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Boxers must shave -

Boxers’ faces have to be clean-shaven when competing in the Olympics. This is not the case for professional boxing. 

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You can run barefoot -

Track and field athletes don’t have to wear shoes, but it’s rare to see someone compete barefoot. 

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No makeup and no nail polish -

Gymnasts can’t wear any colorful makeup. Colored nail polish is also prohibited for athletes competing in this domain. 

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Political statements/protests -

Any form of political statement or protest is not allowed in the Olympics. 

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Athletes can't speak about their endorsements -

Unlike the case in almost all professional sports, athletes can’t talk about their endorsements, which is more or less the point of having an endorsement, at least for whomever they're endorsing. 

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No holding hands -

It doesn’t matter what distance running event or how far ahead two participants are, they are disqualified if they hold hands while crossing the finish line.

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No somersaults -

There are no somersaults allowed in figure skating events in the Winter Olympic Games. Surya Bonaly of France performed a backflip in her free skate routine in the women's Olympic figure skating in 1998 because she felt like she wasn’t going to win, so she just wanted to entertain the fans instead. 

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Swimmers must fax in the win -

When swimmers set world records in the Olympic pools, it’s not officially recorded until the athlete sends a fax confirming it.  

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No photos -

Athletes can’t post photos of the field or backstage areas to social media. 

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"Can I borrow a pen?" -

If a golfer in the Olympics forgets to sign their scorecard at the end of an event, they will automatically be disqualified. 

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Fencers can't leave their piste -

Fencers can’t leave the piste during a match, even when a play is being challenged. In 2012, when South Korea challenged a call, fencer Shin A-lam was forced to stay on the piste for nearly an hour waiting for a decision. 

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Sock stipulations -

Cyclists' socks can only go up as far as the middle of their calf, which is measured before events. 

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BMX riders have to tuck in their tops -

BMX riders must tuck in their shirts while competing in the Olympics. 

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Challenging a call costs the team money -

If an Olympic gymnast wants to challenge a call in the Olympics, their team has to pay US$300 to have it reevaluated. If the call is overturned, they get their money back, but if not their payment goes to charity.

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Female gymnasts must wear something elegant -

It is part of the rules that women must wear something elegant during their performance, hence why their suits are always eye-catching. 

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Strictly regulated uniforms -

Olympic gymnasts’ uniforms are strictly regulated. There are no v-necks that extend beyond the mid-sternum allowed, for example.

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Skating outfits -

Women must wear skirts competing in figure skating events in the winter Olympics, even if they're short and straightforward. Men must wear pants. 

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Without a paddle -

If an athlete breaks their oar during an event, they are not allowed to get another.

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Marking of arrows -

Archers have to shoot an arrow marked with their competitors’ names or initials. 

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Not too much grease -

Athletes can grease themselves up before events to avoid chafing, but they're not allowed to use “too much” grease.

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No retrieving of props -

If a gymnast loses a prop during their routine, they can’t retrieve it. Instead, they have to continue the routine without the hoop or ribbon.

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Toenail checks -

While this sport may seem civilized, it is very rough. For this reason, swimmers have to have their toenails checked before the competition to avoid nasty scratches. 

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Bikini sizes -

There are other options beyond wearing a bikini for female athletes competing in beach volleyball events in the Olympics. Still, if they are wearing a bikini, it must have “a maximum side width of 2.76 inches″ (7 cm). 

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Confidence points -

In the Olympics’ diving events, divers must be confident and bold in their stance and take-off. They can have points deducted for seeming unconfident. 

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Everyone's a (bronze medal) winner -

The semi-final bouts’ losers don’t face each other to see who gets a bronze medal in the Olympic games. Instead, they are both awarded the bronze medal. 

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The Olympic food village -

The Olympic village food court only allows those who dine there to leave with one item. This means that you can leave with an apple, but not an apple and an orange.

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How to get kicked out -

Cuban taekwondo fighter Angel Matos was banned from competition for life for kicking a referee in the face during a match. Matos was unhappy he had been disqualified over a timeout violation.

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A controversial disqualification -

Boris Onischenko, a Soviet male pentathlon team member, was disqualified from his fencing match in 1976 for having tampered with his épée (sword) to score points even when he was not touching his opponent. 

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Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested -

 In 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, first and third place winners in the 200-meter race, broke the rules by protesting with the Black power salute. They were suspended from the US team and by the International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage, and they voluntarily moved out of the Olympic village. 

Sources: (CBC) (CBC) (Bustle) (Men's Health) (BuzzFeed)

See also: Sports stars who died too young

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