This was the 30th appearance of the event, which was the only fencing event to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The three-time defending champion Áron Szilágyi lost in the round of 32, making his first loss since 2008.
The 1996 tournament had vastly simplified the competition format into a single-elimination bracket, with a bronze medal match. Fencing was done to 15 touches. Standard sabre rules regarding target area, striking, and priority were used.
Schedule
The competition was held over a single day, Saturday, 27 July. Men's sabre bouts alternate with the women's épée event bouts.[1]
