How does wheelchair fencing work?
B · Beginner · Classes and equipment · 1 of 4Wheelchair fencing is foil, epee and sabre fenced by athletes seated in wheelchairs that are locked into a frame on the piste. The distance between them is set before the bout and cannot change, so the fight is all upper body. The rules are the FIE's, adapted by World Para Fencing. Fencers compete in categories A and B at the Paralympics.
How it works
- Weapons: foil, epee and sabre.
- Chairs: fixed in a frame.
- Distance: set by measure, then fixed.
- Rules: FIE, adapted.
- Governing body: World Para Fencing.
- Categories: A, B and C.
- Paralympics: 16 events.
- Staying seated: feet on the footrest, no lifting.
The glossary has the wheelchair fencing, the World Para Fencing, the rules for competition (wheelchair fencing), the fencing frame, the fencing measure and the Paralympic programme (wheelchair fencing).
Tricky cases
Can a fencer roll back to avoid a hit?
No. The chair is fixed.
Are the right-of-way rules the same?
Yes, as in FIE foil and sabre.
Is there a Category C Paralympic event?
No. The Paralympics use A and B.
Who updates the rules?
The WPF Executive Committee.
Why the rule exists
Fixing the chairs removes footwork, so impairments of the legs do not matter; the bout tests blade, speed and nerve.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Footwork | None; chairs fixed | t.18 |
| Distance | Measured | t.76 |
| Paralympics | A and B | o.43 |
From the rule book
World Para Fencing, Book 1 Technical Rules (January 2026), articles t.18, t.76 and t.143, with Book 0 and Book 2, article o.43. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: World Para Fencing rulebooks 0 to 4.