Paralympians who have the Olympic rings tattooed on themselves could find that they aren't allowed to compete due to a confusing rule.
The Olympics are now in our rearview mirror with Team USA topping the medals charts, but the summer of sport doesn't end there.
Kicking off on August 28, the Paralympics will get underway in France with the IPC saying that 4,400 athletes will take part.
Something that is often seen on athletes is the Olympic rings as a tattoo, which is completely understandable as they've earned the right to be there.
The symbol, created by Pierre de Coubertin, represents the unity of the five inhabited continents.
However, while the emblem is celebrated in the sporting world, it could pose a significant problem for athletes at the 2024 Paralympic Games.
Athletes sporting the Olympic ring tattoo could face disqualification from the Paralympics if officials spot the design on their skin during the competition - despite it not being an issue in the Olympics.
This rule, enforced by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), falls under a regulation that prohibits "body advertising".
Retired British Paralympian Josef Craig learned this the hard way ahead of the 2016 Games in Rio.
Craig, a swimmer with cerebral palsy, was disqualified from the S8 100m freestyle heat at the IPC Swimming European Championships in Portugal despite winning his race, per the Daily Mail.
The reason was due to his Olympic rings tattoo, displayed prominently on the left side of his chest under a ParalympicsGB lion's head, which was visible during the competition.
"Body advertising is not allowed in any way whatsoever, and that includes the Olympic rings," an IPC spokesperson explained at the time.
"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."
To comply with the strict regulations, Craig had previously covered his tattoo but opted for a more creative solution before competing in Rio.
He painted over the Olympic rings with a picture of the Union Jack, cleverly circumventing the rules while avoiding the impracticality of wearing a t-shirt in the pool.
The enforcement of this rule has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it is excessively strict.
Despite the backlash, reports indicate that the IPC will uphold this regulation at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris.
So it seems as though any Paralympians with Olympic Ring tattoos need to find a way to cover them up.
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