With the 2024 Summer Olympics in the rearview mirror, many are tuning in to see the Paralympians get their shot at glory—but before this year, you might have noticed one ubiquitous symbol missing from many of their bodies.
Paralympians were previously not allowed to show off any Olympic-inspired tattoos they had gotten, a departure from their peers. That is, until now.
Due to a rule previously enforced by the International Paralympic Committee that prevented athletes from “body advertising” during the events, participants were not allowed to show off any commemorative Olympic tattoos they may have gotten to celebrate their achievements—and the well-known five-ring logo was classified as such an advertisement.
During the Rio Olympics in Brazil in 2016, British Paralympian swimmer Josef Craig was penalized for not covering up the Olympic rings tattoo on his chest. Craig, who has cerebral palsy, was disqualified from the S8 100-meter freestyle competition despite winning the first heat.
The I.P.C. defended the decision then, saying athletes knew the rule before the competition. “Body advertising is not allowed in any way whatsoever, and that includes the Olympic rings. The athlete did not wear a cover and was therefore disqualified. All teams are informed of the advertising policy at a technical meeting prior to competition. It wasn’t as if they had not been reminded about the rules,” a spokesperson for the committee said.
The about-face by the I.P.C. comes without explanation just days before the games begin. “Athletes with such tattoos do not need to cover them up,” Craig Spence, the chief brand and communications officer for the I.P.C., wrote in an email to the Guide to Pro Runner Form on Friday.
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Condé Nast Traveler RW+ Membership Benefits TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
