Here Are The 17 Weirdest Rules At The Olympics That I Guarantee You Had No Idea Existed
It’s practically doomsday if a rhythmic gymnast loses their prop.
The Olympics just wrapped up, and for me, that has meant scouring the Internet for useless bits of knowledge while the sports play in the background. So today, I’m here to tell you about some very weird rules athletes have to follow… ones you’d have no idea existed if not for the wonderful Internet.
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I’m telling you, these are actually *very* interesting.
1. There’s a strict “no groin grabbing” rule in water polo. So, like, grab someone’s ~thingy~ and you’re outta there.
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Competitors also can’t splash each other in the face. I do feel like there might be some accidental groin-grabbing and splashing what with all the frantic movement in this sport, but hey, what do I know?
2. Also in water polo, players actually have toenail checks before they play. Because, you know, it can scratch someone.
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This sounded weird to me at first, but honestly, I sort of get it. Probably a smart precaution.
3. Golfers better remember to sign their score cards at the end of the game. Because if not, they’re immediately disqualified.
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What if you were one of those kids who could never remember to sign their name on their worksheets in elementary school? You’d be pretty much done for in golf.
4. In dressage, competitors can’t use their voice to control the horse. If they so much as click their tongue, they lose points big-time.
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I’m very much a nervous talker, so this would be bad for me.
5. Rhythmic gymnasts, who compete with props like ribbons and hoops, better hope they don’t get it stuck in the ceiling — if they do, they can’t start their routine over.
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Because they’re constantly throwing their props super high into the air, this happens more than you’d think. And there are literally NO do-overs. So they’re basically screwed if this happens.
6. But on the flipside, in tennis, if your hat falls off or a tennis ball falls out of your pocket, you CAN get a do-over if your opponent calls it, because it’s distracting.
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I’m sorry, I get how this is distracting, but how is your prop getting STUCK in the CEILING not?! Anyway, I’d hope that most players would let someone have a do-over if one of these mishaps happened.
7. Handkerchiefs are a MUST in wrestling — it’s required to have one on you at all times while competing.
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It’s a bit disturbing, but I have to tell you: it’s also called a “bloodrag.” Because it’s used to clean up any bleeding that might happen during the match.
8. In the Winter Olympics, until a few years ago, female figure skaters had to wear a skirt, and men needed to wear pants.
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This seems a bit unnecessary to me. As a woman who hates wearing skirts, this just has to be uncomfy for some of the competitiors.
9. Also until recently, gymnasts couldn’t wear colourful nail polish or nail art of any kind — if they did wear polish, it had to be neutral.
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This is a huge bummer, TBH. Can you imagine what kinds of cool nail art designs teams would have come up with?
10. And speaking of gymnasts, there’s also super strict rules about the leotards they’re allowed to wear. Scoop necks or V-necks are a strict no-no.
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Specifically, the neckline can’t go past the sternum. And they have to be “elegant” and “proper.”
11. In boxing, men have to shave their face.
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They can technically have a bit of facial hair, but to be safe, most of the competitiors just shave it all off.
12. There’s been LOTS of arguments about women’s beach volleyball uniforms. It was a rule that women had to compete in “bra-style tops and bikini bottoms.”
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There was some leeway for those who might have wanted to compete in shorts and a top, but the width of the bottoms couldn’t be more than seven centimetres.
13. In archery, competitors only have 40 seconds of time between shots, and the arrow has to have the player’s name or initials on it.
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This sounds STRESSFUL beyond anything. What if you’re just the type of person who likes to take their time?
14. Ready to travel back in time? Because if a swimmer breaks a world record, they have to use a fax machine or telegram to record it. Or else it doesn’t count.
China News Service / Getty Images
I’m sorry, a WHAT machine??? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fax machine in my life, and I couldn’t tell you what a telegram is. But hey, it’s the rule! And they also have to send it within seven days.
15. If canoers lose their paddle or if it breaks (which happens, you know), they don’t get a new one. Sucks to suck, I guess.
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No, but for real, this must be so upsetting. Although, it’s pretty cool to be able to say you’re strong enough that your strokes alone BROKE a canoe paddle.
16. Divers have to be “bold, high and confident” on the platform before diving. Any sense of doubt, and you lose points.
Amin Mohammad Jamali / Getty Images
It’s obviously SOOO scary to dive off a super-high platform. But not being able to even show any lack of confidence? That’s a new level of fear right there.
17. And finally, perhaps the most controversial rule: no form of protest is allowed during competition.
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This is one of the newest rules, too; it was implemented before the 2020 Summer Olympics. Let’s just say, people aren’t happy about it, and feel that athletes should have the right to protest if they feel the need to do so.
