format throughout. Individual competitions at weapons with a team event at Rio 2016 will comprise approximately 36 fencers per weapon and will be run as an incomplete direct elimination tableau of 64. Individual competitions at weapons with only an individual event at Rio 2016 will comprise up to 32 fencers per weapon and will be run as a complete or incomplete direct elimination tableau of 32. The initial order of fencers will be established according to the updated and adjusted FIE Official Ranking. If there are fencers qualified who do not appear in the FIE Official Ranking, and/or if there are fencers ranked equally in the FIE Official Ranking, the FIE will carry out a preliminary drawing of lots as follows:

• a drawing of lots for any fencers ranked equally
• a drawing of lots for any fencers who do not appear in the FIE Official Ranking Once all fencers have an initial ranking, there will be a drawing of lots in pairs for all fencers in the tableau

Team events

Teams will be seeded according to the Adjusted FIE Official Team Ranking at each weapon.