🏛️Official — World Aquatics
Loading OpenSourceSports…
Water Sports
1 players
both
board, diving ring
10 essential rules
Diving has been a continuous Olympic sport since the 1904 St. Louis Games (men's platform) and the 1912 Stockholm Games (women). Originally part of gymnastics-related aquatic events, competitive diving evolved into a standalone discipline governed by World Aquatics (formerly FINA, rebranded in 20...
Key Fact: Diving boards are constructed from extruded aluminum alloy and must extend at least 1.50 m overhang bey.
Heights: 1 m and 3 m above the water surface. The 3 m board is used in Olympic competition; the 1 m board is used in NCAA and other domestic events.; Board dimensions: Length 4.87 m (16 ft), width 0.50 m (1 ft 8 in). Constructed from extruded aluminum alloy (typically Maxiflex Model B or equivale...
Olympic height: 10 m (32 ft 10 in) above the water surface. Training and junior platforms available at 5 m and 7.5 m.; Dimensions: Minimum length 6.0 m (19 ft 8 in), minimum width 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in). Multiple platforms may be installed on the same tower.; Construction: Rigid concrete or reinforced...
Swimwear: Competitive swimwear conforming to World Aquatics regulations. No loose-fitting fabric; suits must be form-fitting. Two-piece suits permitted for women but must not be excessive in coverage.; Chamois (shammy): Small synthetic towel used to dry skin and hands between dives. Helps maintai...
Minimum depth: 5.0 m (16 ft 5 in) below the 10 m platform; 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) below the 3 m springboard; 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in) below the 1 m springboard.; Minimum area: The clear water zone directly below each board or platform must be at least 5.0 m x 4.0 m free from obstructions.; Ceiling height: ...
Diving takes place in a purpose-built diving well.
A mechanical surface agitation system is mandatory at all World Aquatics-sanctioned competitions. This system produces a visible disturbance on the water surface (bubbles, spray jets, or drip jets) so divers can judge their height and distance from the water during flight.
Hot tub / shower area: Located adjacent to the pool for divers to maintain body temperature between dives. Water temperature typically 37–40 °C (99–104 °F).; Dry-land training: Purpose-built dryland facility with overhead spotting rigs (harnesses), trampolines, and foam pits for learning new dive...
Individual and synchronized (pairs). Synchronized: both divers perform the same dive simultaneously.
Each diver competes alone, performing a prescribed number of dives from a published dive list. Preliminary rounds narrow the field to 18 (semifinal) and then 12 (final).
Never interrupt a competitor's pre-dive mental routine
Competitive divers invest years developing specific visualization and mental rehearsal sequences before each dive. Speaking to, jostling, or deliberately distracting a competitor who is in their pre-dive routine — whether in the ready area or on the platform — is one of the most serious breaches of sportsmanship in the sport.
The danger inherent in difficult dives makes this doubly serious — mental errors caused by distraction can lead to injury.
Silence while a diver is preparing and executing
Coaches, competitors, and spectators maintain complete silence once a diver steps to the end of the board or platform to begin their approach. Any noise — shouting instructions, cheering, commentary — during the diver's mental preparation and execution is considered a serious breach of the competition environment.
Applies in training pools and competition venues alike. Distinct from the crowd noise after entry.
Synchro partners present a united front after a poor dive
In synchronized diving, it is expected that partners never visibly blame each other — through looks, words, or body language — after a badly synchronized or failed dive. Whatever frustration exists is handled privately. Public expressions of blame toward a partner are considered a serious breach of the partnership contract and the sport's respect culture.
Applies in both training and competition. Partners are expected to immediately re-focus and support each other.
Ready to dive deeper?