Here Are The 17 Weirdest Rules At The Olympics That I Guarantee You Had No Idea Existed (2025)

FAQs

Who was not allowed to attend the Olympics what would happen if they were caught attending the Games? ›

Women at Olympia

Only men, boys and unmarried girls were allowed to attend the Olympic Games. Married women were barred. If they were caught sneaking in, they could be thrown off the side of a mountain as punishment! However, women could still own horses in the chariot races at the Olympics.

Darts. While darts may not take much vigor, many consider it a sport. There have been great efforts by various official dart organisations to get darts into the Olympics, and the Olympic Committee have said it may become incorporated in the 2024 games.

1980 Summer Olympics boycott: U.S. President Jimmy Carter instigated a boycott of the games to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, as the Games were held in Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union.

It's a phrase echoed by the founder of the Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who said "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well."

While previous bans and suspensions had to do with doping scandals, Russia was most recently suspended by the International Olympic Committee for its invasion of Ukraine. The scandal of Russian athletes taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs burst into public view in 2015 after a series of leaks and investigations.

In 2019, Russia was officially banned from the Olympics by the World Anti-Doping Agency for four years, but that ban was shortened to two years after Russia appealed. For the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the IOC banned Russia and Belarus from participating due to their involvement related to the war in Ukraine.

From its lack of appeal to younger demographics, to unequal playing conditions, unsuccessful voting, exclusion from shortlists, and no Paralympic presence, these are the primary reasons why we don't see bowling in the Olympics. Despite this, bowling remains a beloved sport enjoyed by millions worldwide.

The correct answer is Cricket. Cricket is not included in Olympics. Cricket was penciled in as an event in the very first modern Olympic Games at Athens in 1896, it was listed in the original program but was later shelved due to an insufficient number of entries.

The largest boycott in Olympic history took place at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Led by the United States, over 60 nations participated in the boycott. This was in response to the games' host, the Soviet Union, which had invaded Afghanistan one year prior to the games.

In addition, Germany had been selected to host the 1916 Summer Olympics as well as the 1940 Winter Olympics, both of which had to be cancelled due to World Wars. After these wars, Germany was banned from participating in the 1920, 1924 and 1948 Olympics.

What's an Olympic sport that doesn't exist but should? ›

2) Tug of War

Per the IOC, Tug of War was an Olympic sport between 1900 and 1920 — I'd like a word with whoever thought it was a good idea to remove this majestic display of masculinity, because it needs to come back immediately.

Why are there only five rings on an Olympic flag? The International Olympic Committee follows the five-continent model, typically followed in multiple parts of the world, which says that there are five continents in the planet: America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania.

The phrase “the important thing is not to win but to participate” emphasizes the value of involvement and effort over competition. It encourages people to focus on the experience, personal growth, and teamwork rather than solely on the outcome.

All free Greek males were allowed to take part, from farmhands to royal heirs, although the majority of Olympians were soldiers. Women could not compete or even attend. There was, however, a loophole to this misogynistic rule – chariot owners, not riders, were declared Olympic champions and anyone could own a chariot.

Team Russia is barred from these Games because of the war in Ukraine. A World Athletics ruling means that track and field stars from Russia aren't even allowed to compete as neutral athletes. And, for Mariya, that hurts.

What was the penalty for cheating? Anyone who violated the rules was fined by the judges. The money was used to set up statues of Zeus, the patron god of the Games at Olympia.

THE OLYMPIC GAMES ARE RESTRICTED TO AMATEURS

They assemble amateurs of all nations in fair and equal competition. No discrimination is allowed against any country or person on grounds of race, religion or political affiliations. Only persons who are amateurs within the definition laid down in art.