Between honey applied to hands before bar events and the music chosen for floor routines, read on for the unique rules gymnasts must follow at the Olympics.
Gymnastics uniforms ‘must be of elegant design’
Team USA’s uniforms draw attention each year due to their dazzling designs — and the 2024 Paris Olympic get-ups have been no different! The leotards are covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals, one of which has over 10,000!
The women’s team (Biles, Jade Carey, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera) have eight leotards to take with them to Paris — and while they wear the same leotard during the team competition, they can choose what to wear during other events.
The added pizzazz is strategic, as it aligns with the FIG guidelines the men and women gymnasts must abide by. “They must wear a correct sportive non-transparent leotard or unitard (one piece leotard with full-length legs-hip to ankle) which must be of elegant design,” the guidelines state.
Leg coverings are also allowed, but they must be “of the same color as that of the leotard” and can be “under or on top” of it. Furthermore, gymnasts “must wear a national identification or emblem” on the leotard or unitard to avoid point deduction.
Gymnasts are not allowed to wear certain jewelry
To further enhance their “elegant” appearance during competition, gymnasts are allowed to compliment their uniforms with jewelry at the Olympics. However, certain pieces are prohibited.
Gymnasts are allowed to wear “a small stud type pierced earring(s),” according to FIG guidelines, but “they must refrain” from wearing “bracelets or necklaces.”
Gymnasts are allowed to wear makeup, but limited
Gymnasts are allowed to wear makeup during competition, which explains why Team USA’s Chiles has a 30-plus step makeup routine that consists of her 15 favorite products (foundation, concealer, primers, eyeshadows, lip oils and liners, blush, contour and eyebrows included)!
Although makeup is allowed, FIG has rules around how much is worn and what kind is applied. “Face painting is not allowed,” the handbook states, also noting that “any make-up must be modest and not portray a theatrical character (animal or human).”
Gymnasts are allowed to wear handguards and wraps
If you’re wondering why gymnasts appear to wear casts and braces on their wrists in routines like bar and vault, they’re actually guards and wraps. This equipment is allowed as protection from the significant pressure applied on their joints during these events.
“Handguards, body bandages and wrists wraps are permitted,” FIG states, adding that they “must be securely fastened, in good repair and should not detract from the aesthetics of the performance.” (For example, bandages must be skin-colored when available.)
Raisman says choosing to wear them “is just personal preference depending on if the gymnast has a wrist injury.” They “help with all the wear and tear” the athlete is putting on their joints, she explains, though she notes that “not everyone uses them.”
Compression sleeves and compression socks are not allowed during competition. The same goes for hip or other padding.
Gymnasts are allowed to use honey on hands\
This next rule may surprise you. While many gymnasts apply chalk on their hands to combat sweat and prevent slipping, honey is allowed to be used instead!
The New York Times pointed out this tactic during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (which were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), noting that it was primarily used by men on the parallel bar (as opposed to women, who do not compete in that event).
“None of my teammates used honey,” Raisman tells PEOPLE. “Some of the gymnasts from the other countries did — but if you’re going right after them, it can affect the grip or the way that the bar feels… So the coaches would try to just take it off as fast as they could.”
Gymnasts are allowed to apply chalk to improve grip
Women, who compete on the uneven bars, tend to use spray water or chalk for stickiness.
“I used [chalk] to help me not slip because sometimes when you’re nervous or you’re working out a lot, your palms get sweaty,” Raisman explains. “So the chalk is really to help you better grip… if your hand slips, it’s very dangerous.”
They may also wear leather grips for more stability. “All of my teammates, we all used grips on our hands,” Raisman says. “It’s a leather thing that you wear on your hands, and it just helps you grip the bar better.”
Floor exercise music must not exceed 90 seconds
Wondering how music is chosen for women’s artistic gymnastics floor exercise? There are actually a number of requirements that gymnasts must follow when submitting their song ahead of the competition to avoid the deduction of points.
Music must be submitted prior to the event, along with the athlete’s name and three capital letters used by FIG for the country code. The name of the composer and title of the music also has to be included.
Words are not allowed in the song, but “the human voice may be used as a musical instrument without words,” per FIG. Humming and whistling are two examples of the “human voice” as an acceptable instrument.
A song’s duration matters, too. For women’s artistic gymnastics, the music for a floor routine “must not exceed 1 minute and 30 seconds” — while men’s floor routines are unaccompanied by music, plus cap at 75 seconds.
Gymnasts must consider their facial expressions
Facial expressions are important when competing in particular gymnastics events, like floor.
According to FIG, “Expression can be defined generally as the attitude and range of emotion exhibited by the gymnast with both her face and through her body. This includes how a gymnast generally presents herself and connects with the judges and the audience.”
Furthermore, the ability for a gymnast to “control and manage” their expression “during the performance of the most difficult and complex movements” is considered for scoring. “Gymnasts are so focused on what they’re doing and gymnastics is so dangerous,” Raisman says of athlete’s keeping composure.
FIG adds, “It is also her ability to play a role or a character throughout the performance… In addition to the technical execution, artistic harmony and feminine grace must also be considered.”
Gymnasts don’t have to have bare feet
While gymnasts often compete without footwear, that’s not a requirement. “They have the option of wearing gymnastic slippers and/or socks,” per FIG.
“I don’t personally find socks are popular because I think that can make it a lot easier to slip,” Raisman says. “I’ve worn a toe slipper type of thing that helps me turn better on floor. It’s really just about the way that the gymnast’s routine is formulated and what helps them.”
The Olympian adds, “If they have a lot of turns in their routine, I think it’s more common to have something on their foot or to wear socks.” Again, she says “it’s really personal preference.”
Gymnasts must not speak to judges mid competition
Rules around talking are in place for gymnasts at the Olympics. According to FIG, they must “refrain from speaking with active judges during the competition.”
Coaches, too, are limited to talking during competition. “Refrain from speaking to the gymnast or from assisting her in any other way (give signals, shouts, cheers or similar) during her performance.”
Gymnasts must point toes to avoid point deduction
Gymnasts can lose points if their toes aren’t pointed. This is part of FIG’s “Body Shape Deduction” ruling. Insufficient split, bent and separated legs and unaesthetic body position are a few of the others that fall under that category.
