Olympic tattoos are a tradition among athletes who compete in the Olympic Games of tattooing the five interlocking "Olympic rings". The practice dates back to at least the 1980s, when swimmer Chris Jacobs received a tattoo of the rings to commemorate his participation in the 1988 Seoul Games. The Olympic tattoo has since become common practice among individuals who compete in the Games. Cited reasons for the tattoo usually include a signal of status as an Olympian, a personal reminder of success, and a show of camaraderie with teammates. While the tattoos are typically done by athletes who compete in the Games, others may sometimes obtain the artwork, such as parents of athletes.
History
editOrigin
editThe interlocking rings symbolizing the Olympic Games, and later featured in the tattoo, were proposed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913 and first used in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.[1] Around four decades later, In the 1980s, the rings began appearing in tattoos. The American swimmer Chris Jacobs is commonly credited as the first individuals to receive the Olympic tattoo.[2][3] Jacobs reported feeling inspired after seeing a tattoo of the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf on a fellow swimmer. The Olympic tattoo became popular among American swimmers and then broadly adopted by members of other sports across countries. Journalist Rick Maese explained the appeal of the tattoo in The Washington Post:[4]
Many plan the tattoo long before the competition. Others can’t resist the pull. The ink is a calling card for an exclusive club with a membership that never expires.
The tattoo has been described as a rite of passage for those who qualify for the Games.[5] Obtaining the tattoo has also acted as a driving factor for athletes. Swimmer Missy Franklin was quoted in Reuters as saying: "I've seen [the tattoos] on all the other athletes and it's so cool. I've used it as my motivation".[6] While the tattoo is most common among athletes, some people who did not compete in the Games also chose to get the tattoo, such as the parents of Olympians.[7]
Placement
editThe decision about where to receive the tattoo on the body varies among athletes, including Noah Lyles (lower right ribs), Dathan Ritzenhein (left calf), and Aries Merritt (left arm).[7] Many include a laurel wreath around the rings, such as Aschwin Wildeboer.
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Tattoo on chest of swimmer Aschwin Wildeboer -
Tattoo on medial abdomen of swimmer -
Tattoo on upper arm of weightlifter Luisa Peters
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In popular culture
editThe Olympic tattoo is a well recognized identifier of Olympic athletes. Archer Brady Ellison stated: “I feel like the Olympic rings is the one tattoo that only we can get”.[4] Sportswriter Chris Cleave references the rings in his 2012 sports novel novel Gold: "She drank another slug of wine and used the cold coffee cup to cool the raw Olympic tattoo on her forearm. Looking at those rings, she could hear the roar of the crowds in Athens and Beijing".[8]
Controversy was caused when the Paralympic champion Josef Craig was disqualified for displaying an Olympic tattoo during the 2016 Summer Paralympics, in violation of rules stating that athletes cannot display any advertisements on their body.[9]
References
edit- ^ Lennartz, Karl (2002). "The Story of the Rings" (PDF). Journal of Olympic History. 10: 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ Crouse, Karen (2012-07-24). "U.S. Swimmers Go for Gold, and a Tattoo". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ^ Given, karen (2016-08-19). "Five Rings, The Yakuza, And A Nipple-Sized Maple Leaf: The Olympic Tattoo Tradition". www.wbur.org. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ^ a b Maese, Rick (2016-08-04). "'The one tattoo that only we can get': Olympians put some skin in the Games". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ Marcin, Tim (2016-08-09). "Olympic Rings Tattoo: How The Athlete Tradition Started". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ^ Linden, Julian (2012-07-22). "Franklin to get tattoo after London". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ a b Gault, Jonathan. "You Just Made the Olympics. What's Next? The Olympic Rings Tattoo". LetsRun.com. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ^ Cleave, Chris (2012). Gold. Simon and Schuster. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-4516-7273-2.
- ^ "Paralympic swimmer disqualified for failing to cover up Olympic rings tattoo". The Guardian. 2016-05-02. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
