Since 1972, Archery Rules and Regulations in The Olympics 2024—whose name comes from the Latin word “arcus”—has been a popular sport worldwide. Due to regional variances, it was removed from the Olympics in 1900, 1904, 1908, and 1920. To bring the sport back, World Archery was established in 1931, and recurve competitions brought it back in 1972. At the moment, 64 men and 64 women compete in the Olympics’ individual, team, and mixed team competitions. Here are the Rules and Regulations of archery in the Olympics 2024.
Archery Categories
- Archery is classified into three primary categories by World Archery, the international governing body: target, indoor, and field.
- Target archery is firing at fixed, circular targets that are spaced at precise intervals. The score zones are indicated by rings that are gold, red, blue, black, and white.
- It is the most popular type of contemporary archery and has competed in both the World Archery Championship and the Olympic Games.
- Target archery is a sport that includes shooting at fixed circular targets at close range within buildings.
- One such sport is indoor archery. The ‘Indoor Archery World Series’ and the World Archery Indoor Championships, which took place between 1991 and 2018, have been organised.
- On the other hand, field archery entails shooting at fixed circular targets that come in different sizes and are positioned around natural terrain at various heights, distances, and angles.
- Every two years, archers compete in the World Archery Field Championships, which assess their ability to judge distances and fire in varying light situations.
Archery Rules
- In the qualification round of an archery competition, competitors shoot 72 arrows to establish their placement for the matchplay round.
- Archers fight in best-of-five sets during the matchplay phase, with the first archer or team to score six points being declared the victor.
- Up to the final, when the victor receives a gold medal and the loser a silver, the format remains unchanged.
- In individual competitions, the archer whose arrow hits the target the closest wins. Each archer shoots an arrow in mixed teams or team competitions; the winning team is the one with the highest total.
- Archers are required to abide by all official regulations concerning their equipment, with the primary focus being on not utilising any accessories or gear that may provide them with an unfair edge over an opponent.
- Two minutes is the maximum allowed time to shoot an end of three arrows, and four minutes for an end of six arrows.
- Under no circumstances may an arrow be shot again, however, if the bow is pulled after the formal practice has ended, extra time may be granted.
- While arrows that lodge in another arrow’s nock will score the same as the arrow in which they are embedded, arrows that bounce or hang from the target will still be scored according to the mark they produce on the target’s face.
- Athletes who violate different Rules and Regulations may be penalised, lose points, or be prohibited from competing altogether.
- Judges may receive petitions for replacement or repair of damaged equipment, and they will have the last say over time allotment.
Conclusion
Reintroduced to the Olympics in 1931, archery has been a popular sport globally since 1972. It is divided into three categories: field, indoor, and target. Indoor archery includes shooting at close-range targets within buildings, whereas target archery involves firing at stationary, circular targets at exact intervals. Field archery is a shooting sport played against various targets in natural environments. Rules include following equipment specifications, setting a maximum firing time, and enforcing fines for infractions. When it comes to allocating equipment, judges have the last word.
