Every four years, the world stopsas the Olympic Gamestake center stage. Paris 2024 will not be any different, as fans from all over the planethave been waiting for this exciting event in the French capital.
Following an atypical edition of the Olympicsat Tokyo 2020, which wasdeeplyaffected by Covid-19 as it took place a year later than scheduledand with no spectators, largecrowds are expectedin this Summer Games.
Butthe return of the Olympicsalso means the return of some frequently asked questions, includinghow old the athletes who take part in the different events have to be. If you were wondering about the required age for the Olympians, youâre in the right place.
How old do athletes have to be to take part in the Olympic Games?
The International Olympic Committee has notestablished a general minimum age for Olympians, although specific sports do have qualifying limitations. In order to compete at the Games, gymnasts must be 16 years old, while boxers must be 18 years old.
Paris 2024 logos seen at Bercy Arena the venue of Artistic Gymnastics event ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 22, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images
But there is no minimum age limit for Olympic skateboarding, for instance, which makes it possible for young skaters to partake. Besides, young athletes are allowed to compete in several sports federations.
Despite the fact that many sports have a minimum age requirement, there is only one sport that has a maximum age requirement: only competitors between the ages of 18 and 40 are allowed to compete in boxing at the Olympics.
