IOC and World Aquatics seal Olympic Games diving ‘principles’
LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee and World Aquatics have finalised the Olympic qualification system principles for diving in Los Angeles in 2028.
The approval follows extensive collaboration among the IOC Sports Department, the World Aquatics Bureau, the World Aquatics Technical Diving Committee, and major aquatics stakeholders to deliver a fair and efficient qualification pathway.
This follows the publication of the LA28 Qualification System documents for swimming, artistic swimming and open water swimming. Water polo qualification criteria are expected to be considered at the next IOC Executive Board meeting.
All aquatics Qualification Systems follow the Qualification System Principles approved by the IOC Executive Board in March 2025, ensuring athletes will have at least two qualification opportunities, continued continental representation and minimised travel demands.
Among the diving highlights:
Olympic quota: 136 athlete places.
Eight events (four individual, four synchronised): Men 3m Springboard, Men 10m Platform, Men 3m Synchronised, Men 10m Synchronised, Women 3m Springboard, Women 10m Platform, Women 3m Synchronised, Women 10m Synchronised.
As the host country, the United States of America receives quota places for the synchronised events.
Qualification begins at the World Aquatics Championships – Budapest 2027 (26 June 2027 – 18 July 2027), followed by Continental Competitions, and concludes with the Diving World Cup Stops 1 and 2 in 2028.
Synchronised teams will be determined through the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Stops 1 and 2 in 2028, ensuring that the strongest and most competitive teams qualify as close to the Olympic Games as possible.
Individual athletes will have more qualification opportunities via the Diving World Cup Stops 1 and 2.
Both Diving World Cup Stops 1 and 2 in 2028 will be open to all Member Federations; dates and programme length will be confirmed at a later date.
World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam welcomed the collaborative work undertaken to ensure a fair and attainable pathway to the LA28 Olympic Games.
“Finalising the Qualification System for diving is another milestone on the road to LA28. While the athlete quota for diving has stayed the same over recent Olympic cycles, more National Olympic Committees now participate,” noted Al Musallam. “Our responsibility is always to create a clear, fair qualification pathway for all athletes. This work required careful consideration and collaboration with the IOC and the global aquatics community, and I am pleased with the balance we have achieved.”
Following President Husain Al Musallam’s remarks, two-time Olympic diving gold medallist and reigning World Aquatics Female Diver of the Year, Chen Yuxi, shared her thoughts on the LA28 Qualification System.
“As athletes, we dedicate years to reaching the Olympic stage, so having a transparent and fair qualification system is extremely important. It gives us clarity on what we are working toward and reassurance that opportunities are open to divers everywhere. That sense of fairness helps us compete with confidence.”
The detailed session calendar for all sports was created with LA28 organisers and the IOC and released in November 2025. The diving competition programme runs through the middle of the LA28 Games programme from Olympic Days 3-14 (16-22 July for individual events and 25-28 July for synchronised), with competitions for the eight medal events held at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center.
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