The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games starts next week (Picture: Getty)
It was widely reported last week that Paralympians could face severe punishment – and even disqualification – for breaking the surprising rule.
The IPC, which is a separate entity from the International Olympic Committee, bans athletes from ‘body advertising’ and tattoos of the iconic Olympic logo previously fell into that category.
British Paralympian Josef Craig was penalised before the 2016 Rio Olympics for not covering up an Olympic rings tattoo on his chest.
Swimmer Craig, who has cerebral palsy, was disqualified from the IPC’s European Championship despite winning his head in the S8 100m freestyle competition.
At the time the IPC defended the decision and said athletes are warned about the rule ahead of time.
‘Body advertising is not allowed in any way whatsoever and that includes the Olympic rings,’ a spokesperson said. ‘The athlete did not wear a cover and was therefore disqualified.
Paralympians were not permitted to display the Olympic rings (Picture: Getty)
‘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.’
Team GB star Craig, who won a gold medal at the London Olympics, covered up his tattoo in a later event at the European Championship and painted over the design with a picture of the Union Flag for the Rio Games.
But such measures will not be necessary for Paralympians heading to Paris as the IPC has suddenly reversed course and dropped the rule.
Paralympic Games in Paris
When and where is it being held?
The 2024 Summer Paralympics begin on Wednesday, August 28.
This year’s Games are being held in Paris in France. The French capital also hosted the Olympics earlier this summer.
The opening ceremony will take place in Place de la Concorde, a major square in the city centre.
The Paralympic Games always takes place in the same location as the Olympics.
What date does it finish?
The Paralympics will end on Sunday, September 8 with the competition lasting 11 days in total.
A closing ceremony will be staged at the Stade de France
How to watch the action
Channel 4 will have exclusive live TV coverage for UK viewers, with more than 1,300 hours of coverage scheduled.
The drama will also be streamed live on Channel 4’s official YouTube channel.
The BBC are also set to broadcast a highlights show dedicated to he action on most evenings across the Games.
‘Athletes with such tattoos do not need to cover them up,’ Craig Spence, the chief brand and communications officer for the IPC, said in an email before declining to offer an explanation for the change in policy.
The reversal will be welcome news to many Paralympians, including four-time Olympic gold medallist Rudy Garcia-Tolson.
‘Paralympic athletes have enough to worry about,’ the American star said. ‘Having a logo on our bodies that signifies our journey, our experience as athletes – it’s important to so many of us.
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‘For me, my journey to the Paralympics is those Olympic rings. That’s what it signifies – the pursuit of being the best.’
Asked how it felt to have to cover his tattoo up, the 35-year-old added: ‘It was just part of our routine.
‘Before an event, it was: ‘I’ll right, I need my cap, I need my goggles, I need my swimsuit and I need a Sharpie.”‘
The Paralympic Games starts on August 28 and runs until September 4. More than 4,000 athletes from around the world will compete across 22 sports.
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