Why Do Olympic Divers Slap Themselves with Towels?

It's mainly to ensure their goggles don't slip or fall off, causing them to fill up with water, according to Tomley.

Why do Olympic divers slap towels?

It's a warm-up technique. You slap yourself to get the blood flowing. It's fine. It's part of their pre-race ritual.

Why do divers flick the towel?

Using a shammy helps the diver to get their hands and legs almost completely dry, leaving them just moist enough to get a good grip. It's a routine done by all divers. It became standard practice in the '60s and '70s when some Norwegian and European divers began to use them.