The secret beauty rules Olympians must abide by

We always enjoy taking make-up inspiration from Olympic athletes. After all, they are strong, fit and healthy professionals at the top of their game, the best in their field and giving us real-life proof that hard work does pay off. Plus, make-up that stays put while they are carrying out their sport has got to be good, right?

But it’s not all fun and games – not only do they have the pressure of competing in the world’s biggest sporting event (no biggie) but they also have to accept rigorous rules on their hair, make-up and nails. And if they don’t follow these rules, they could be at risk of facing deductions from their score. Yep, that’s pretty strict.

But it’s not general Olympics rules – each sport lays out the regulations for what is and is not allowed in the sport handbook, plus the severity of the deductions they’ll face if those regulations aren’t adhered to.

And it does really vary sport by sport – think of synchronised swimmers and gymnasts, who are often seen wearing a full face of make-up. Olympic gymnast, Alicia Sacramone-Quinn, revealed that their nails must be either neutral or totally polish-free in an interview with Fashionista, while Olympic gymnast and gold medallist Sunisa Lee rocked acrylic white nails for her winning performance, decorated with the Olympic rings.

Taekwondo on the other hand, does not seem to have any rules about make-up, but there are strict rules regarding nails – they must be kept short and clean.

It varies again with athletics, as these athletes don’t seem to have nail polish rules, as they are often seen wearing manis that represent their home turf.

However, there was controversy in 2013, when Emma Green-Tregaro, a Swedish high-jumper, showed reporters her rainbow painted nails to support gay rights at the IAAF World Athletics Championship. 

The Huffington Post commented, “While the International Olympic Committee’s rules do not explicitly bar rainbow colours— a well-known symbol of gay pride— its charter does specify that no political propaganda is ‘permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.'”

Swedish officials were warned that the high-jumper may have violated the code of conduct, and passed the warning on to their athletes, asking them to respect the rules. When Emma returned to the field a few days later, her nails were repainted in a bright red shade.

So there you have it: a window into the world of an Olympic athlete. Now, where’s that doughnut?

Images courtesy of Instagram.com/olympics