Olympic Rings - The official emblem
The Olympic Rings (copyright protected) are the official emblem to signify the Olympics. They are five interlocking circles and are each a different color (blue, yellow, black, green and red) on a white background. The Olympic Rings were originally designed by Baton Pierre de Coubertin in 1913. Baton Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the modern Olympics. Today he is known as the “father of the modern Games.” He wanted to have all five parts of the world represented on the emblem and each ring was to do that. The idea came to Baton Pierre de Coubertin when he was in charge of us Union des Societes Francaise de Sports Athletiques, also known as USFSA. The emblem of the union was two circles that were interlaced and was the original idea of Carl Jung who was a Swiss psychiatrist. News had it that to him, the ring meant continuity and the human being.
In 1914, Congress was suspended due to World War I breaking out but the flag and the emblem were soon to be adopted. They Olympic Rings made their first official debut in 1920 at the VIIth Olympiad in Antwerp, Belgium.
It was no surprise that the Olympic Rings were extremely popular and their popularity began to grow during the time that led up to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The President of the Organizing Committee of the 1936 Summer Games, Carl Diem, wanted to hold a torchbearers’ ceremony in the stadium at Delphi, which was the site of the famous oracle and also where the Pythian Games were held. Because of this, he ordered a construction of the milestone with the popular Olympic Rings carved into the sides and he wanted a torchbearer to carry the flame along with three other escorts from there to Berlin.
The International Olympics Committee has a current view of the flag in that it “reinforces the idea” that the Olympics Movement is indeed international and welcomes all countries all over the world to join. The Olympic Rings represent the union of the five continents and the joining of athletes all over the world at the Olympics. It is important to know though that no ring represents a particular continent. The only connection between each ring and the continents is that is refers to the number of them.
After the flag is hoisted up the top of the flagpole at the Olympics, the Olympic Rings are displayed and are displayed throughout the entirety of the Games. At the closing ceremonies of the Games, the flag with the Olympic Rings is lowered and signifies the end.