GB Para-swimming star Josef Craig banned over tattoo

Craig - GB's youngest gold medallist at the London Paralympics - with his tattoo

Paralympic champion swimmer Josef Craig has been disqualified from a race at the IPC European Championships for failing to cover up a tattoo.

The 19-year-old from Jarrow has a motif of the Olympic rings on the left side of his chest, which breaches advertising regulations.

He won his heat in the S8 100m freestyle but missed out on Sunday's final after being disqualified.

In Monday's S8 400m freestyle heats, Craig swam with a cover on the tattoo.

An International Paralympic Committee spokesman said: "Body advertising is not allowed in any way whatsoever and that includes the Olympic rings. The athlete did not wear a cover and was therefore disqualified.

"All teams are informed of the advertising policy at a technical meeting prior to competition so it wasn't as if they had not been reminded about the rules."

The City of Sunderland swimmer, who has cerebral palsy, was Britain's youngest gold medallist at London 2012 and qualified third fastest for Monday's 400m freestyle final at the championships in Madeira.