Fencing at the 1996 Summer Olympics

The Atlanta Games saw a number of changes to the fencing programme. The most important change was the introduction of two new events, individual and team épée for women. These were the first new events to be introduced since the women’s team foil in 1960. Another difference was the abolition of pool stages in all events. A straight knockout format replaced the complicated and clunky system that had been in use for many Olympics with each bout being scored to 15 points rather than the 3-set format of the Barcelona Games. In team competitions a limit was set on team composition as only three fencers were now allowed on each team.

Competing for the first time since 1920 under their own flag, Russia were the most successful nation at the Georgia World Congress Center with four gold medals in their tally of seven medals. The other nations to make an impact in Atlanta were Italy and France, who shared five titles between them, and Romania, who won a first Olympic fencing title since 1968 via the efforts of Laura Badea. Individually Laura Flessel of France and Stanislav Pozdnyakov of Russia were double gold medal winners.