Some athletes will have one less worry as the Paralympics officially begin Wednesday in Paris: their body art.

The Paralympics has dropped its ban on Olympics rings tattoos, ending an era in which Paralympians had to cover up their ink or perhaps face disqualification, The New York Times reported Friday .

Athletes with such tattoos do not need to cover them up, Craig Spence, a spokesperson for the International Paralympic Committee, told the newspaper in an email. But he did not elaborate on the reason for the change.