The 1988 world championship and 1999 qualification tournaments provide the seeding for Sydney, where the 12 teams - of five players per team - for men and women are split into two even pools in a round-robin contest. The top four teams in each pool advance to the quarter-finals. The winning semi-finalists play for gold and silver and the losers play for the bronze.

The court is 94 ft by 50 ft and the ceiling of the venue must be at least seven metres high. The basket stands ten ft, or a little over three metres, off the floor and the rim is 17¾in, or 45cm, in diameter.

There are 20-minute halves in Olympic basketball, with five minutes of extra time available in case of a tie. Teams swap ends at half time. A jump ball, requiring the tallest players to jump for possession, starts the game. Players can dribble the ball but must not hold it for more than five seconds before passing. Resuming a dribble after holding a ball is not permitted.

Three points are scored if a basket is shot from outside an arc 6.25 metres from the basket at floor level, while a shot from within that area scores two points.

When a shot is missed, both teams attempt to gain possession and play resumes. After a basket is scored, a defensive team player takes the ball beyond the back line of the court and passes to a team-mate to resume play. The attacking team in possession of the ball has just ten seconds to pass the central line of the court. If it does not make it, the ball goes to the opponent.