...Why do I feel like that was a reckless lunge and that a ref should have realized what's going on between these two teams at this point? It's obvious that there are injury-threatening actions that are being done more often than should be occurring in any fencing match, if not that there is intent behind them. All of this stuff isn't happening in a bubble. Like that girl laughing in the mask should have been heard by someone besides her teammates, they're not soundproof and it can't be that loud in the event hall considering that I've yet to see any actual audience watching besides the other fencers. Considering a match wasn't happening at that time, you'd think that'd be a red flag for the ref when she heard it.
Even if the writers were to explain that the ref is seeing it, though, watch it be that they're not taking actions because someone in the higher echelon of the org that is managing this stuff is pressuring the event to continue as-is because they have societal influence or money. "Just ignore the fouls, can't let my daughter lose or be disqualified, that would be disgraceful."