A taboo in much of Tokyo, the Olympics were littered with tattoos.British swimmer Adam Peaty has a lion on his shoulder. An inspirational message on the arm of Chinese 3-on-3 basketball player Yan Peng. A Christ the Redeemer statue on the calf of Spanish boxer Gabriel Escobar Mascunano.And the Olympic rings. So many Olympic rings!!!They are on the left forearm of French swimmer Fantine Lassafre and the right wrist of American shooter Kyle Browning. They are on the left bicep of Moroccan boxer Abdelhaq Nadir and the ankle of Canadian gymnast Shallon Olsen.Canada's Shallon Olsen performs on the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics qualifying competition for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Sunday, July 25, 2021.A swimmer walks on the pool deck before competition at the Tokyo Aquatics Center for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Poland's Zofia Noceti-Klepacka takes part in the second race of the women's R.S. :X category at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Fujisawa, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Chilean football player Yenny Acuna warms up for the women's football match against Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, on Saturday, July 24, 2021.
Italian gymnast Vanessa Ferrari also has them on the back of her neck - along with ink commemorating previous trips to the Olympics in Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro.At these pandemic-restricted Olympics, athletes don't mingle with locals. If they did, they probably wouldn't feel welcome with their body art. Tattoos are still stigmatised in Japan, and tattooed people are often banned from beaches, gyms, swimming pools and other places throughout Japan.However, there are no such restrictions in the Olympic bubble. In the pool, on the beach, on the range, athletes redefine what it means to have a championship logo.Italy's Vanessa Ferrari performs at the women's artistic gymnastics qualifying event for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on Sunday, July 25 2021.Ivan Yakovlev of the Russian Olympic Committee prepares to serve in the men's volleyball preliminaries Group B competition between the United States and Russian Olympic Committees at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.Morocco's Abdelhak Nadir, right, blocks a punch from Mauritius' Louis Richamo Colin during their men's lightweight 63 kg boxing match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.Australia's Kaylee Mckeown leaves the pool after warming up during the women's 100m backstroke competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.An American athlete stands with an Olympic ring tattooed on her foot during the women's water polo preliminaries at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.A swimmer gestures during a training session at the Tokyo Aquatics Center grounds during the swimming competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.Adam Peaty of Great Britain swims the men's 100-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.France's Fantine Lesaffre adjusts her cap during training at the Tokyo Aquatics Center venue for the swimming competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.Georgia's Shota Mishvelidze prepares for the men's 61kg weightlifting competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.China's Yan Peng tattooed on his arm during the men's 3-on-3 basketball match against Latvia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, July 25, 2021.Rio 2016 tattoos adorn the body of Switzerland's Joana Heidrich as she prepares to face Germany in the women's beach volleyball match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.Ivan Iakovlev of the Russian Olympic Committee prepares to serve in the men's volleyball preliminary B pool match between the United States and the Russian Olympic Committee at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on July 26 2021.Nyjah Huston of the United States competes in the men's street skateboarding competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.Ivan Gilev of the Russian Olympic Committee prepares to start the warm-up for the men's 200m freestyle race at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, July 25 2021.USA's Townley Haas' Olympic five-ring tattoo drops from his back during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
A swimmer walks on the pool deck before competition at the Tokyo Aquatics Center for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
At these pandemic-restricted Olympics, athletes don't mingle with locals. If they did, they probably wouldn't feel welcome with their body art. Tattoos are still stigmatised in Japan, and tattooed people are often banned from beaches, gyms, swimming pools and other places throughout Japan.
However, there are no such restrictions in the Olympic bubble. In the pool, on the beach, on the range, athletes redefine what it means to have a championship logo.
Italy's Vanessa Ferrari performs at the women's artistic gymnastics qualifying event for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on Sunday, July 25 2021.
Ivan Yakovlev of the Russian Olympic Committee prepares to serve in the men's volleyball preliminaries Group B competition between the United States and Russian Olympic Committees at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Morocco's Abdelhak Nadir, right, blocks a punch from Mauritius' Louis Richamo Colin during their men's lightweight 63 kg boxing match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.
Australia's Kaylee Mckeown leaves the pool after warming up during the women's 100m backstroke competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
An American athlete stands with an Olympic ring tattooed on her foot during the women's water polo preliminaries at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.
A swimmer gestures during a training session at the Tokyo Aquatics Center grounds during the swimming competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Adam Peaty of Great Britain swims the men's 100-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.
France's Fantine Lesaffre adjusts her cap during training at the Tokyo Aquatics Center venue for the swimming competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Georgia's Shota Mishvelidze prepares for the men's 61kg weightlifting competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
China's Yan Peng tattooed on his arm during the men's 3-on-3 basketball match against Latvia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Rio 2016 tattoos adorn the body of Switzerland's Joana Heidrich as she prepares to face Germany in the women's beach volleyball match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, July 24, 2021.
Nyjah Huston of the United States competes in the men's street skateboarding competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Ivan Gilev of the Russian Olympic Committee prepares to start the warm-up for the men's 200m freestyle race at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, July 25 2021.
USA's Townley Haas' Olympic five-ring tattoo drops from his back during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 25, 2021.