8 Surprising Rules for the 2024 Paris Olympics That May Surprise You!

SAEDNEWS: When it comes to sports rules, there are some regulations that might catch your attention. Like, did you know you don’t have to wear shoes while running a race, or that if athletes break their paddles during the canoe slalom they can finish the competition by paddling with their hands?

Keeping the Fries to the Side

No french fries at the Olympics in France? Oui.

As it turns out, the dish won't be on the menu at the Olympic Village in Paris.

"French fries are too risky," chef Charles Guilloy explained to The New York Times in May, "because of fire-hazard concerns over deep-fat fryers.

Au Revoir Avocados

Athletes won't be able to find foie gras or start their day with some avocado toast at the village either.

"No to foie gras because animal well-being is on everyone’s mind," Guilloy continued, "and no to avocados because they are imported from a great distance and consume a lot of water."

Champagne Problems

While some Olympians may want to toast to their success with a glass of bubbly, they won't be able to at the Olympic Village.

"No champagne in the village, of course," Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Villages Laurent Michaud told Sky News in March, "but they can have all the champagne they want also in Paris."

And even though there's a sports bar in the village, it won't be serving any alcohol.

"We wanted to create some places where the athletes will feel very enthusiastic and comfortable, so they can have some conversations, discussions and to share their core values about sports," Michaud shared with the outlet. "So we have made a village club, also, with a lounge, with a sports bar, with Coca-Cola—I mean, no alcohol, of course, over there. But it's going to be a great place so they can actually share their moment and the environment here."

Freezing Out the A.C.

Talking about a lack of air conditioning during the Summer Games is one way athletes can break the ice.

Olympic organizers have opted to forgo a.c. in the Olympians' rooms and instead rely on another way to stay cool.

"We designed these buildings so that they would be comfortable places to live in in the summer, in 2024 and later on," Yann Krysinski, SVP of SOLIDEO (the entity in charge of the major infrastructures for the Olympics), told Reuters in February, "and we don't need air conditioning in these buildings because we oriented the facades so that they wouldn't get too much sun during the summer, and the facades, the insulation is really efficient."

He added, "We also are providing naturally cool water that we're getting from underground to cool the air of these apartments. So you will not need air conditioning in the summer here."

Still, not all competitors were chill with this decision, and the United States Olympic Committee's CEO Sarah Hirshland previously confirmed Team USA will have air conditioning in their rooms. According to The Washington Post, Britain, Canada, and Italy's teams are among those bringing a.c. units as well.

Social Media Standards

If athletes want to share social media content, they're going to need to follow some #rules.

For instance, the International Olympic Committee's guidelines state athletes can share audio and video recordings from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Olympic Village, Champions Park, training venues and practice areas. The rules also note athletes can post recordings from competition veneus up to an hour before their events begin and after the they've left the "mixed zone/doping control station."

However, the guidelines make it clear that these recordings cannot exceed two minutes per post. In addition, the rules state athletes cannot share videos of medal ceremonies or sports competitions (including anthems, coin tosses or celebrations on the field) and that the clips cannot be live.

And while photos can be taken at the Games if the Olympians follow the guidelines, the rules explain that pictures and videos cannot be shared if they're commercial, use AI or feature the "medical areas, doping control station or mult-faith centre."

Barring Plastic Bottles

Trying to help the planet? Now that move deserves a gold medal.

Paris is banning single-use plastics during the 2024 Olympics, including at festival sites, competition locations and the Marathon Pour Tous.

According to the city's tourism website, reusable, non-glass water bottles will be allowed at festival and competition sites and attendees will be permitted to bring their own containers, bowls or cups for eating and drinking. Runners will also drink from reusable cups during the marathon.

"Whether it's drinking, having an ice cream or a takeaway meal," the website reads, "all containers and cups will be reusable."

Flocking Towards the Rule Book

There's actually a rule for what happens when a tennis ball hits a bird during a match.

According to the International Tennis Federation, if a ball strikes a bird that's flying overheard, it's considered a hindrance and the point is replayed.

In Hot Water

In a canoe with a broken paddle? Let's just say you don't want to be in that boat.

According to the International Canoe Federation's guidelines, an athlete with a broken paddle during the canoe slalom "must drop back and/or complete the course alone. The broken end of the paddle is considered dangerous. They may drop the paddle and use their hands to finish the course."