US fencing was rocked by internal strife at the Tokyo Games. The lead-up to Paris 2024 hasn’t been much better

Just when it appeared as if these Olympics couldn’t get any more scandalous, between the poison in the pool and the security issues, the fencing starts this weekend.

A fixture on the program since the 1896 Summer Games, which kicked off the modern Olympiad, fencing is the sport where old-world tradition meets new-world technology. Referees actually say “en garde” before the swordplay, and points are scored electronically to keep pace with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it touches of steel. The rules of engagement are complicated, and it’s down to the referee to determine which strikes are legal. That’s a lot of room for interpretation. And, some would have us believe, corruption.