Artistic Swimming Revolution: Scoring Shake-Up and Russia's Absence Transform 2024 Paris Olympics

A new scoring system and Russia's absence are transforming the competitive landscape of artistic swimming at the 2024 Paris Olympics, promising unprecedented excitement and unpredictability. Despite the inclusion of men in the rules, the competition remains all-female. The redesigned scoring system aims to reduce subjectivity, making the sport more akin to gymnastics or figure skating.

A seismic shift is underway in artistic swimming, with a new scoring system and the absence of Russia creating an unprecedentedly open field for the 2024 Paris Olympics. These changes promise a more thrilling spectacle, as the top spot is now anyone's for the taking.

Despite World Aquatics allowing men to compete, all participating teams remain female-only, as no country has included male athletes. Historically dominant Russia is absent, ending their gold-medal streak following their exclusion due to the Ukraine invasion.

Inspired by figure skating's scoring reforms, the new system in artistic swimming eliminates subjectivity in judging, adding required elements with varying difficulty levels. This shift has led to dramatic changes in routines, adding speed and creativity, making the sport more exciting and comparable to gymnastics or figure skating.

(With inputs from agencies.)