93 fencers
50 fencers to qualify for main tableau
4 rounds of poules
ranking after each round with placement in poule as first criteria
Round No 1
93 fencers
14 poules (9 poules of 7, 5 poules of 6)
Separation by : countries, clubs
93 qualifiers
Round No 2
93 fencers
14 poules (9 poules of 7, 5 poules of 6)
92 qualifiers, 1 abandoned
14 poule winners qualified for main tableau
Round No 3
78 fencers (93 at the start, 14 exemptions, 1 abandoned)
13 poules (13 poules of 6)
78 qualifiers
13 poule winners qualified for main tableau
Round No 4
65 fencers (93 at the start, 27 exemptions, 1 abandoned)
11 poules (10 poules of 6, 1 poule of 5)
65 qualifiers
11 poule winners qualified for main tableau
Preliminary tableau
24 best remaining fencers on a combined ranking from poule round 2-4 qualifiy to preliminary tableau
12 fencers from the preliminary tableau are qualified for the main tableau
Main tableau
50 fencers in an incomplete tableau of 64 with repêchage in one phase to 8
Placement in tableau will if necessary be adjusted to avoid already fenced matches