Why did 1996 women's gymnastic team have seven members and 2008 team only six?

Answer 1

The FIG (the International Gymnastic Federation) changed the rules in the team competition.

In the 1996 Olympic gymnastic team competitions four gymnasts from each team would compete on the apparatus during the team competition. The lowest score (out of four) was dropped. Only 3 out of the 4 final scores counted.

Because more gymnasts competed on each event, there were seven team members. 4 gymnasts competed, and 3 sat out.

After the rule change, only 3 girls from each team compete on an apparatus and all of the scores count. If a gymnastic team had 7 members, then 4 girls would sit out each event, and that is one too many under the FIG rules. Because only 3 girls can sit out and 3 girls compete on each event, the maximum number of gymnasts a 2008 Olympic team can have is 6.