Why was the Olympic ring tattoo banned at the Paralympics? All about the current rules on the tattoo in Paris

The ban on the Olympic ring tattoo at the Paralympics has been lifted and athletes at the 2024 Paris Paralympics will not be required to cover such tattoos. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) had opposed using interlocked rings instead of its three-swoosh logo branding, compelling some athletes to conceal their tattoos during the Paralympic Games.

For years, the Paralympians had to cover their interlocked ring tattoos at the Games, and flouts would result in heavy penalties from the governing body. The IPC considered the display of Olympic rings as a third-party advertisement since it differed from the Paralympics' three-swoosh logo.

However, ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympics, the IPC abruptly overturned the rule, lifting the ban without a clear explanation. Its Chief Brand and Communications officer, Craig Spence, confirmed the lifting of the ban in an email and said (via The New York Times):

“Athletes with such tattoos do not need to cover them up."

With the marquee event underway, hosting more than 4000 athletes in 22 events, the five-time Paralympic medalist Rudy Garcia-Tolson, who concealed his upper back tattoo with a sharpie over the years, shared the importance of the Olympic logo on the athletes' bodies and said:

"Paralympic athletes have enough to worry about. Having a logo on our bodies that signifies our journey, our experience as athletes — it’s important to so many of us. For me, my journey to the Paralympics is those Olympic rings. That’s what it signifies — the pursuit of being the best."

Though the Olympic and Paralympic Games seemed associated over the years, they are distinct organizations with dissimilar bylaws, staff, and logos, among others. The Paralympics logo comprises three swirled swoosh signs in red, blue, and green, collectively called the Agitos, and is derived from the Latin phrase: "I Move".

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Chris Jacobs allegedly started the tattoo trend that athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics continue

Chris Jacobs was reportedly the first Olympian to get the Olympic rings inked on his body. He got his first tattoo of the University of Florida mascot, the Texas Longhorns steer, underneath the line of his swimsuit during his freshman year. Later, the two-time gold medalist at the 1988 Olympic Games etched his success permanently with the Olympic rings tattoo between the Texas mascot's horns. Discussing the practice, he said (via SwimSwam):

"I’m not sure if any of the guys from 1988 got the rings, even many years later. It seems that they started becoming much more popular around 2008. … Once Michael [Phelps] got his, it became the thing to do."

Several Olympians like Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Gabby Thomas, Michael Phelps, and Noah Lyles have the Olympic rings tattoo. Thomas feels that it "represents an amazing era" of her life.