Qualifiers seeing some competitors fight back (3)
I believe the answer is:
ifs
'qualifiers seeing' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.
'some competitors fight back' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some of the parts of the word are used).
'back' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'sfi' is hidden in the letters of 'competitors fight'.
'sfi' reversed gives 'IFS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ifs that I've seen before include "If . . . and ands were pots and pans" , "Conditions or suppositions, may join with buts" , "Conditional conjunctions" , "Suppositions, may be accompanied by buts" , "No ...,ands or buts, no argument allowed" .)