Question

State any five rules of Diving.

Answer 1

Diving as a competitive activity is governed by a comprehensive set of rules that ensure competition safety, fairness, and consistency. These rules, overseen by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), apply to a wide range of aspects of the sport, from athlete conduct to specialised diving methods.

Here are five fundamental rules of competitive diving:

1. Dive Categories and Positions: Divers must conduct dives from a set of recognised categories, which include forward, backwards, reverse, inward and twisting dives, and arm, stands for platform diving.
2. Dive Announcement: Divers must announce or have their coach announce the dive they will attempt, including its category, position and whether or not it incorporates twists, before performing. The announcement must correspond with the dive conducted; otherwise, the dive may be penalised or ruled a failure.
3. Board work: Divers in springboard diving are evaluated not only on the dive itself but also on their approach to and takeoff the board. An ideal takeoff shows control, balance and smart use of the board's spring to maximise height.
4. Execution and Entry: The quality of the dive is assessed from takeoff to entry into the water. The judges look for grace, strength, flexibility and form throughout the dive.
5. Failed Dives: A dive is considered failed if the diver deviates significantly from the announced dive, falls off the board or platform before executing the dive, performs an additional bounce on the springboard or reaches the water in a position that is significantly different than the intended one.