Paralympics Drops Ban on Olympic Rings Tattoos

Athletes will not have to cover up their tattoos of the Olympic rings logo any longer

Paralympians will no longer have to cover their tattoos of the Olympic rings logo, the committee that oversees Paralympics ruled.

On Friday, Aug. 23, The New York Times reported that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) had changed its long-standing policy requiring Paralympic athletes to cover up tattoos that featured brands or logos — including the Olympics rings. In the past, if athletes didn't cover their tattoos during events, they would face penalties, including disqualification.

Now, the IPC has reversed that rule. Craig Spence, IPC’s chief brand and communications officer, told the Times that Paralympians with the rings logo tattooed on their body don't have to cover them up, but he didn't offer an explanation as to why the committee had decided to change its policy.

“Athletes with such tattoos do not need to cover them up,” he said.

The IPC did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

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For many Paralympians and Olympians alike, getting a tattoo of the logo — which features 5 interlocking rings in blue, yellow, black, red and green — is an important part of the tradition of competing at the games.

According to USA Today, swimmer Chris Jacobs, who won three medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, is often credited with the starting the tradition of getting the logo tattooed after he got a small tattoo of the rings on his hip after those games.

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"I do think it’s become a rite of passage," Jacobs told the outlet in July. "It’s almost like a little card for a somewhat exclusive club."

However, Paralympians have had a different relationship with the ring tattoos — due in part to the fact that the Paralympics and Olympics are two different events operated by two different governing bodies. The Paralympics, which considers the Olympics a competing brand, has its own logo called the Agitos, which features three swoosh-like symbols in red, blue and green.

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Rudy Garcia-Tolson, 35, a Paralympic medalist swimmer who is planning to return to the games in 2028 in Los Angeles, told the Times that he turned to using a sharpie to cover up his tattoo when the games began to crack down hard on logos.

"It was just part of our routine," he told the outlet. "Before an event, it was: 'All right, I need my cap, I need my goggles, I need my swimsuit and I need a Sharpie.' "

"Having a logo on our bodies that signifies our journey, our experience as athletes — it's important to so many of us," he added of the rule change. "... For me, my journey to the Paralympics is those Olympic rings. That's what it signifies — the pursuit of being the best."

To learn more about all the Olympic champions and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Paris Paralympics, beginning Aug. 28, on NBC and Peacock.

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