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On this day, the 1st day of September of the year 2022, the authors of this document, Chad Eisner of Terra Prime Light Armory, and Faisal Mian of Silver Sabers Combat Academy, have drafted this Accord in an effort to foster a greater connection between the communities of the LED Saber, and working towards it being an accepted sport by professional metrics. These Accords are a work in progress and all signatories will be consulted and notified prior to any amendments. The following document is presented for your consideration:
Throughout history, combat sports have always played an important role in society. Such sports embody the inherent struggle in the human condition for spectators and participants alike, and every culture and civilization has a designated area for the competitive practice of fighting or martial arts. Combat sports are distinguished from actual violence in their adoption of rules, regulations, and stipulations that provide a more equal and less lethal environment for the practice. This makes the activities more enjoyable to watch and participate in, and affords the opportunity for individuals and societies to explore the boundaries of human performance and self awareness with mitigated risk.
LED Saber (including all forms of competitive engagement, combat, or fencing, with LED Sabers/Sabres) is a new multidisciplinary sport with numerous formats, that attracts many practitioners of weapon based combat sports and martial arts. The social meanings that have arisen around the LED Saber have made it a popular and iconic implement. In recent years, enthusiasts of LED Saber have developed various programmes for training and competition, and the practice has even been accepted at national levels as a professional sport. It is growing at many levels.
We believe that as this sport grows, there needs to be a point where the larger community must come together and state clearly the principles, ideals, goals, and aspirations that they share. For any sport to be widely accepted by the larger athletic community, there must be consensus amongst the majority of practitioners as to what the sport entails. LED Saber is an incredibly diverse community with many different philosophies and formats, but there are certain principles shared by many clubs and organizations. These shared principles provide a gold standard by which to judge the sport and its many variations.
The following document outlines the key points that are significant to us as purveyors of the sport. These are the components that make the sport of LED Saber what it is. They are: Safety, Fair Play, Professionalism, Diversity and Autonomy. It is through these virtues that we as practitioners, teachers and coaches of LED Saber help to continue developing the sport and achieve mass participation.
To this end, we as united of LED Saber hereby recognize the following articles of agreement;
1. Safety:
We agree that essential to participation in any sport is the safety of all participants, officials and spectators. This includes but is not limited to: competitive displays and performances, tournament events, group training opportunities, and personal training regimens. In service of this principle we also believe:
a. Safety gear is essential, and not only prevents injury but also encourages engaging game play. Appropriate gear enhances the enjoyment and potential of the sport and the athletes, and does not hinder it. Therefore we pledge to avail ourselves of physical protection from the rigours of our sport, and not rely solely on the subjective level of skill of the combatants.
b. Safe training practices are essential to the growth of athletes, especially the young, and should avoid the known causes of overuse injury, risk of traumatic injury, and other practices that can shorten the career of an athlete in the sport. Therefore we believe that all practices must adhere to high standards of health and safety.
2. Fair play: We agree that fair play is essential to the participation in and enjoyment of the sport. In service of fair play, we agree that rules, referees, and officials are needed to govern and arbitrate in both the competitive and learning environments. For these factors to be effective inter role the following must be true:
a. Rules should be clearly stated and easy to learn and follow. Clear strategies for fouls and breaches of the rules should be swift and fair and based on objective observation to the extent possible. Rules should be stable and have only enough variation in them that they can accommodate specific goals to make it simple for the participant to be involved in and engage at a novice level.
b. Arbitration, officiating, and refereeing is essential to ensuring fair game play. Therefore all referees in our organizations will meet strict standards of training and experience with any rule set by which they are to officiate. Therefore we agree that any organization or group that holds competitive events open to those outside of their school, will use referees certified by the host organization for said competitive events. Referees should also be charged with first responder duties and fulfil this purpose (with appropriate certifications) when on site medical or emergency services are not available.
c. The hearing of grievances and the resolution of disputes is essential to a supportive and professional group. We agree to provide such processes for any participants in our respective organizations, groups or classes. Arbitration of disputes should be held discreetly, and resolutions kept transparent.
3. Professionalism: Professional behaviour and attitude are essential for a sport to be respected and accepted in the larger world of athletics and competitive game play. This includes the protocols and guidelines of any organization, group, or class and the need for skill based instruction from professional teachers and coaches. We agree that:
a. Coaching staff must be qualified to perform their duties in their capacity. A coach is defined as one who guides the student or athlete through the basic rules of the game, requirements of said rules, and strategies to help them train for and compete at higher levels. Coaches should be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations of their organization, first aid and emergency protocols, and have some record of standards met inter organization.
b. Teaching staff must be qualified and able to communicate their subject matter. Groups that offer instruction in technique, drills, traditional and/or modern martial arts, must have blessing to do so from the organization they represent or the school they are a student of.
c. The community of teachers and coaches, in order to be robust, must cooperate and find common goals and points of agreement that may become standards of behaviour. Signatories must agree to work together as professional members of a sporting community and mutually help one another, such that the benefits will be passed on to the athletes and students. Diversity of methods and approaches demands open minds and pan-cultural dialogue.
4. Diversity: Diversity is essential to grow the art and sport of LED Saber. The more people that feel welcome in the sport, the more people will bring their unique experiences and skills to the game. This makes the game and sport more dynamic, inclusive, and positive.
a. Therefore, we agree not to discriminate based on race, gender identity, national origin, religious affiliation, disability or any other points of diverse communities that are irrelevant to the game play and administration of the sport.
b. We understand the LED Saber is by its nature a highly photogenic tool and that this visual display is attractive to audiences of all ages, and we agree to keep our events appropriate for all ages and to consider the audience when organizing any event.
5. Autonomy: Autonomy of method is essential to the sport as this is a sport of multiple traditions and sources. The number of styles, sports, and methods for combat with swords and other similar weapons, is so great that to exclude them would be a detriment to the overall content and applicability of the sport to diverse groups.
a. Therefore, each organization, class, or instructor is free to apply whatever method they are trained in, have experience with, or are familiar with in order to train or coach their athletes, provided that minimum coaching standards for safety and professionalism are adhered to.
If you’d like to sign the Accords, or would like know more, please reach out to us using the button below…