Rules

Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform (5, 7.5 or 10 m) or springboard (1m and 3m), while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games.

Divers have to perform a set number of dives according to established requirements, including somersaults and twists. Divers are judged on whether and how well they completed all aspects of the dive, the conformance of their body to the requirements of the dive, and the amount of splash created by their entry to the water.

Dives differ in standing (front and back, armstand), dive direction (reverse, inward, twisting), degree of difficulty (number and difficulty). The quality of dives (the approach, flight and entry) is judged by referees from 0 to 10 points for a dive.

A possible score out of ten is broken down into three points for the takeoff, three for the flight, and three for the entry, with one more available to give the judges flexibility.

Synchronized diving was adopted as an Olympic sport in 2000. Two divers form a team and perform dives simultaneously. The dives are usually identical; however, sometimes the dives may be opposites, in what is called a pinwheel. In these events, the diving is judged both on the quality of execution and the synchronicity - in timing of take-off and entry, height and forward travel.

Diving was adopted as an Olympic sport in 1904 (women - in 1912). The global governing body of diving is the Fdration Internationale de Natation (FINA), incl. the Technical Diving Committee.