Taboo in Tokyo, tattoos on display at Olympics

There’s the lion on British swimmer Adam Peaty’s shoulder. An inspirational message on the arm of Chinese 3-on-3 basketball player Yan Peng. A likeness of Christ the Redeemer on the calf of Spanish boxer Gabriel Escobar Mascunano. And the Olympic rings. So many Olympic rings. French swimmer Fantine Lasaffre has them on her left forearm, and American shooter Kayle Browning on her right wrist. They’re on Moroccan boxer Abdelhaq Nadir’s left bicep, and on the ankle of Canadian gymnast Shallon Olsen.

A swimmer with an Olympic tattoo exercises during a swimming training session at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)

Water droplets fall down the back over a Olympics rings tattoo of Townley Haas, of the United States, swims at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)

An athlete sports a tattoo during a diving practice session at the Tokyo Aquatics Center at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)

A tattoo of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games decorates the body of Joana Heidrich, of Switzerland, as she prepares to serve against Germany during a women's beach volleyball match, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 24, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.(Text and Photo: AP)

Ireland's Nicola Daly looks to pass the ball as a tattoo reading "VIVO" is seen on her right arm during a women's field hockey match against Germany at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)

China's Yan Peng has a tattoo on his arm during a men's 3-on-3 basketball game against Latvia at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)

A tattoo decorates the back of Argentina's Rodrigo Isgro as he walks off the field after a men's rugby sevens practice at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in Tokyo, Friday, July 23, 2021. (Text and Photo: AP)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield shows off a tattoo while being interviewed during a Progressive Insurance commercial shoot at FirstEnergy Stadium, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Cleveland. (Text and Photo: AP)

Kayle Browning, of the United States, holds her shotgun during practice at the Asaka Shooting Range ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)

Morocco's Abdelhaq Nadir, right, blocks a punch by Mauritius' Louis Richamo Colin during their men's lightweight 63-kg boxing match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 24, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo : AP)

Adam Peaty of Britain exercises with a tattoo of the Olympic rings during a swimming training session at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)

Spain's Gabriel Escobar Mascunano during his fight with Argentina's Ramon Nicanor Quiroga at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Text and Photo: AP)