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Covering target is a group 1 offense in all three weapons, although it can only be applied in foil and sabre. It results in any touch scored by the fencer at fault annulled.
t.22 The use of the non-sword hand and arm to carry out an offensive or
defensive action is forbidden (cf. t.114, t.116, t.120). Should such an
offence occur, the touch scored by the fencer at fault is annulled.
In foil and saber, it is forbidden to protect the target area or to
substitute another part of the body for the target area, either by
covering or by an abnormal movement (cf. t.114, t.116, t.120); any
touch scored by the fencer at fault is annulled.
During the bout, the fencer must not, under any circumstances, take
hold of any part of the electrical equipment with the non-sword hand
(cf. t.114, t.116, t.120); any touch scored by the fencer at fault is
annulled.
Covering target is a very rare call in sabre, but it is quite possible theoretically.
t.72 A touch which arrives on a non-valid part of the target is not counted
as a touch; it does not stop the fencing phrase and does not annul any
subsequent touches.
If a fencer substitutes a non-valid part of the target for a valid part,
either by covering it or by any abnormal movement, the Referee
must penalize him by applying the penalties specified in Articles
t.114, t.116, t.120 and any touch scored by the fencer at fault is
annulled.
The legs and hands can both be used to cover target. The hair can also cover target, but it is most often required to be removed from the lamé before the action.
Covering target is possibly the most common penalty in foil, especially at the lower levels. In foil, the target can be covered most often by the off-weapon hand or head, but also by the legs or feet. As in sabre, the hair can cover target, but referees usually require it to be removed from the lamé before the action.
There is some confusion as to when covering target is applicable in foil. From the referee's handbook:
Covering can be done with the back arm (including the hand), the head, and hair. As to the back arm and hand, it is important to remember that the covering must deny access to the target by the opponent. That means that even though a fencer’s hand and arm are in front of her or his metallic vest during an adjustment of the fencer’s mask when the two fencers are far apart, no card should be issued. Covering with the head in foil is to be called when the fencer places the head down so that the back of the head and the spine are parallel to the strip; it should not be called when a fencer makes a long and low lunge.
Many high level referees are currently using the guideline that if the referee cannot see a fencer's eyes (or would not be able to see them based on the angle of his head if actual sight is impossible in any case), then the fencer is covering target.
Furthermore, in foil, if the referee sees that the touch occurred on non-valid target that was covering valid target, the referee may award the touch as good. However, this rule is used rarely and should only be applied in circumstances where the referee is certain of what happened. Also, it is important to note that this is not an exception to t.40
t.49 However, touches which arrive off the target are counted as
valid whenever, by reason of an abnormal position, the fencer
has substituted this non-valid target for the valid target. The
Referee may question the judges about this, but he alone must
decide whether the touch is valid or not.
