Tattoos have of course, have long been used by many cultures around the world to ensure good luck and fortune and a propitious outcome. Athletes in certain sports may get a tattoo that symbolizes excellence in their field, like sharks or dolphins for swimmers, or the equipment used in their sporting disciple. An excellent example is the number of National Basketball League players with tattoos of nets and basketballs.
The Olympic motto, in Latin: "Citius, Altius, Fortius"; which means, "Faster, Higher, Stronger". The motto was proposed by Pierr De Coubertinon the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894. The motto was introduced in 1924 at the Olympic Games in Paris. A more informal but well known motto, is also credited to De Coubertin, is "The most important thing is not to win but to take part!" De Coubertin got this motto from a sermon by the Bishop of Pennsylvania during the 1908 London Games.
For Olympic athletes, some favored tattoo designs are representations of the Olympic Rings or the Olympic Torch, or the Olympic Emblem, which is unique to each Summer and Winter Olympic.
Most Common Olympic Tattoo Designs. The Olympic Flag: a flag representing the five inhabited continents of the world, united by Olympism. The Olympic Torch: Since the first Olympic games celebrated in modern time, the Olympic Torch has become a symbol of the peace between the continents.
Additional resources: Thomas Lockhart's Olympic Tattoo Flash Gallery
