# Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Qualification
## Qualifying Criteria

An NOC may enter up to 3 athletes per weapon (épée, foil, or sabre) for the weapons in which there is a team event and up to 2 athletes per weapon for other weapons.
For each team event there will be 8 qualified teams plus a team from the Host Nation if applicable. The teams will qualify as follows:
* Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE) Official Team Ranking as of March 31, 2008 (best 4 teams)
* Highest ranked team from each zone (America, Europe, Asia/Oceania, Africa) outside top 4 in FIE Team Ranking (4 teams)
For each individual event (weapons which have a team event) there will be 39 qualified athletes as follows:
* All athletes qualified for team competition (24 athletes)
* The 3 highest ranked athletes in the FIE Individual adjusted official ranking (AOR) (3 athletes)
* The 7 highest ranked athletes from FIE Individual AOR by zone (Europe 2, America 2, Asia/Oceania 2, Africa 1) – 1 per NOC
* The 5 highest ranked athletes from zonal qualifying events (Europe 2, America 1, Asia/Oceania 1, Africa 1) – 1 per NOC
For the remaining individual events there will be 24 qualified athletes as follows:
* The first 8 from the FIE Individual Ranking
* The first 8 from the FIE Individual AOR by zone (Europe 3, America 2, Asia/Oceania 2, Africa 1) – 1 athlete per country
* The first 8 from zonal qualifying events (Europe 3, America 2, Asia/Oceania 2, Africa 1) – 1 per NOC, open only for NOCs not qualified as mentioned above

## Summary

| Nation | Men | Men | Men | Men | Men | Women | Women | Women | Women | Women | Total |
| Nation | Individual | Individual | Individual | Team | Team | Individual | Individual | Individual | Team | Team | | Total |
| Nation | Épée | Foil | Sabre | Épée | Sabre | Épée | Foil | Sabre | Foil | Sabre | Total |
| Algeria | | | | | | 1 | 1 | | | | 2 |
| Argentina | | 1 | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Australia | | | | | | 1 | 1 | | | | 2 |
| Austria | | 1 | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Belarus | | | 3 | | X | | | | | | 3 |
| Brazil | | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | 2 |
| Burkina Faso | | | 1 | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | 3 | | X | 8 |
| Chile | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| China | 3 | 2 | 3 | X | X | 2 | 3 | 3 | X | X | 16 |
| Cuba | | | | | | | 1 | 1 | | | 2 |
| Egypt | 1 | 1 | 3 | | X | 1 | 3 | | X | | 9 |
| Estonia | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| France | 3 | 2 | 3 | X | X | 2 | 1 | 3 | | X | 14 |
| Germany | | 2 | 1 | | | 2 | 3 | 1 | X | | 9 |
| Great Britain | | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 3 |
| Hong Kong | | 1 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | 3 |
| Hungary | 3 | | 3 | X | X | 2 | 3 | 1 | X | | 12 |
| Ireland | | | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 |
| Israel | | 1 | | | | 1 | 1 | | | | 3 |
| Italy | 3 | 2 | 3 | X | X | | 3 | 2 | X | | 13 |
| Japan | 1 | 2 | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 7 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Mexico | | | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 |
| Morocco | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| Netherlands | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 |
| Norway | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Panama | | | | | | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| Peru | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 1 |
| Poland | 3 | 1 | 1 | X | | | 3 | 3 | X | X | 11 |
| Portugal | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 |
| Qatar | | 1 | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Romania | | 1 | 2 | | | 1 | 1 | | | | 5 |
| Russia | 1 | | 3 | | X | 2 | 3 | 3 | X | X | 12 |
| Senegal | | | 2 | | | | | 1 | | | 3 |
| South Africa | 3 | | | X | | | | 3 | | X | 6 |
| South Korea | 3 | 1 | 1 | X | | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | 10 |
| Spain | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | 1 | | | 5 |
| Sweden | | | | | | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| Switzerland | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | | 2 |
| Thailand | | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | 2 |
| Tunisia | | | | | | | 1 | 1 | | | 2 |
| Ukraine | 3 | | | X | | 1 | 1 | 3 | | X | 8 |
| United States | 1 | 1 | 3 | | X | 1 | 3 | 3 | X | X | 12 |
| Venezuela | 3 | | 1 | X | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 7 |
| Total: 45 NOCs | 41 | 26 | 40 | 9 | 8 | 25 | 41 | 39 | 8 | 8 | 212 |

## Men
### Épée

Team Competition:
The first four teams in the FIE team ranking:
* France, Hungary, Italy, Poland
The highest-ranked team from each zone:
* Africa: South Africa
* Asia-Oceania: South Korea
* America: Venezuela
* Europe: Ukraine
Invitational:
* Host: China ^
^ China received two additional places for team event.
| Individual Competition | Date | Venue | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Team world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 26 | All athletes qualified for team event |
| Individual world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 3 | José Luis Abajo Bas Verwijlen Joaquim Videira |
| Individual world ranking (Africa) | March 31, 2008 | – | 1 | Ahmed Nabil |
| Individual world ranking (Asia-Oceania) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Wang Lei Shogo Nishida |
| Individual world ranking (America) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Weston Kelsey Igor Tikhomirov |
| Individual world ranking (Europe) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Michael Kauter Anton Avdeev |
| African qualifying event | April 25, 2008 | Casablanca | 1 | Aissam Rami |
| Asian-Oceania qualifying event | April 22–23, 2008 | Bangkok | 1 | Serguei Katchiourine |
| American qualifying event | April 26–27, 2008 | Querétaro | 1 | Paris Inostroza |
| European qualifying event | April 26, 2008 | Prague | 2 | Nikolai Novosjolov Sturla Torkildsen |
| TOTAL | | | 41 | |

### Foil

| Individual Competition | Date | Venue | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Individual world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 8 | Peter Joppich Salvatore Sanzo Andrea Cassarà Erwann Le Péchoux Benjamin Kleibrink Yuki Ota Lei Sheng Zhu Jun |
| Individual world ranking (Africa) | March 31, 2008 | – | 1 | Mostafa Nagaty |
| Individual world ranking (Asia-Oceania) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Choi Byung-chul Kenta Chida |
| Individual world ranking (America) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Gerek Meinhardt Josh McGuire |
| Individual world ranking (Europe) | March 31, 2008 | – | 3 | Tomer Or Sławomir Mocek Brice Guyart |
| African qualifying event | April 25, 2008 | Casablanca | 1 | Lahoussine Ali |
| Asian-Oceania qualifying event | April 22–23, 2008 | Bangkok | 2 | Nontapat Panchan Lau Kwok Kin |
| American qualifying event | April 26–27, 2008 | Querétaro | 2 | João Souza Alberto Viaggio |
| European qualifying event | April 26, 2008 | Lisbon | 3 | Javier Menendez Roland Schlosser Virgil Sălișcan |
| Invitational/Host Nation* | – | – | 2 | Khalid Al-Hamadi Richard Kruse |
| TOTAL | | | 26 | |

### Sabre

Team Competition:
The first four teams in the FIE team ranking:
* France, Hungary, Belarus, Russia
The highest-ranked team from each zone:
* Africa: Egypt
* Asia-Oceania: China
* America: United States
* Europe: Italy
| Individual Competition | Date | Venue | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Team world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 24 | All athletes qualified for team event |
| Individual world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 3 | Nicolas Limbach Mihai Covaliu Jorge Pina |
| Individual world ranking (Africa) | March 31, 2008 | – | 1 | Abdulaye Thiam |
| Individual world ranking (Asia-Oceania) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Oh Eun-Seok Wiradech Kothny |
| Individual world ranking (America) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Carlos Bravo Renzo Pasquale Agresta |
| Individual world ranking (Europe) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Jaime Martí Rareș Dumitrescu |
| African qualifying event | April 25, 2008 | Casablanca | 1 | Mamadou Keita |
| Asian-Oceania qualifying event | April 22–23, 2008 | Bangkok | 1 | Satoshi Ogawa |
| American qualifying event | April 26–27, 2008 | Querétaro | 1 | Philippe Beaudry |
| European qualifying event | April 26, 2008 | Istanbul | 2 | Marcin Koniusz Alex O'Connell |
| Invitational/Host Nation* | – | – | 1 | Julien Ouedraogo |
| TOTAL | | | 40 | |

## Women
### Épée

| Individual Competition | Date | Venue | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Individual world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 8 | Li Na Britta Heidemann Emese Szász Laura Flessel-Colovic Hajnalka Kiraly-Picot Tatiana Logunova Zhong Weiping Imke Duplitzer |
| Individual world ranking (Africa) | March 31, 2008 | – | 1 | Aya El Sayed |
| Individual world ranking (Asia-Oceania) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Jung Hyo-Jung Amber Parkinson |
| Individual world ranking (America) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Sherraine Schalm Kelley Hurley |
| Individual world ranking (Europe) | March 31, 2008 | – | 3 | Ildikó Mincza-Nébald Ana Maria Brânză Lyubov Shutova |
| African qualifying event | April 25, 2008 | Casablanca | 1 | Hadia Bentaleb |
| Asian-Oceania qualifying event | April 22–23, 2008 | Bangkok | 2 | Megumi Harada Yeung Chui Ling |
| American qualifying event | April 26–27, 2008 | Querétaro | 2 | Jesica Jimenez Luna María Martínez |
| European qualifying event | April 26, 2008 | Prague | 3 | Yana Shemyakina Noam Mills Sophie Lamon |
| Invitational/Host Nation* | – | – | 1 | Emma Samuelsson |
| TOTAL | | | 25 | |

### Foil

Team Competition:
The first four teams in the FIE team ranking:
* Russia, Poland, Hungary, Italy
The highest-ranked team from each zone:
* Africa: Egypt
* Asia-Oceania: China
* America: United States
* Europe: Germany
| Individual Competition | Date | Venue | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Team world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 24 | All athletes qualified for team event |
| Individual world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 3 | Nam Hyun-hee Cristina Stahl Delila Hatuel |
| Individual world ranking (Africa) | March 31, 2008 | – | 1 | Ines Boubakri |
| Individual world ranking (Asia-Oceania) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Chieko Sugawara Jung Gil-ok |
| Individual world ranking (America) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Mariana González Jujie Luan |
| Individual world ranking (Europe) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Corrine Maitrejean Olga Leleyko |
| African qualifying event | April 25, 2008 | Casablanca | 1 | Anissa Khelfaoui |
| Asian-Oceania qualifying event | April 22–23, 2008 | Bangkok | 1 | Joanna Halls |
| American qualifying event | April 26–27, 2008 | Querétaro | 1 | Misleydis Campany |
| European qualifying event | April 26, 2008 | Lisbon | 2 | Debora Nogueira Martina Emanuel |
| Invitational/Host Nation* | – | – | 2 | Maria Luisa Doig Indra Angad-Gaur |
| TOTAL | | | 41 | |

### Sabre

Team Competition:
The first four teams in the FIE team ranking:
* France, United States, Russia, Ukraine
The highest-ranked team from each zone:
* Africa: South Africa
* Asia-Oceania: China
* America: Canada
* Europe: Poland
| Individual Competition | Date | Venue | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Team world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 24 | All athletes qualified for team event |
| Individual world ranking | March 31, 2008 | – | 3 | Gioia Marzocca Kim Keum-hwa Orsolya Nagy |
| Individual world ranking (Africa) | March 31, 2008 | – | 1 | Azza Besbes |
| Individual world ranking (Asia-Oceania) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Lee Shin-mi Chow Tsz Ki |
| Individual world ranking (America) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Alejandra Benítez Angélica Larios |
| Individual world ranking (Europe) | March 31, 2008 | – | 2 | Ilaria Bianco Alexandra Bujdoso |
| African qualifying event | April 25, 2008 | Casablanca | 1 | Nafi Toure |
| Asian-Oceania qualifying event | April 22–23, 2008 | Bangkok | 1 | Madoka Hisagae |
| American qualifying event | April 26–27, 2008 | Querétaro | 1 | Maylin Gonzalez Pozo |
| European qualifying event | April 26, 2008 | Istanbul | 2 | Araceli Navarro Siobhan Byrne |
| TOTAL | | | 39 | |
* The host country will have the right to enter 8 fencers, to be distributed between team and individual events as it sees fit: thus, it could enter teams, or have no team and select for only the individual events. Any places unused by the host country of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will be reallocated by the Tripartite Commission (IOC, NOC, FIE)