Canoeing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Qualification
Slalom. An NOC may enter up to 1 boat in each slalom event at the Olympics. Qualification places are awarded to the NOC and not to the athletes. Qualification timeline: Places: <nowiki>*</nowiki> Algeria received the African spot, but decided not to take place, leaving its place to Kenya, who chose not to participate, either. According to the classification rules, Brazil received the quota place as the next best country in the American qualification tournament. <nowiki>**</nowiki> New Zealand received the spot, but decided not to take place, Canada received the  quota place as the next best country in the American qualification tournament. Flatwater. An NOC may enter 1 boat in each flatwater competition. Qualification place is awarded to the NOC and not to the athletes. The Host Nation is awarded 1 boat in K-1 Men, K-1 Women and C-1 Men events and if they do not qualify through the world championships, the lowest ranked boat from the world championships will be replaced by the boat from the Host Nation. First allocation. Qualification timeline: Minimum boat quota places: Second allocation. The IOC caps the total number of athletes in the flat  water competition, which determines the minimum boat quota places listed above. However, an athlete may represent his NOC in more than one event, in which case an additional Athlete Quota Place becomes available. The additional entry is awarded to the next best ranked NOC at the corresponding Continental Qualification in which the NOC of the repeating athlete competes. Second allocation after global qualification : Additional. Athletes filling a quota place in one event may compete in other events as well