Gymnastics scoring in artistic gymnastics is built from two main numbers: a Difficulty score (D-score) and an Execution score (E-score). The D-panel credits the routine’s recognized skills and composition; the E-panel starts from 10.000 and subtracts performance deductions. Any rule-specific neutral deduction is then taken from the combined total. That is why a displayed final score may not equal D + E.
This guide covers women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics (WAG and MAG). Under FIG rules, a formal score inquiry in artistic gymnastics can address the D-score, not a normal disagreement with execution judging. Some permitted requests to review time or line penalties follow a separate process. FIG’s current cycle is 2025–2028; its rules library lists the WAG Code of Points updated October 16, 2026, the MAG Code of Points for the same cycle, and the 2026 Technical Regulations.
Final score = D-score + E-score − applicable neutral deductions or penalties.
| Score part | What it represents | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| D-score | Recognized difficulty and required composition content | Which skills, connections, and requirements received credit? |
| E-score | Execution quality and the criteria assigned to the E-panel | What faults were deducted from 10.000? |
| Neutral deduction | A separate penalty prescribed for a specific rule violation | Was there a time, boundary, or other listed penalty? |
The two scores answer different questions. A D-score is not “out of 10”; it reflects the difficulty and content credited in that routine. The E-score uses a 10.000 starting point, so an E-score of 8.300 represents 1.700 points in execution-related deductions before any separate penalty is applied.
The D-score is assembled from the content that judges recognize, not simply from the hardest move a gymnast attempts. A skill may receive less or no credit if it does not meet the technical description in the Code. A connection may also fail to earn its intended value if the required link between skills is not completed.
On uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise, the WAG Code uses credited element difficulty together with applicable composition requirements and connection value. The precise calculation depends on the apparatus and routine. Vault is different: each vault has a listed difficulty value, and the credited vault score is based on that entry plus execution evaluation.
MAG routines use apparatus-specific difficulty rules across floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar. The D-panel evaluates recognized elements, required element groups or dismount content, and connection value where the Code provides it. A D-score should therefore be compared within the same apparatus and ruleset, not treated as a universal percentage.
The E-score starts at 10.000. Judges subtract for faults specified in the applicable Code, such as bent legs or arms, flexed feet, incomplete body positions, poor technique, lack of precision, balance checks, steps on landing, or a fall. The size of a deduction depends on the fault and its severity; it is not a flat penalty for every mistake.
In WAG, the E-side evaluation includes the artistry criteria assigned by the Code, in addition to execution. MAG uses its own execution and presentation requirements. The event’s Code of Points determines which judges assess each item and how the panel score is calculated.
Difficulty and execution must be read together. A routine with more difficulty can have a higher D-score but lose more on execution. If the E-score drop is larger than the D-score gain, the final total can be lower. For example, a gymnast who adds 0.3 in credited difficulty but loses an extra 0.5 in execution would finish 0.2 lower before penalties.
Neutral deductions are penalties prescribed for rule violations outside the ordinary execution evaluation. They do not mean the judges deducted the same mistake twice: the E-panel scores the quality of the routine, while a neutral penalty addresses a separate requirement such as time or boundaries. A results display may show a distinct “ND” or penalty field, though labels vary by scoring system.
Floor exercise offers a clear example. The WAG Code assigns a line deduction when a gymnast touches outside the floor boundary: the penalty differs depending on whether one foot or hand is out versus both feet, both hands, or another body part. The WAG floor routine also has a 1:30 time limit, with a prescribed deduction for going over. MAG has its own floor boundary and timing rules. Always use the relevant apparatus and discipline section for the exact trigger and amount.
Suppose the panel gives a gymnast a D-score of 5.800 and an E-score of 8.233. Their sum is 14.033. If a 0.100 neutral line penalty applies, the final score is:
5.800 + 8.233 − 0.100 = 13.933
This is an arithmetic example, not a result from a real meet. It shows why D + E may be higher than the final score shown on the scoreboard.
At competitions organized or sanctioned by FIG, the 2026 Technical Regulations allow an inquiry into the Difficulty score in artistic gymnastics. A federation can ask the review panel to check whether the credited D-score is correct; a formal D-score inquiry is not a way to appeal ordinary E-score deductions. The FIG rule allows inquiry only for D-scores across its listed disciplines, with Parkour as the stated exception where no inquiry is admitted.
Only the designated National Federation authorized representative for that gymnast may submit the inquiry. The person must be a coach or delegation member, not a judge, and must follow the event’s inquiry procedure. The review uses official competition footage. Once submitted, an inquiry cannot be withdrawn, and the score can rise, fall, or stay the same.
These deadlines replace the older shorthand that every inquiry must be made immediately or before the next score. Follow the method used at the specific FIG event; late or incorrectly submitted inquiries are rejected.
The 2026 FIG fees are CHF 300 for the first inquiry, CHF 500 for the second, and CHF 1,000 for each later inquiry across the full competition, rather than resetting at each phase. If the D-score increases, the fee is waived. If it remains unchanged or is reduced, the fee is charged to the National Federation. The regulations say FIG invoices the federation after the competition.
Not every penalty can be challenged. When the relevant Code permits it, a request to revise a time or line deduction or bonus is handled separately from a formal D-score inquiry, follows the same general procedures and deadlines, and has no inquiry fee. The 2026 Technical Regulations do not permit requests to revise other neutral deductions or penalties.
Start with the official FIG rules library, then open the current WAG Code of Points, MAG Code of Points, and FIG Technical Regulations 2026. This article reflects the FIG artistic gymnastics framework checked on October 16, 2026. National, collegiate, junior, and domestic meets may use modified rules, inquiry deadlines, or fees, so check the rulebook and event directives that govern the specific competition.
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