America - red;

Europe - blue;

Asia - yellow;

Australia - green;

Africa - black.

Now, I wonder, if Martians take part in the Olympics, what color will the ring be added? Mars, after all, is also called the Red Planet, and red is a busy color.

The red Olympic ring symbolizes the continent of America, its indigenous inhabitants are the Red Indians. Black symbolizes Africa with its blacks. Yellow represents the continent of Asia. Green refers to Australia, the Green Continent. But why was Europe given the color blue?

According to one version, psychologist Carl Jung, who is also considered in some circles to be its creator, is associated with the appearance of Olympic symbols. Jung was well versed in Chinese philosophy and knew that the ring in ancient cultures was a symbol of greatness and vitality. Therefore, he introduced the idea of ​​five intertwined rings representing the five energies that are mentioned in Chinese philosophy: water, wood, fire, earth and metal.

Along with symbolism, in 1912 the scientist introduced his own image of the Olympic competitions of modern pentathlon. Any Olympian had to master each of its five events.

The first discipline of swimming - in the form of a blue ring also depicts the element of water and indicates the rhythm that holds the breath and allows you to move forward along the surface of the water, towards leadership.

The green jumping ring is an image of a tree and a symbol of the energy of the rider. He must have the ability to manage not only his own energy, but also the energy of the horse.

The next discipline is fencing, and it is represented by the fire element in the form of a red ring. This discipline symbolizes flair. The success of a fencer depends on the ability to sense the enemy and guess his movements.

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The colors of the Olympic rings, the meaning of each ring

Blue, black, red, yellow, green - the colors of the Olympic rings

The birthplace of the Olympic Games is the sanctuary of the ancient Greeks - Olympia. It is located in the west of the Peloponnese Peninsula. This place on the banks of the Alpheus River, right at the foot of the sacred Mount Kronos, is still the place where the eternal flame burns, from which from time to time the flame of the Olympic Games is lit and the torch relay starts.

The tradition of holding such sporting competitions was revived at the end of the nineteenth century by the French Baron de Coubertin. He was a famous public figure of that era. And since then, the Olympic Games have been held every 4 years. And since 1924, winter competitions began to be organized.

Olympic symbols

Along with the revival of the Olympic tradition, corresponding symbols appeared: flag, slogan, anthem, medals, talismans, emblem, etc. All of them were created with the aim of promoting this sporting idea throughout the world. By the way, the official emblem of the Olympic Games is five colored rings intertwined in such a way that they form two rows. The upper one consists of three rings, and the lower one, naturally, of two.

When you mention the Olympics, everyone first of all remembers the emblem - intertwined rings of blue, black, scarlet, yellow and green, depicted on a white background. However, not everyone knows the exact meaning of the colors of the Olympic rings. There are several versions. Each of them is not devoid of logic and can claim to be considered correct. Below we present to your attention some of them.

1. According to this version, the colors of the Olympic rings symbolize the continents. That is, this suggests that people from all over the world can become participants in these games, or rather from all parts of the world, except Antarctica. Let's imagine what shades correspond to each of the continents? It turns out? Now let’s check if you were able to navigate correctly. So what color are the Olympic rings? Europe is blue, America is red, Africa is black, Australia is green and Asia is yellow.
2. Another version is associated with the name of the famous psychologist C. Jung. He is credited not only with the idea explaining the choice of this or that color, but also with the creation of the symbolism itself. According to this version, Jung, being an expert in Chinese philosophy, proposed rings as an emblem - symbols of greatness and energy. The choice of the number of rings was associated with the five different energies (wood, water, metal, fire and earth) spoken of in Chinese philosophy. In addition, in 1912, Jung proposed the idea of ​​pentathlon, i.e. it was believed that each of the participants in the competition should master the following sports: swimming, jumping, fencing, running and shooting. The colors of the Olympic rings, according to this theory, correspond to each of these sports, as well as one of the above five energies. The result was the following chains: swimming-water-blue, jumping-tree-green, running-earth-yellow, fencing-fire-red, shooting-metal-black.
3. The third version is like an addition to the first. It is believed that the colors of the Olympic rings are all those shades that contain the flags of all countries of the world. Again, this means that participants can be athletes from all countries of the world without exception.

Why are the Olympic rings different colors? An excursion into the history of symbolism

When Pierre de Coubertin began to revive the Olympic movement, he understood the importance of symbolism in promoting the idea into the world. The word Olympus itself has a deep and multifaceted meaning. This is beauty, strength, universality, and divinity of an activity that develops both the human body and its spirit. He wove five different colored rings and unrolled them, thereby symbolizing all 5 inhabited continents, which is why the Olympic rings are different colors.

The mystery of Pierre de Coubertin

The symbolism of multi-colored rings is seemingly simple to read. The blue ring is Europe, the yellow ring is Asia, the black ring is Africa, the green ring is Australia, the red ring is America. This is what was written in the charter of the Olympic Movement until 1951. But the founder of the Olympic movement himself did not say a word about what the colors of the Olympic rings mean. Although this seems strange, it cannot be an accident. This means that these colors contain an even deeper meaning than what lies on the surface. That’s why they removed the entry about the colors of the rings in the charter, leaving everything else unchanged.

The five multi-colored rings are the most famous symbol of the Olympic Games. It is constantly before the eyes of billions of people. And to give it an unambiguous interpretation means to belittle it by turning it into a motto. And, probably, Pierre de Coubertin understood this. The symbols are not readable or explained. They have a multifaceted meaning, which each person absorbs in addition to consciousness, and interprets as best he can.

The ring itself is a capacious symbol - infinity, closed on itself. This means that each continent is closed in on itself, but is somehow intertwined with other continents. And the Olympic Games are also a symbol, a symbol of some future common cause of all mankind. This is why the Olympic rings are different colors and intertwined with each other.

Another symbol of the Olympic Games

The torch, which is lit from the rays of the Sun and then carried by a relay to the venue of the games, is also a multifaceted symbol. He is carried, and he establishes peace on the planet, reminding people of different races of some, not yet visible, future task of all humanity. After this fire of peace broke out in modern history, two world wars and many civil wars burned out until our time. He did not establish peace. But this idea lives on. It remains to clarify the task that the Olympic torch tells people about, and peace will be established on the planet, because wars between and within races will instantly lose their meaning. After all, the task is for all of humanity, it needs to be solved, and not destroy each other. We are intertwined by a common home - planet Earth. And it is already becoming so small, because humanity is growing out of it... The different colors of the rings of the Olympic flag and the torch call us to something unprecedentedly beautiful, for which it is worth living and being human.

Symbols don't die

Pierre de Coubertin retrieved the idea of ​​the Olympic Games from the depths of so-called pagan culture and revived it. And it has become so organically woven into our lives that this too cannot be an accident. This means that the time has come for this idea.

It is interesting that Coubertin called himself an ancient Frank who fell in love with the beautiful paganism of ancient culture. He said that he ceased to be a barbarian when he saw the gods on Olympus, because inexpressible beauty pierced all his feelings. The mind remained the same, but the essence of the soul changed.

The Russian artist and esotericist Nicholas Roerich advised Coubertin to take the ring for his idea. It is a fact. Maybe he helped choose the colors? After all, the meaning of the Olympic rings by color has a very specific meaning. Blue ring - divine thought; black – physicality; red – passion; yellow – sensuality; green – patient poise. The interweaving of these rings symbolizes a certain ideal human personality. True, in esotericism there are two more colored rings, i.e. an ideal person must have seven qualities. But the esoteric roots of Olympic symbolism are visible.

White flag background

But why are the Olympic rings of different colors on a white cloth? White color is a symbol of all things and purity. And any color on white is dominant, which is why in symbolism and heraldry there is a silver-gray color instead of white. Using a white background in symbolism and heraldry is very risky, because it seems to recede and protrude the symbol placed on it.

Thus, diversity is lost, and the symbol turns into a primitive motto. This did not happen with the flag of the Olympic movement, which is further proof that an artist who subtly feels and understands colors took part in its creation.

Conclusion

The question of why the Olympic rings are different colors will never find a solution. That's why it's a symbol, so as not to have a definite answer. And each interpreter will be right in his own way, and wrong in another. The symbol is perceived by the soul, and not understood by the mind.

What do the colors of the Olympic rings mean?

There are several versions explaining the meaning of the colors of the Olympic rings.

The first version is the most common. She says that the creator of the Olympic rings, Pierre de Coubertin, used multi-colored rings to characterize each of the five parts of color.

The blue ring represents Europe, the black ring represents Africa, the red ring represents America, the yellow ring represents Asia, and the green ring represents Australia.

That is, a symbol in the form of five intertwined rings denotes the unification/union of the five world continents.

According to the second version, the creator of the main Olympic symbol is the famous Swiss psychologist and philosopher Carl Gustav Jung. He decided to express the idea of ​​​​Chinese mythology about the five elements of nature (water, earth, fire, wood and metal) in the form of rings, a symbol of power and greatness. And in 1912, Jung proposed the idea of ​​pentathlon, the essence of which is that an Olympic athlete must master five sports - show jumping, fencing, shooting, running and swimming. Thus, the black ring symbolizes metal and shooting, the red ring symbolizes fencing and fire, the yellow ring symbolizes earth and running, and the green ring symbolizes wood and jumping.

According to the third version, which complements the first, the colors of the rings are all the shades that contain the national flags of all countries of the world. Those. An athlete from any country in the world can participate in the Olympic Games.

This symbol was invented by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913. There is no reliable information about what meaning he put into these colors, but it is generally accepted that the national colors of all countries are reflected in this symbol of the Olympic Games. Every country's flag has at least one color of the five ring colors. Five continents - five colors - five rings. Blue - Europe, black - Africa, yellow - Asia, green - Australia, red - America. This symbol indicates that athletes from countries all over the globe can take part in the games. The Olympic Games were aimed at maintaining the principles of equality, strengthening peace and improving relationships, and these principles were laid down in Ancient Greece.

The symbol of any Olympic Games is a sign - five intertwined colored rings.

This symbol was chosen for a reason; it carries the meaning and purpose of any Olympics - establishing friendly relations between peoples, countries and continents around the globe.

Each ring has its own meaning and represents a specific continent (continent).

The yellow ring is a symbol of Asia.

The green ring is the symbol of Australia.

The red ring is a symbol of America.

The blue ring is a symbol of Europe.

The black ring is a symbol of Africa.

The Olympic rings as a symbol of the five continents (which Pierre de Coubertin invented) of the world have their own colors, which symbolize, according to the same definition by Pierre de Coubertin, the continents and their colors.

Blue is Europe.

Yellow color expresses Asia.

The color black expresses Africa.

The color green represents Australia.

Red color South and North America.

This is how the world associates the colors of the continents and, accordingly, the colors of the Olympic rings.

Right here

I don’t even remember where I learned this and when, but the Olympic rings, and as we know and see, there are 5 of them, mean the five separate continents of planet Earth.

Each ring is a different color and is a symbol of one of the five continents where people live and populated countries are located, and all together means universal unification and peace. There are such different colors as:

yellow, blue, black, green, red;

and they match in the same order:

Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, America.

Klimushkin

Yes, everything is simple here - for each inhabited continent (now there are five) taking part in the Olympics, its own color is assigned:

America - red;

Europe - blue;

Asia - yellow;

Australia - green;

Africa - black.

When Antarctica is settled, there will probably be a sixth white ring.

Now, I wonder, if Martians take part in the Olympics, what color will the ring be added? Mars, after all, is also called the “Red Planet,” and red is a busy color.

Ladybug

Five multi-colored rings are familiar to us from the Olympics. The color of each ring was chosen for a reason; the colors represent a specific continent. And all the rings connected to each other are unification, peace.

the blue ring is Europe,

Africa is represented by a black ring,

America - red,

yellow - Asia,

and the green ring symbolizes Australia.

Visually like this

It’s a shame, of course, that no one represents Antarctica; if only the Olympic flag had 6 rings and one of them would be white. And there are only 5 rings - blue, yellow, black, green and red. The blue ring symbolizes Europe, the yellow ring symbolizes Asia, the black ring symbolizes Africa, and the red ring symbolizes North and South America.

Rainbow-spring

The part of the world called Europe is blue, some say it is blue.

Part of the world is Asia, as is known, Asians have yellow skin color, they got the yellow color of the ring on the flag.

The continent of Australia is green.

America - it was given a red ring.

Africa, where the skin color of the population is dark, is black.

The red Olympic ring symbolizes the continent of America, its indigenous inhabitants are the Red Indians. Black symbolizes Africa with its blacks. Yellow represents the continent of Asia. Green refers to Australia, the "Green Continent". But why was Europe given the color blue?

In my opinion, everyone should know this, because the symbol of the five Olympic rings carries a deep meaning - equality of opportunity for everyone, for all races and continents, which is why all five continents of the Earth are represented on it. And each has its own color, as written above.

Strymbrym

The five Olympic rings symbolize the five continents on which the Olympic Games are held. And the following color correspondence is accepted -

• blue - Europe;
• black - Africa;
• red - America;
• yellow - Asia;
• green - Australia.

The Olympic rings have five colors: blue, yellow, black, green and red.

They represent the five parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and America.

These parts of the world are connected to each other in rings.

According to one version, psychologist Carl Jung, who is also considered in some circles to be its creator, is associated with the appearance of Olympic symbols. Jung was well versed in Chinese philosophy and knew that the ring in ancient cultures was a symbol of greatness and vitality. Therefore, he introduced the idea of ​​five intertwined rings - a reflection of the five energies that are mentioned in Chinese philosophy: water, wood, fire, earth and metal.

Along with the symbols, in 1912 the scientist introduced his own image of the Olympic competition - modern pentathlon. Any Olympian had to master each of its five events.

The first discipline - swimming - in the form of a blue ring also depicts the element of water and indicates the rhythm that holds the breath and allows you to move forward along the surface of the water, towards leadership.

The green ring - jumping - is an image of a tree and a symbol of the rider’s energy. He must have the ability to manage not only his own energy, but also the energy of the horse.

The next discipline is fencing, and it is represented by the fire element in the form of a red ring. This discipline symbolizes flair. The success of a fencer depends on the ability to sense the enemy and guess his movements.

The yellow ring represents the earth element and represents the discipline of cross-country running. It indicates perseverance and perseverance. A trail runner seems to leap through the elements, knowing when to slow down and when to pick up the pace.

The shooting discipline and unique properties of the metal are depicted by a black ring. Accuracy and clarity are needed here. The success of a shot depends not only on physical exertion, but also on the ability of cold thinking, with the help of which the shooter concentrates on the target and hits the target.

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The meaning of the colors of the Olympic rings

Serega kuptsevich

The meaning of the Olympic rings

The five intertwined rings that appear on the Olympic flag are known as the Olympic rings. These rings are colored blue, yellow, black, green and red, and intertwined with each other, in principle they are a symbol of the Olympic Games. The Olympic rings were designed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1912. The five rings represent the five parts of the world: America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. The Americas are treated as a single continent, while Antarctica and the Arctic have not been taken into account. Although there is no specific color associated with a specific continent or region, different theories about the meaning of the color of the Olympic rings tend to link them to different quotes. For example, at least one of the five colors among the Olympic rings is present on the flag of each of the participating countries. The five Olympic rings were adopted in 1914 and debuted at the 1920 Olympics in Belgium.

When this emblem was introduced in August 1912, de Coubertin stated the following in the Revue Olympique: The emblem chosen for illustration represents the 1914 World Congress...: five rings of different colors intertwined - blue, yellow, black, green, red and placed on a white sheet of paper. These five rings represent the five parts of the world that are now reviving the spirit of Olympism and are ready to embrace healthy competition.

The point of the Olympic rings, according to the International Olympic Committee, is to reinforce the idea that the Olympic Movement is an international campaign and all countries in the world are invited to join it. Even the Olympic Charter recognizes the importance of the Olympic rings by stating that they represent the union of the five continents, as well as the gathering of athletes from all over the world at the Olympic Games. There is a strict code regarding the use of this symbol that must be followed under all circumstances. For example, even if the Olympic rings are shown on a black background, the black ring should not be replaced with a ring of a different color.

What is the arrangement of the Olympic rings by color?

Lyudmila 1986

These are the colors of the Olympic emblem and they are arranged like this - blue (light blue), black, red (first row) and yellow and green (second row).

The colors of the rings represent the continents, each continent having its own color.

This symbolism was invented in 1913 by the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin. Now they try not to decipher the colors, since they indicate the color of the race of the aborigines of the continents (except Australia).

I offer a photo of the Olympic rings just below for clarity;

The colors of the rings have their own sequential arrangement, designation and represent the continents.

1. Blue color means Europe.
2. Yellow color means Asia.
3. Black color means Africa.
4. Green means Australia
5. Red means America.

Most residents of our country know that one of the main attributes of the Olympic Games is the flag, which depicts multi-colored rings in a certain order. But few people can answer questions about the meaning of the Olympic rings, history and other facts related to the symbolism of the main sporting event in the whole world.

For a detailed analysis of the presented topic, it is necessary, first of all, to study the history of the creation of the Olympic rings, and also to understand why during the entire period of their existence, despite the rather simple image of the symbolism in question, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) did not change the existing emblem. After all, rings remind us of the main world sporting event, only because since childhood we have seen a flag with multi-colored rings at the Olympics.

If you look at this symbolism objectively, discarding the idea of ​​it that has formed throughout our lives, it will be difficult to guess that this is one of the main attributes of the Olympic Games.

From the history of the creation of the main symbol of the Olympics

Back in 1914, the founder of the modern Olympic Games (Pierre de Coubertin) presented a white flag with multi-colored rings at the IOC Congress in Paris. Coubertin proposed using this flag as the main symbol of the Olympic Games.

Congress participants approved this idea and decided to use the presented paraphernalia in 1916, but the First World War interfered, so the flag with multi-colored rings debuted only in the 20th year of the last century at the Olympic Games in Belgium.

On the World Wide Web you can find a statement that the creator of the Olympic rings is the Greek Angelo Bolanki (but even the authors of this version themselves do not give a 100% guarantee of its authenticity).
Adherents of the third version believe that the author of the Olympic rings was the world famous psychologist Carl Jung, who used ancient Chinese philosophy to create the legendary Olympic symbol.
The Olympic rings on a white background were invented in 1912 by the “forefather” of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin (other sources claim that he only led a group of creators of sports symbols while performing administrative work).
It is worth paying attention to the fact that according to all the above versions, the Olympic rings were created in 2012, and the white flag came to us from Ancient Greece (as a symbol of peace and goodness).

The meaning of each Olympic ring: several versions

Until 1951, it was believed that the meaning of the Olympic rings by color was comparable to the individual continent whose inhabitants took part in the Olympic Games:

Blue (first ring of the top row) – Europe;
black ring (2nd in the top row) – Africa;
red ring (3rd in the top row) – America;
the yellow ring in the bottom row is Asia;
the green ring in the bottom row is Australia.

But since the middle of the last century, in order to avoid accusations of racial discrimination, this theory of the meaning of the Olympic rings by color depending on the continent has been gradually abandoned.

Another “decoding” of the meaning of the Olympic rings is based on the fact that in the flag of any country taking part in sports competitions, you can find at least one color out of the six that are used to create symbolism (five rings plus a white background of the canvas).

Not without Carl Jung, who (as mentioned above) was fond of ancient Chinese philosophy and knew well that according to this teaching, vital energy and strength are attributed to the sign of the ring, and the world is ruled by metal, wood, earth, fire and water. Jung assigned each energy its own ring and at the same time “tied” the following meanings of a particular sport to each color of the Olympic ring:

Blue – swimming.
Black – shooting.
Red – fencing.
Yellow – run.
Green – jumping.

Despite different views on the meaning of the Olympic rings, they all boil down to the fact that sport is a wonderful way to identify the strongest in a fair fight, without death, grief and hatred.

How one of the main symbols has changed throughout its existence

It's hard to imagine that the Olympic rings have never changed their appearance since 1912. The first most serious change occurred in 1936 at the Olympics in Nazi Germany. Then all the rings were placed in one row, but the first, third and fifth ring were located slightly higher from the others (thanks to this, the symbol was similar to the original attribute). The second difference was that an eagle was drawn above the rings, and all elements of this symbol were drawn using black and white paints.

At the Olympics in Italy (1960), the image of one of the main symbols of the Olympic Games was made three-dimensional, and the rings themselves were placed under a she-wolf (which, according to legend, suckled Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome). If we trace all subsequent Olympics, we can conclude that each country where sports competitions were held tried to introduce its own original elements in order to highlight the main symbol of the Olympic Games.

But, despite the minor changes, none of the organizers of sports competitions pay much attention to them. The International Olympic Committee strictly monitors the main attributes of the Olympic Games (flag, anthem, medals, etc.). All emblems must have rings of the same size, arranged in a strictly regulated order. It is strictly forbidden to change the color of the rings or rearrange them, violating the established order. It is also prohibited to use the main world symbols of sports games for commercial purposes.

Having analyzed the above information, we can conclude that changing the appearance of the symbols of the Olympic Games, which have existed for more than a hundred years, is, at a minimum, unreasonable. Even people far from sports are well aware of these multi-colored rings of the Olympic Games, which during their existence have become not only sports paraphernalia, but also a symbol of friendship, peace and mutual understanding.

Olympic symbols are represented by several attributes at once - the emblem, flag, motto, principle, oath, fire, medals, opening ceremony and mascot. Each of them carries its own functional load and meets all the requirements of world-class sports competitions.

The emblem of the Games has been approved since 1913 and remains unchanged. It is familiar to everyone - five colored rings intertwined with each other. It has been in effect since it was developed taking into account the ancient Greek symbols of the Olympics. The five circles refer to the five continents that participate in sports competitions. In addition, the flag of any country must have at least one color that is represented on the Olympic rings. Therefore, the emblem of the Olympic movement serves as a unifying factor.

The flag is no less important. It represents an image of the Olympic rings on a white cloth. Its role is quite simple - white color symbolizes peace. And in combination with the emblem it turns into a symbol of peace for the duration of the Games. It was first used as a competition attribute in 1920 in Belgium. According to the rules of the Olympics, the flag must participate in both the opening and closing ceremonies. After the end of the Games, it must be handed over to a representative of the city where the next competition will be held in 4 years.

The motto of the Olympic Games is the Latin slogan: “Citius, Altius, Fortius!” Translated into Russian, this means “Faster, Higher, Stronger!” The role of the motto in the Olympics is to constantly remind everyone present why everyone is here.

The principle “The main thing is not victory, but participation” is an Olympic statement that appeared in 1896. The symbolism of the principle is that athletes should not feel defeated if they lose. Its goal is for the competition participants not to fall into depression, but, on the contrary, to find strength in themselves and prepare even better for the next Games.

The traditional oath used dates back to the 1920s. These are words about the need to respect your opponents and adhere to sports ethics. Not only athletes, but also judges and members of evaluation commissions take the oath.

Of course, one cannot ignore such a symbol of the Olympics as fire. The ritual comes from Ancient Greece. The fire is lit directly in Olympia, then transferred to a special torch, which, traveling across the world, arrives at the capital of the Olympic Games. Fire is needed as a symbol to emphasize that sports competitions are an attempt to improve oneself, it is a fair fight for victory, and it is also about peace and friendship.

Medals are not only a reward, but also a certain symbol of the Games. They serve as a tribute to strong athletes and at the same time emphasize that all people are brothers, because Representatives of various nationalities meet on the podium.

The opening ceremony is a mandatory attribute of the Olympic Games. Firstly, it sets the mood for the entire two weeks ahead. Secondly, it is a demonstration of the power of the host country. Thirdly, it is the opening ceremony that is the unifying force. This is due to the fact that it requires a parade of athletes, in which future rivals walk side by side, shoulder to shoulder.

The changeable symbol of the Olympics can be called the Talisman. After all, a new attribute is developed for each competition. It must be approved by the IOC commission and selected from several proposed options. The one that is ultimately chosen is patented and becomes a symbol of the Olympic movement in a given year. The mascot must meet several requirements - reflect the spirit of the host country of the Olympics, bring good luck to the athletes and create a festive atmosphere. Typically, the Olympic mascot is presented in the form of an animal that is popular in the country where the competition is taking place. In some cases, it can be made in the form of a fantastic creature.

Section 1. Olympics today

In general, the Olympics should be understood as a sporting event of an international scale in which thousands of athletes from different countries compete.

There are summer and winter Olympic Games, held alternately every two years. That is, purely theoretically, it can be calculated that events of this kind are organized only in even-numbered years. And if in 2014 the Olympics were winter, then the next, already summer, will be held in 2016. By the way, according to the decision of a special commission, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) has been entrusted with hosting it.

Section 2. Five rings of the Olympic Games as the main symbol of the competition

A white flag with characteristic symbols... At a certain moment, as if by magic, it appears everywhere: on buildings, on sports and casual clothing, interior items and even on children's toys.

The snow-white background symbolizes world peace. And this is far from accidental, because for a long time during the Olympics, military actions and conflicts stopped and are stopping throughout the planet.

The number and colors of the Olympic Games rings placed on the flag are also very thoughtful. They are colored yellow, blue, black, red and green.

First of all, we note that the rings of the Olympic Games symbolize the five continents of the planet: America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Why is this so, since the globe consists of six? The fact is that Antarctica and the Arctic, due to their uninhabitation, were not taken into account when developing the symbol.

Oh those Olympic rings! What they mean was invented a little later. Today, even schoolchildren can tell that each part of the world is correlated with its own specific color. Europe is blue, Africa is black, America is red, Asia is yellow, Oceania is green.

Section 3. Emblem of the Olympic Games: rings and the history of their origin

This symbolic sign was developed in 1912 by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. The emblem was adopted in 1914, although it should be noted that it debuted much later, only in 1920, at the Olympics in Belgium. It was originally planned that the world would see the flag adorned with the new symbol in 1916, but the First World War prevented major sporting events from taking place.

It is hardly worth mentioning that immediately after their appearance, the rings were liked and became an integral attribute of the Olympics. In subsequent years they were used to create various logos related to the Games.

Section 4. Has the symbol been modernized?

Oddly enough, yes. And the Olympic rings underwent the biggest changes at the 1936 Olympics, held in the German capital Berlin.

Firstly, the rings were not arranged in two rows as usual, but in one. Their location is slightly similar to the traditional one due to the fact that the first, third and fifth of them were raised compared to the second and fourth.

Secondly, both the rings and the eagle holding them were made in black and white. In subsequent years, the monochrome version of the Olympic Games logo was used quite often, but the arrangement was no longer changed.

In 1960, in Italy, artists made the symbol of the Olympic Games - the rings - three-dimensional. It was made in gray color. The rings were located under the Roman she-wolf, which, according to legend, suckled Romulus and Remus, who founded Rome. By the way, it was in that year that a new tradition was introduced - hanging medals around the necks of athletes.

The Mexicans, who hosted the Games in 1968, approached the creation of the Olympic logo no less creatively. This time, as a symbol of the Olympic Games, the rings were inscribed in the inscription “Mexico City 68” and highlighted in color. The lower rings were part of the number 68.

Section 5. The unopened ring of the Sochi Olympics

But not everything is as smooth as it might seem at first glance. The rings of the Olympic Games, which represent the five inhabited continents of the planet, have not always been a success. Some things were condemned, some things were welcomed, and there were also things that went down in history.

A small technical incident with the rings occurred at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi (Russia).

According to the plan, during the show, large snowflakes hanging over the Fisht stadium were supposed to transform into Olympic rings. But only four were revealed. One ring remained hanging like a snowflake.

However, Russian television viewers did not see this hitch, since the organizers realized what was happening a little earlier than the others and broadcast footage from the rehearsal.

During the closing of the Olympic Games, this incident with the unopened ring was ironically played out. At the beginning of the ceremony, the show participants formed a composition with five rings and one snowflake, which quickly opened after a few seconds.

Section 6. Other symbols of the Olympics

It should be noted that, in addition to the official flag and rings, there are also other symbols of the Olympics.

• Fire. The tradition of lighting a torch was taken by Coubertin in 1912 from the ancient Greeks. The Olympic flame is a symbol of purity, the struggle for victory and self-improvement. It was first lit in 1928. The relay to pass the torch to the city where the Game is being held began in 1936.
• Medals. For first place the athlete is awarded a gold medal, for second - a silver, for third - a bronze. They are awarded to the winners after the competition at a special ceremony.
• Motto"Citius, Altius, Fortius" can be translated into Russian as "Faster, higher, stronger." These words were first spoken by the priest Henri Martin Didon during the opening of sports competitions in college. Coubertin thought that this phrase perfectly reflects the essence of the Olympic Games.
• Oath, according to which the participants of the Games must respect and comply with the established rules. Its text was written by Pierre de Coubertin and was first performed in 1920.
• Olympic principle was also defined by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896. It says that in the Olympic Games, as in life, the main thing is not victory, but participation.
• Opening ceremony of the games- the most solemn part. It hosts a parade of athletes from all countries participating in the competition. The Greek team goes first, then the countries' teams according to the alphabet, and the last goes the team of the country organizing the Games.

Section 7. Interesting facts about the Olympic Games

According to the resolution of the International Olympic Committee, gold medals must contain a minimum of 6 grams of pure gold in the form of a coating.

On Olympic Games logos, the year is usually written in four or two numbers (Athens 2004 or Barcelona 92). In the entire history of the Games, only once in 1960 in Rome was the year written in five letters (MCMLX).

During the Great Depression in 1932, the Brazilian government could not find the money to send a delegation to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. As a result, 82 Brazilian athletes were put on a ship with coffee in order to bring them to America with the proceeds. When the ship arrived at the port of San Pedro, its leaders demanded to pay one dollar for each person who came ashore. Only those who had a chance to receive a medal were released from the ship. He then went to San Francisco to sell coffee and was able to drop off a few more athletes, but 15 athletes returned back to Brazil.

In 1956, the Summer Olympics were held in Melbourne, which was unable to host some sports. Australian quarantine regulations prohibited the import of horses, and equestrian events had to be held in Stockholm.

Section 8. Let's look into the future

As already reported above, the next Olympic Games will be held in Brazil, in the world famous holiday city of Rio de Janeiro.

This carnival capital knows how to do more than just surprise. It literally amazes every traveler, which means there is no doubt that the 2016 Olympics will be another amazing event.

Whether the rings of the Olympic Games will undergo changes, which signify the unity of the planet, is not yet known, since such details are usually a secret part of the opening ceremony.