For more information about Short Track in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, please check here

Unlike some sports which require a deep understanding of the rules before they can be fully enjoyed, Short Track is refreshingly simple to follow – the first skater over the finish line after a set number of laps is the winner.

There are, however, some rules and penalties that take a bit of understanding. 

The athletes line up together and are sent off by the starter’s gun. Go too early and you get a false start and you're disqualified. 

Short Track skaters must wait for the starter's gun or risk disqualification © ISU

The 500m is 4.5 laps; the 1000m is 9 laps and the 1500m is 13.5. The three relays are 18 laps (Mixed 2000m), 27 laps (Women’s 3000m), and 45 laps (Men’s 5000m). 

It’s a knockout

A large starting field is whittled down for each distance through a succession of knockout stages. A qualifying heat will typically have five to seven athletes in it, with the top two progressing to the next round, along with some of the fastest finishers. Athletes that are unfairly impeded will often be ‘advanced’ to the next round, while the perpetrator will be disqualified.

The first skater to get their blade across the finish line is the winner © Getty Images

Racers work through quarterfinals and semis before an ‘A Final’ and a ‘B Final’ line-up is decided. The fastest semi racers make the A Final and fight for the medals. 

Occasionally, if there are several disqualifications in the A final (meaning there aren't three finishers), B finalists can find themselves promoted to the medals.

Pass masters

Short Track is at its most exciting when overtaking – “passing” – happens. There are multiple different ways of doing it – but getting in someone else’s line, meaning they can’t skate freely, will result in a penalty. These may be hard to notice, but several on- and off-ice referees are watching the skaters like hawks. 

Referees have access to video replays to determine which skaters are at fault for a fall © ISU

If needed, a video replay can be used to make a call. The results will be explained to the crowd and TV audience using replays. 

Penalty points

Penalties essentially boil down to not getting in each other’s way due to lane changes, and not committing arm blocks, pushes, or other kinds of contact. 

Infringements result in racers forfeiting the result accrued in that race (previous results still stand) – unless a block or push is deemed very dangerous. This is a real rarity, as most penalties are accidents. But in the case of an unsafe, harmful or hazardous foul, a yellow card can be shown, and the skater will be listed at the bottom of the event classification with no rank. 

Spills are common in Short Track, with the culprits often disqualified and innocent parties advanced © ISU

Get two yellow cards, and you’ve earned a red – and will be excluded from the entire tournament and not listed in the results. A single red can also be issued for behaviour that is ‘dangerous, grossly negligent, or a violation of the ISU code of ethics’.