.

Credit Card Disputes

Organizers should keep an eye on their Stripe accounts for any credit card disputes. If a dispute is initiated wrongly, the organizer should reach out to the customer directly to inquire about why the dispute was initiated. If the dispute was made an error, the customer should be given a chance to rescind the dispute.

If the customer refuses to withdraw the dispute and the dispute is lost, please reach out to the Regional Tournament Organizer. They will help lock the fencer’s membership account until funds have been sent back to the organizer.

Price Exemption Requests

All price exemption requests need to be disclosed in the bid. If the organizer does not request a price exemption in their bid, one will not be awarded – barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Refunds

Tournament organizers are responsible for processing event fee refunds from their tournaments via the tournament database. Refunds of the tournament registration, sanction, or admin fees must be requested by the tournament organizer and will be processed by the National Office. ​

Organizers are required to publish their refund and withdrawal policies on their tournament page. This includes the last eligible date for refunds and contact information for withdrawals and refunds. ​

If changes to the schedule result in a fencer missing an event, the fencer should be fully refunded.

Regional SafeSport Audit Requirements

USA Fencing is committed to creating a safe and positive environment for athletes’ physical, emotional and social development, and to ensuring that it promotes an environment free of misconduct. It takes a team effort to accomplish this mission. Accordingly, USA Fencing has developed procedures to be implemented by all event organizers to ensure a safe environment for our fencers. It is the responsibility of each event organizer to monitor and enforce these requirements, with support from USA Fencing as needed. This procedural document details athlete safety requirements as well as resources, strategies and additional information to help event organizers meet the requirements.

SafeSport Training, Background Screen, and Credentialling

All individuals who are part of the sanctioned event and who have regular contact and/or authority over minor athletes must hold a current SafeSport Training certification and have passed the background screen process. SafeSport training must be completed annually and is valid for 365 days from completion. Background screens are valid for a period of two years. These individuals include but are not limited to event officials such as coaches, referees, staff, volunteers, armorers and/or sports medicine staff.

Coaches’ Check-in and Credentialling  

• Per the expansion of the US Center for SafeSport’s auditing processes, regional events may be asked to provide a list of credentialed coaches who attended their event. Credentialed coaches need to meet the following requirements:
  • Active membership 
  • Cleared Background Check 
  • Current SafeSport Training 
  • Completed Coaches Education Program 
• There is a function in the tournament organizer view to scan coaches in that will automatically check these criteria.
  • To see how to set up and use the check-in scanner, click here.
  • Coaches can also be manually checked here.
• You should provide some method of identifying those who have met the above requirements (wristbands, credentials, etc.)
• If a coach does not have all 4 of the requirements above, they are not permitted to engage in coaching activities at the event.

Tournament Staff and Referees 

• All tournament staff and officials need to be added to Tournament Staff or Officials section of your tournament page in the database and must have an active membership, SafeSport Training, and background screen to be in compliance.
• Organizers need to check the status of their staff prior to the event to make sure everyone has the “Good to Go” green thumbs up. If someone has the “Not Good to Go” red thumbs down – that staff member needs to complete any outstanding tasks prior to the start of the tournament.
• Any referees hired on site need to be added to the tournament officials list in the database as well. If they are not “Good to Go” they are not eligible to work the tournament.
• Minor Referees: Make sure that you are completing and filing a copy of the Minor Official Travel Form and the Medical Form. The medical form is only needed if the legal guardian is not with them, and the travel form is only needed if the minor is staying overnight. 
• You should provide some method of identifying those who have meet requirements to engage as a tournament official or staff except for referees who are identifiable by their dress code.

Communication and Reporting

Prior to each event, communication must go out to all participants and event officials informing them of the MAAPP requirements to include protocol for reporting MAAPP violations.

Event organizers must communicate to all participants and officials that the USA Fencing MAAPP will be enforced for the duration of the event. This communication must contain a link to the MAAPP. Event organizers must be able to provide proof of this communication if requested by USA Fencing.

The communication also should contain a link to the SafeSport reporting form as this is the means for members to report MAAPP, SafeSport Policy or Code of Conduct violations.

Additionally, event organizers must post the MAAPP to the public tournament page on AskFred and/or USA Fencing Registration Platform for each event.

Additional Requirements

Tournament Software

USA Fencing requires the use of Fencing Time as the software for Regional Tournaments. The bout committee should be experienced with this software. Tracking of referees is mandatory. Organizers are encouraged to provide live result updates for their tournament.

Awards

An awards ceremony is required for each regional tournament unless otherwise approved by the National Office. Organizers should provide awards for the top eight finishers in events that have ten or more entrants and to at least the top three in events with fewer than ten entrants. Appropriate awards are as follows:​

• Medals,​
• Ribbons​
• Trophies​
• Certificates​
• Plaques​
• T-shirts​

There is not a need for fence-offs for third place. ​

Post Event Responsibilities

Tournament Finalization​

Tournament organizers are required to upload the following into the tournament database system within 72 hours of completion of the tournament. ​

1. Full Fencing Time Tournament Results (includes classification changes and referees)​
2. Ensure all staff and officials have current membership, SafeSport, and background check – to be verified by the National Office before the tournament​
3. Any black cards given during the tournament​
4. Any Minor Medical Authorization or Travel forms​

If the organizer fails to upload the above requirements within 72 hours, the National Office will document the delay as a breach of the bid contract agreement. This will be included for consideration when reviewing future bids submitted by the organizer. ​

After the organizer has finalized the tournament in the system, USA Fencing has 48 hours to approve the finalization and final disbursement. ​

Post Tournament Surveys

The National Office will send out online participant surveys to all fencers in each regional tournament requesting feedback. Once completed, the survey results will be forwarded to the organizer. The Regional Events Manager may reach out to the organizer with questions regarding the feedback. ​

If the organizer has any questions or concerns in relation to the survey results, they should contact the Regional Events Manager.

Organizer Responsibilities

By submitting a bid, the regional organizer is accepting responsibility for their regional tournament, if awarded. Organizers are responsible for the overall running of the tournament. ​

Organizers are also responsible for the honesty and integrity of the bid and may face sanctions if the tournament isn’t delivered to the standard outlined in their bid and all applicable regional tournament documents as posted by USA Fencing. If there are any significant changes to the tournament, after the bid is awarded, they must communicate with the National Office.