Competition took place in the Fencing Hall at the Helliniko Olympic Complex on August 14.

The event was won by Aldo Montano of Italy, the nation's first victory in the men's sabre since 1920 (and second overall).

Zsolt Nemcsik of Hungary took silver while Vladislav Tretiak earned Ukraine's first medal in the event with his bronze.

The 1996 tournament had vastly simplified the competition format into a single-elimination bracket, with a bronze medal match.

The remaining field of 32 fencers competed in a single-elimination tournament to determine the medal winners.