Taboo in Tokyo 2020, tattoos on display at Olympics

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Taboo in much of Tokyo, tattoos are everywhere at the Olympics. There's the lion on British swimmer Adam Peaty's shoulder. Image Credit: 20210726 toyko tattoo

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An inspirational message on the arm of Chinese 3-on-3 basketball player Yan Peng. Image Credit: AP

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A likeness of Christ the Redeemer on the calf of Spanish boxer Gabriel Escobar Mascunano. Image Credit: AP

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And the Olympic rings. So many Olympic rings. French swimmer Fantine Lasaffre has them on her left forearm. Image Credit: AP

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United States swimmer Townley Haas has them on her back. Image Credit: AP

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American shooter Kayle Browning with Olympic rings tatoo on her right wrist. Image Credit: AP

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They're on Moroccan boxer Abdelhaq Nadir's left bicep. Image Credit: AFP

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and on the ankle of Canadian gymnast Shallon Olsen. Image Credit: Reuters

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Italian gymnast Vanessa Ferrari has them, too, on the back of her neck - along with ink commemorating previous trips to the Beijing, London and Rio de Janiero Games. Image Credit: AFP

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Poland Zofia Noceti-Klepacka competes during race 2 of the women's RS:X class at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Image Credit: AP

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Ivan Iakovlev, of the Russian Olympic Committee, prepares to serve during the men's volleyball preliminary round pool B match between United States and Russian Olympic Committee at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Image Credit: AP

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Chile's soccer player Yenny Acuna warms up prior women's soccer match against Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Image Credit: AP

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Athletes won't do much mingling with locals at these pandemic-restricted Olympics. If they did, they might not find their body art as welcome. Tattoos remain stigmatized in Japan, where those with them are commonly banned from beaches, gyms, pools and elsewhere around Japan. Image Credit: Reuters

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Adam Peaty celebrates winning to take gold in the final of the men's 100m breaststroke. | No such restrictions in the Olympic bubble, though. In the pool, on the beach, at the range - the athletes are redefining what it means to have the mark of a champion. Image Credit: AFP

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Taboo in Tokyo 2020, tattoos on display at Olympics

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