TAKING PART

There will be fewer boxers in Sydney than in Atlanta; 312 against 364. Qualification depends on international bouts at continental tournaments. Each of the "regions" recognised by boxing authorities - Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania - is allocated a number of places, these dependent on the strength of the sport in the region in each of the weight classes. One region may therefore have more boxers in one class than another. Europe is allowed more featherweight pugilists than the other regions because of its relative strength in that division. Fighters are chosen for the qualifying regional tournaments by their domestic federations on the basis of national as well as international results, and not every nation operates the same system.