Applaud what you want, feel the excitement of close competition, believe that taking part is the noble thing. The Games are not, however, driven by quite the same things as they were 100, or even 50 years ago. Money is central to the Games now. You don't have to like it, but should understand how things work. I should've shared a few pre-Olympics but hope you'll still be informed and entertained by a few rules selections.
Road racing is relatively free of rules.
Either way, explanations govern competition, records and guidelines. Starting blocks aren't allowed at distances above 400 meters. Two false starts disqualify a runner in national and international meets, only one in US high schools and colleges. The starting gun is fired when runners are set, not after a certain time following the set command. Sprinters are usually the only runners anxious about start rules.