Bangkok/Turin: A few weeks before the world championships took place in Turin, a nearly accident happened in Bangkok with a transparent fencing-mask. During a training fight a fencer made an attack against the head of his opponent. The weapon pierced the seam between the sight and the metal lattices, scarcely missing the eye and then through the rear of the mask - without hurting the fencer.

Because nobody was harmed, the fencer continued the training.

I notified the FIE of the incident, because I think that we cannot wait until somebody gets severely hurt.

The manufacturer proposes to change the glass after two years, but this is a kind of ”alibi-regulation” to make it the responsibility of the fencer. Only the fencer takes the risk, because the transparent masks loose the glass holding screws very often, provoking an accident. All this, because some people of the FIE think, that a transparent mask will give more interesting pictures on television.

Many months ago I gave a demonstration showing that it is not the area around the eyes that make the impression, but the region around the mouth.

Please hover your mouse over the images for a demonstration!


The only ones who are paying for this experience are the fencers. A transparent mask costs more than twice as much as a normal mask. The fencers are already paying a high price for the ideas of the FIE-officials. Should they also pay with their lifes?