Section 2 · Gymnasts

Gymnasts: Rights and Duties

The gymnast's rights, his duties, and the apparatus he has a right to.

Unofficial summary. The FIG Code of Points and its newsletters are the authority; every rule links to its page there.

−0.1−0.3−0.5−1.0small · medium · large · fall — the colours the Code uses

The gymnast

Rights

He has the right to:

be judged correctly and fairly by the Code.
receive the rating of a new element or vault he submitted, in writing, within a reasonable time before the competition starts.
have his score shown immediately after the exercise, or as the competition's rules say.
receive a result with all his scores, through his delegation leader.

He also has the right to:

repeat his whole exercise if it was interrupted for reasons beyond his control. He needs the Superior Jury's permission.
leave the hall for a short time for personal reasons, with permission. The permission must not be refused without good reason. The competition is not delayed for him.

Code 2.1, p. 6

The gymnast

The Apparatus

He has the right to identical apparatus and mats in the training halls, the warm-up hall and on the podium. They must meet the FIG norms.

On rings, vault and horizontal bar, an additional 10 cm soft mat on top of the 20 cm landing mats is mandatory. The supplementary mats stay in place for the whole exercise.

On rings and horizontal bar, he has the right to:

be lifted to the hang by a coach or a gymnast.
have one spotter present.
ask to have the horizontal bar raised for his height.

Rings and horizontal bar cables are tensioned between 1000 and 5000 newtons. At major competitions, a Tension Control Sensor on each apparatus reports when the tension is out of range.

Newsletter 1, p. 2 · in force from August 2025

Newsletter 1 repeats the cable tension from the Apparatus Norms. It also introduces the Tension Control Sensor.

Code 2.1, p. 6 · Code 2.3, p. 7 · NL1, p. 2

The gymnast

Requests Before the Competition

Requests: To have a new element rated. To have the horizontal bar raised.
Sent by: The gymnast or his coach, in writing, to the Superior Jury President.
When: At least 24 hours before podium training. A request to raise the horizontal bar may instead follow the competition's Technical Regulations.

Code 2.2, p. 7 · Code 7.1, p. 15

The gymnast

Duties

The gymnast must know the Code of Points and follow it.

Each line is a duty. The penalty beside it is for failing in that duty.

Present to D1 before and after the exercise, with one or both arms raisedby D1, from the Final Score−0.3each
Begin within 30 seconds of the green light, on every apparatusby D1, from the Final Score−0.3
Leave the podium immediately after the exercise, and do not remount itby D1, from the Final Score−0.3
Do not change the height of any apparatus without permissionby D1, from the Final Score−0.5
Do not speak to active judgesby D1, from the Final Score−0.3
Do not delay the competition or interfere with anyone else's rightsby D1, from the Final Score−0.3
Tell the Superior Jury before leaving the hallDisqualified if he leaves without permission and does not return
Attend the award ceremony, dressed as FIG protocol requiresResult annulled if absent

Table 2.4.1 has no line of its own for leaving the podium late, speaking to active judges or delaying the competition. For these, and any other duty without a penalty of its own, the general rule applies. The penalty is 0.3 for a behaviour violation and 0.5 for an apparatus violation.

Code 2.2, p. 7 · Code 2.3, p. 7 · Code 2.4, p. 8

The gymnast

The Gymnasts' Oath

The gymnasts promise to take part with respect for the rules, and to follow them. They commit to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship.

Code 2.5, p. 8