Paralympians sporting tattoos of the iconic Olympic rings could be banned from the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris.
Now that the Olympic Games is out of the way, Paris is gearing up to host the Paralympic Games which begins on August 28.
549 medal events will be held to determine the best Paralympic athletes on the planet, but a bizarre rule could see them disqualified regardless of how they perform.
Advert
Plenty of athletes get tattoos to commemorate their achievements, and unsurprisingly, the Olympic rings are a popular choice.
However, the iconic symbol first created by Pierre de Coubertin could land participants in hot water at the 2024 Paralympics.
Participants could be disqualified if officials spot the five rings on their skin during events due to rules regarding 'body advertising'.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) enforces the rule, and because it is a separate body to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which organises the Olympic Games, it considers the rings to be a form of advertising.
Advert
Retired Paralympian Josef Craig found this out the hard way ahead of the 2016 Games in Rio, as the British swimmer was penalised for showing off his tattoo of the Olympic rings on his chest.
At the IPC Swimming European Championships in Portugal eight years ago, the 27-year-old who has cerebral palsy was disqualified despite winning his heat in the S8 100m freestyle competition.
The swimmer had the rings inked on his chest beneath the ParalympicsGB lion's head, so it was clearly on display.
To get around this issue, Craig has previously wore coverings to hide his tattoo, although he got even more creative before competing in Rio in 2016.
Advert
The swimming star painted over the artwork with a picture of the Union Jack to circumvent the rules.
Following Craig's disqualification from the European Championships, an IPC spokesperson said: "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."
The rule is set to stay in place for the 2024 Paralympics, starting on August 28 and ending on September 8.
Alex Brotherton