This article details the qualifying phase for fencing at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Qualification was primarily based on the FIE Official Ranking as of April 4, 2016, with further individual places available at 4 zonal qualifying tournaments.
For the team events, 8 teams qualified in each event. Each team must be composed of 3 fencers. The top 4 ranked teams qualified. The next best ranked team from each zone (Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Oceania) qualified as long as it was ranked in the top 16. If a zone had no teams ranked between 5th and 16th, the best placed nation not already qualified would be selected regardless of zone.
For individual events with corresponding team events, the 3 fencers from the team event qualified for individual competition automatically. 7 more places were awarded based on the rankings (ignoring fencers from countries with team qualifications and considering only the top fencer from each country): the top 2 fencers from each of Europe, Asia-Oceania, and the Americas, and the top 1 fencer from Africa, qualified. 4 more places (1 per zone) were awarded through zone qualifying tournaments; only countries without a qualified fencer in an event were eligible to participate in these zone qualifying tournaments.
For individual events without corresponding team events, the top 14 fencers in the rankings (adjusted to include only the top 2 fencers per country) qualified. The next 2 best ranked fencers from each zone (but from different countries) also qualified. 10 spots were allocated through zone qualifying tournaments (4 for Europe, 3 for Asia-Oceania, 2 for the Americas, and 1 for Africa); only countries without a qualified fencer in an event were eligible to participate in these zone qualifying tournaments and each country could send only 1 fencer.
The host country was guaranteed a minimum of 8 quota spots.
Summary Nation Men Women TotalIndividual Team Individual Team Épée Foil Sabre Épée Foil Épée Foil Sabre Épée Sabre 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 331XX321X 13 1 1 111 11 5 131 X321X 11 1 1 2 1 1 11 2 131 X 11 7 1 3 X 4 331XX323XX 15 1 1 12 1 4 3 X 3 11 2 1 11 3 3 2X 121 9 2 2 332XX123 X 14 1 1 111 111 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 113 X 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 X 4 1 31 X 5 332XX323XX 16 1 1 1 1 312X 323XX 14 3 X 1 4 1 1 11 111 5 3 1X 313XX 11 132 X323XX 14 31 X 11 6 1 111 4 Total: 48 NOCs 38 35 32 9 8 37 35 36 9 8 213
Timeline Event Date Venue FIE Official Ranking cut-off April 4, 2016 — Zonal Qualifier – Asia & Oceania April 11–12, 2016 Wuxi Zonal Qualifier – Africa April 14–15, 2016 Algiers Zonal Qualifier – America April 16–17, 2016 San José Zonal Qualifier – Europe April 16–17, 2016 Prague
Men's events Individual épée Standard Places Qualified fencer Members of qualifying teams 24 Top 2 individual AOR: Asia & Oceania 2 Top individual AOR: Africa 1 Top 2 individual AOR: America 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Europe 2 Zonal tournament: Asia & Oceania 1 Zonal tournament: Africa 1 Zonal tournament: America 1 Zonal tournament: Europe 1 Host country option 3 Total 38
Team épée Standard Places Qualified teams Top four in FIE Official Team Ranking 5 Top team from Asia & Oceania in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Africa in positions 5–16 0 — Top team from America in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Europe in positions 5–16 1 Host country option 1 Total 9
Individual foil Standard Places Qualified fencer Members of qualifying teams 24 Top 2 individual AOR: Asia & Oceania 2 Top individual AOR: Africa 1 Top 2 individual AOR: America 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Europe 2 Zonal tournament: Asia & Oceania 1 Zonal tournament: Africa 1 Zonal tournament: America 1 Zonal tournament: Europe 1 Host country option 0 — Total 35
Team foil Standard Places Qualified teams Top four in FIE Official Team Ranking 4 Top team from Asia & Oceania in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Africa in positions 5–16 1 Top team from America in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Europe in positions 5–16 1 Host country option 0 — Total 8
Individual sabre Standard Places Qualified fencer Top 14 individual AOR 14 Top 2 individual AOR: Asia & Oceania 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Africa 2 Top 2 individual AOR: America 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Europe 2 Zonal tournament: Asia & Oceania 3 Zonal tournament: Africa 1 Zonal tournament: America 2 Zonal tournament: Europe 4 Host country option 0 — Total 32
Women's events Individual épée Standard Places Qualified fencer Members of qualifying teams 24 Top 2 individual AOR: Asia & Oceania 2 Top individual AOR: Africa 1 Top 2 individual AOR: America 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Europe 2 Zonal tournament: Asia & Oceania 1 Zonal tournament: Africa 1 Zonal tournament: America 1 Zonal tournament: Europe 1 Host country option 2 Total 37
Team épée Standard Places Qualified teams Top four in FIE Official Team Ranking 5 Top team from Asia & Oceania in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Africa in positions 5–16 0 — Top team from America in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Europe in positions 5–16 1 Host country option 1 Total 9
Individual foil Standard Places Qualified fencer Top 14 individual AOR 14 Top 2 individual AOR: Asia & Oceania 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Africa 2 Top 2 individual AOR: America 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Europe 2 Zonal tournament: Asia & Oceania 3 Zonal tournament: Africa 1 Zonal tournament: America 2 Zonal tournament: Europe 3 Host country option 2 Exceptional additional quota place 1 Total 35
Individual sabre Standard Places Qualified fencer Members of qualifying teams 24 Top 2 individual AOR: Asia & Oceania 2 Top individual AOR: Africa 1 Top 2 individual AOR: America 2 Top 2 individual AOR: Europe 2 Zonal tournament: Asia & Oceania 1 Zonal tournament: Africa 1 Zonal tournament: America 1 Zonal tournament: Europe 1 Host country option 1 Total 36
Team sabre Standard Places Qualified teams Top four in FIE Official Team Ranking 5 Top team from Asia & Oceania in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Africa in positions 5–16 0 — Top team from America in positions 5–16 1 Top team from Europe in positions 5–16 1 Host country option 0 — Total 8
References