SWIMMINGRules

What are the rules for Olympic Swimming and who makes those rules? At the international and Olympic level, swimming is governed by FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation). They also govern water polo, diving, synchronized swimming, and masters swimming. The complete set of swimming rules for all aspects of the competition are available on the FINA website. Any country that has a swimming program and swim meets to move swimmers onto the international stage set that country's swimming rules based on the FINA rules.Olympic swimming uses four basic swimming styles or strokes. Freestyle, backstroke,breaststroke, and butterfly (or all four within one race - that is called the IM or individual medley).

Olympic Swimming Competition - Swimming Pool and Open Water

There are 16 swimming pool events for men and women swimmers in the modern Olympic Games.

In 2008 an open water, 10-kilometer marathon swimming race was added to the Olympic Swimming program.

Freestyle or Front Crawl

Freestyle is not specifically defined the way other strokes are - it is generally though of as front crawl, but any style could be used, including those not considered as competitive strokes. For competitive swimming purposes, everyone thinks of freestyle as the front crawl.

Freestyle is the fastest way to move from one end of the pool to the other (not counting underwater with kicking) and everyone in a freestyle race in the Olympics will use front crawl.

In the individual medley and medley relay events, the freestyle portion must be done with a style that has not been used already - so no backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly.

Freestyle swimmers use an alternating arm action, an alternating leg action, and breath to the side.

Freestyle swimmers use a forward start off of a starting block. They might do a few dolphin kicks or fish-kicks off the start before they surface and begin to swim.

Freestylers do a flip turn at each wall. They might do a few dolphin kicks or fish-kicks off of each wall before they surface and begin to swim.

Freestylers finish the race by touching the wall with some part of their body, usually one hand.

During a freestyle swim, the swimmer's head must break the surface of the water at or before 15-meters from the start and from each turn.

Backstroke or Back Crawl

Backstroke swimmers must be "belly-up" whenever they are swimming, with one exception (on their way into a turn). This is measured by comparing the relative position of each of the swimmer's shoulders.

The swimmers must have an alternating arm action (and will have an alternating leg action - that is the fastest way to swim backstroke).

Backstroke almost looks like upside-down freestyle.

Since a backstroker's face is out of the water most of the time, breathing is easier. Most will use a breathing pattern of in on one arm pull, out on the other, or in and out on each pull. Because of this greater ease of breathing, backstroke races are often "even-split" - the time it takes to do each length is about the same for an Olympic-level swimmers. If they are doing a 200 meter race, it might take 30-seconds for the first 50 meters (faster because of the start), then it might take 32-seconds for each of following 50 meter portions. They would split the race 30-32-32-32.

Backstroke swimmers start in the water, with their feet against the wall, hands holding on to a starting grip. The swimmers must be rotated towards "belly-up" when their feet leave the wall, but they might be a little twisted, not 100% "belly-up" until they start their arms.

Backstrokers do a flip turn at each wall, and do a few dolphin kicks or fish-kicks off the start or off each wall before they surface and begin to swim. The only time backstrokers are allowed to be "belly-down" is as they approach a turn. As part of the turning movement the swimmers rotates from "belly-up" to "belly-down" and then do a flip turn (just like a freestyle flip turn), pushing off the wall on their backs ("belly-up").

Backstrokers must finish "belly-up" (on their backs) by touching the wall with some part of their body, usually one hand.

During a backstroke swim, the head must break the surface of the water at or before 15-meters from the start and from each turn wall.

BoxingRulesBoxers qualify for the Olympics through performances at regional tournaments in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania. The number of boxers accepted from any region depends upon the strength of boxing in that region and varies between weight divisions.The boxers are paired off at random for the Olympic Games, without regard to ranking. They fight in a single-elimination tournament, with the winner advancing to the next round and the loser dropping out of the competition.Winning boxers progress through the preliminary rounds to the quarterfinals and semifinals. The two semifinals winners fight for the gold and silver medals, while both losing semifinalists receive bronze medals.

Men's bouts consist of a total of three rounds of three minutes each. Women's bouts consist of a total of four rounds of two minutes each.

There is a one-minute rest interval between each round.

Contests are won by knockout or on points.

A point is awarded for a scoring hit with marked part of the glove on the opponent's head (side or front) or body (above the belt).

A panel of five judges decides which hits are scoring hits.

Judges each have two buttons before them, one for each boxer, and they press the appropriate button when they believe a boxer delivers a scoring hit.

An electronic scoring system registers a point whenever three or more judges press the button for one boxer within a second of each other. No point is awarded for a hit unless three of the five judges agree.

When two boxers trade blows in a flurry of infighting, where no full-force punches can land, the judges wait until the end of the exchange and award a point to the boxer who got the better of it.

At the end of the bout, when each judge's points have been totaled, the boxer awarded the most points by a majority of the judges is declared the winner.

If two boxers end up with the same number of points, the judges decide a winner by assessing such factors as which of the two took the lead and showed better style.Ads

If the judges determine those factors to be even, they turn to which competitor showed better defense.

Punches to an opponent's arms do not score points.

Punches that are judged to have no force behind them do not score points.

When a boxer commits a foul, he faces a caution, a warning or, in extreme cases, disqualification. Two cautions for a particular offence mean an automatic warning, and three warnings of any kind mean disqualification.

Some of the more common fouls include hitting below the belt, holding, pressing an arm or elbow into the opponent's face, forcing the opponent's head over the ropes, hitting with an open glove, hitting with the inside of the glove and hitting the opponent on the back of the head, neck or body. Others include passive defense, not stepping back when ordered to break, speaking offensively to the referee and trying to hit the opponent immediately after the order to break.

During a bout, a boxer is considered down if, as a result of being hit, he touches the floor with any part of his body besides his feet. He also is down if he is even partly outside the ropes or hanging on them helplessly from being hit, or if he still is standing but is judged to be unable to continue.

When a boxer is down, the referee starts counting from one to 10 seconds. The count now is timed electronically, with a beep sounding for each number, but referees often still choose to call them out. The referee also is required to signal the count to the downed boxer by holding a hand in front of him and counting with his fingers. If the boxer is still down after the 10 seconds, the opponent wins on a knockout.

Even if a boxer gets back on his feet immediately, he is obliged to take a mandatory eight-count. After the eight seconds, the referee will give the command "Box" if he feels the match should continue. If the boxer gets to his feet but falls again without receiving another blow, the referee starts counting at eight.

A boxer who is down and being counted can be saved by the bell only in the final round of the final. In all other rounds and bouts, the count continues after the bell sounds.

If any boxer takes three counts in one round or four counts in the bout, the referee will stop the fight and declare the opposing boxer the winner.

Trampoline gymnastics

Rules

Both men and women compete independently in individual events in the trampolining.

In the qualifying round competitors complete both compulsory and optional routines, while the final consists of just an optional routine.

The compulsory routine contains a prescribed set of skills, which must be performed in a set order, while the optional routines must contain 10 recognized skills.

These skills are submitted on cards to the judges, but can be performed in any order. Each of the 10 skills in an optional routine should be different, ie, skills should not be repeated in the same routine.

Routines should end with the trampolinists in an upright position with both feet on the trampoline bed. They must remain upright for at least three seconds at the end of the routine, with points

For all skills apart from straddle jumps, the legs should be kept together with the toes pointed.

Only one attempt at each routine is allowed, unless the routine is interrupted by outside interference.

There is no time limit on routines.

Skills include twists and somersaults in a variety of positions. Each is given a degree of difficulty, the higher the difficulty the higher the score. The number of twists and somersaults in each skill dictates its difficulty rating.

A full somersault is worth 0.4 of a point, a quarter somersault is worth 0.1 and a three-quarter somersault is worth 0.3 of a point. A full twist scores 0.2 of a point and a half twist 0.1 or a point.

If a move includes a somersault and a twist, the scores are added.

If the somersault does not include a twist but is performed in the pike or straight position, 0.1 of a point is added for each complete somersault.

Two difficulty judges confer to give each routine a difficulty score, which is usually in the range of 11-15 points.

A panel of five judges rate the execution of each routine, giving a score out of 10.

They look at form, consistent height and control, deducting fractions of points for faults.

Failing to hit the trampoline with both feet at the same time costs 0.3 of a point, touching the trampoline bed with the hands draws a 0.4 of a point penalty, touching the bed with the hands and knees is worth a half a point penalty and landing on a safety platform results in a 0.8 of a point penalty.

Like the other gymnastics disciplines, in trampolining technical ability is not enough for a good score, style is also important.

Judges reward competitors who perform with artistry and grace.

The highest and lowest scores for each routine are discarded and the other three are totaled.

The difficulty score is then added, giving a final score for the routine.

If scores are tied, the scores are added again, this time including the two discarded scores, to determine a result.