What is the penalty for a coach instructing a gymnast during their routine?

When a coach instructs a gymnast during their routine, it results in a deduction for the gymnast. This is because the rules of gymnastics prohibit outside assistance during an athlete’s performance. The purpose of these regulations is to ensure that the gymnast relies on their training and skills without external influence while executing their routine.

The gymnast's performance is evaluated independently of any outside input, meaning that if a coach intervenes, the gymnast's routine is deemed to have been compromised. Deduction serves not only to penalize the gymnast for this infraction but also to maintain the integrity of the competitive environment, where each gymnast's abilities are assessed based solely on their performance and not on any assistance received from the coach.