The maximum number of athletes in an Olympic rowing eight is 9.
An Olympic eight contains eight rowers plus one coxswain, giving the boat a nine-person crew. Each rower uses one sweep oar, while the coxswain sits in the boat, steers with the rudder and directs the crew's rhythm and race strategy. The coxswain does not row, but is still a participating crew member and athlete.
The event is commonly written as “8+”: the 8 refers to the rowers and the plus sign denotes the coxswain. This notation explains why an eight is not limited to eight people in total. Because the boat is long, powerful and difficult to maneuver, a coxswain is especially important for safety and coordination.
Men's Olympic eights first appeared at the 1900 Paris Games. Women's eights entered the Olympic program in 1976, when women's rowing was introduced. Unlike many other Olympic rowing classes, the eight continues to use a coxswain as part of its standard crew.