Do athletes get money for medals? Why do divers use tiny towels? Your Olympic questions answered

Nowadays, according to International Olympic Committee guidelines, gold medals need only consist of at least six grams of gold.

For the Tokyo Olympics, medals were made from more than 78,000 tonnes of recycled consumer electronics, including over six million used mobile phones, handed in by the public.

Olympic athlete, for example, receives $37,500 US for each gold medal in Tokyo, plus $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze.

A doping scandal that emerged after the 2014 Sochi Olympics led to Russia being banned from the Tokyo Olympics.

At these games, no Russian flag was allowed above any podium and the Russian national anthem could not be played.

The fast-drying towels, known as shammies, are often used to dry off a car after a wash.

Many dives consist of flips and twists and divers’ hands hold onto their legs.

The sprinkling causes ripples and provides a visual cue for divers that helps them visualize where the pool is in relation to their dive, according to SportingNews.com.

In 2017, the international swimming governing body changed the name of the sport to “artistic swimming” following suggestions by the International Olympic Committee to attract a wider audience and to align it with other artistic sports.

The caps contain extra padding for the ear area, as players are at risk for a ruptured ear drum if hit by the ball.

“Women were expected to do soft, rhythmic, flowing, graceful movements that emphasized beauty and flexibility,” Cervin said.

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