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Why did France withdraw its fencing team from the 1912 Olympic Games?

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1992 Olympics women's foil event — fencing Giovanna Trillini (rear) of Italy successfully defending her world champion foil title against Wang Huifeng of China at the 1992 Olympics.

At the 1912 Olympic Games, France withdrew its entire fencing team due to a dispute regarding the rules for the target area in foil competition.1

This disagreement was part of a broader period of tension in the sport, as numerous disputes over fencing rules had arisen by the early 20th century. Following this event and other controversies—such as the Italian team's refusal to compete in épée events due to a rejected request to modify blade length—the Fédération Internationale d’Escrime was founded in 1913 to serve as the governing body for international amateur fencing.1