What do the rings on the Olympic flag mean? The colors of the olympic rings the meaning of each ring

The Olympic Games are among the most anticipated and rated sports events in the world. Their main attribute is easily recognizable - five multi-colored rings. How did he appear? What do the Olympic rings mean?

We can explore this issue in the following main aspects:

History of the Olympic rings

The considered symbol of the Games first became known to the general sports community in 1920. Since then, he has consistently accompanied every winter or summer Olympics. Officially, the rings are used as an element of the flag, which is based on a cloth white color, which has long been associated with the denial of wars, with peace. As you know, in ancient Greece, at the time of the Olympic Games, which became the direct prototype of modern ones, all fighting between the warring policies (whose representatives then held peace negotiations in Olympia).

The idea to complement the white flag, associated with the world, with colorful rings belongs to Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the same person who came up with the idea of ​​holding world competitions at the end of the 19th century, the history of which dates back to ancient times. In 1913, the masters of the Bon Marche studio, located in Paris, made the first sample of the Olympic flag. It was presented to the public in 1914 at the Sorbonne during the solemn events on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Olympic movement revived by Pierre de Coubertin.

It was originally planned to use the five-ringed flag at the 1916 Games. But by that time the First had broken World War which made it impossible to compete. However, already at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920, the new symbols were presented as official.

The interlacing of five multi-colored rings is a concept invented by Pierre de Coubertin, according to some sources, under the influence of the attributes of the Union of French Athletic Societies (Union des sociétés françaises de sports athlétiques, USFSA), headed by the famous figure himself. The fact is that the emblem of this institution was two rings (red and blue), which are brought together.

It can be noted that the USFSA emblem was part of the structure of the logo of the International French Committee (Le Comité français interfédéral, CFI), which later became the French Football Federation. Below is an example of placing the corresponding element on the clothes of athletes.

The USFSA symbolism denoted the fact that the Union was formed by two separate associations operating in France - the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Course a Pied and the Committee for the Development of Physical Education (Comité pour la Propagation des Exercises Physiques). In turn, the blue and red colors in the USFSA attribute were used under the influence of the corresponding shades present in the national French flag.

At the same time, there is another version - according to which Pierre de Coubertin created the Olympic symbol in the form familiar to us, having seen images similar to it on ancient Greek objects.

The semantic content of the main Olympic attribute

What do the five Olympic rings used as the main attribute of the modern Games mean?

The fact that there are exactly 5 rings on the Olympic flag is associated by historians with the desire of Pierre de Coubertin to unite the symbols of several nations at once on a common white flag. Yes, yellow and Blue colour and denoted Sweden (the same shades are present on the national flag of this Scandinavian country); blue and white - the USA and several European states, on the official attributes of which, respectively, there are the indicated colors; yellow and red - Spain, Brazil, Australia, China and Japan. Remembering what the flags of these countries look like, we will see that they have yellow or red elements - and in the case of Spain, both.

Subsequently, the symbolism of the Olympics in the aspect of shades of 5 rings received additional interpretations. Let's consider them in more detail.

The above interpretation of the 5 Olympic rings as reflecting the competitive unity of world nations was considered the main one until 1951 - until the International Olympic Committee decided that the corresponding elements of the flag of the Games should be associated not with countries, but with continents. By the way, back in 1931, Pierre de Coubertin, as some sources testify, spoke about the need to interpret the semantic content of 5 rings in this way.

True, the founder of the modern Olympic movement did not specify which specific continent each of the rings should correspond to. At least, there is no generally accepted public information that would unequivocally reflect the opinion of Pierre de Coubertin on this matter.

According to an unofficial interpretation of the correspondence of the marked elements of the Olympic flag to the continents, blue indicates Europe, yellow - Asia, black - Africa, green - Australia, red - America, both North and South. More widespread, however, is the version according to which these shades of the Olympic rings are present one way or another on the national flag of any country in the world.

In the general case, the color scheme and the mutual arrangement of the rings do not change when using the corresponding attribute of the Games within the framework of the competition. But sometimes it is possible to adapt them to the thematic concepts used by the organizers of the Olympiads. So, for example, at the opening ceremony of the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014, the rings were decorated in the form of identical white snowflakes - one of them, as you know, did not open at a crucial moment due to technical reasons. At the same time, there was a plexus between them, and such a condition for using the Olympic symbol in question is considered, as many experts believe, to have no alternative, mandatory in all cases.

At the same time, one-color execution of the Olympic rings is practiced quite often: for example, in the manufacture of souvenirs, the layout of various thematic bulletins and the media. At the same time, the IOC has no public objections to such formats for the use of the main attribute of the Games. According to sports historians and experts, this may indicate the commitment of this organization to the idea of ​​unity, equality of world nations, regardless of the likely interpretations of the meaning of colors in the Olympic rings.

The symbolism of the Olympic Games is known to each of us. For example, everyone knows what the Olympic emblem looks like, the flag or how the anthem sounds. However, far from everyone knows what exactly the rings symbolize, and therefore more about this later.

The symbolism of the Olympic Games is known to each of us. For example, everyone knows what the Olympic emblem looks like, the flag or how the anthem sounds. However, far from everyone knows what exactly the rings symbolize, and therefore more about this later.

History of the Olympic emblem

Sports competitions were held between people thousands of years ago. One of the first and most famous are the Olympic Games, which were held in Ancient Greece and Rome. After the disappearance of these empires, the competition was suspended. They were renewed already at the end of the 19th century (or rather, in 1896) by Pierre de Coubertin.

The same person designed the emblem of the Olympics in 1913, which is 5 interlaced rings placed in the center of the flag of the Olympic movement.

What do the rings look like?

They are arranged in 2 consecutive rows. Wherein:

• Three of them - blue, yellow and black - are located at the top;
• Two, green and red, are located in the bottom row.

The rings are connected into a single chain, which is the letter W. At the same time, the outermost of the hoops (blue and red) intersect with only one of the other rings. The rings, placed in the center, each intersect with the other two parts of the emblem.

All about symbolism

The rings symbolize the union, the unity of the 5 parts of the world, as well as the worldwide focus of the Olympic Games. At the same time, contrary to one of the most common versions, each of the rings does not belong to any particular continent or part of the world. More on this below.

Each of the 6 colors (together with a white background on the panel) are combined in such a way as to represent the national shades of all the states of the world.

In accordance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the fundamental idea of ​​the emblem should be considered the rooting of the idea that the Olympic Movement is an international campaign that unites everyone “under its wing”. Each of the states of the world can participate in this international competition. The Olympic Charter itself (a set of legal norms) indicates that:

• the Olympic rings are relevant because they symbolize the unity of 5 continents;
• an additional interpretation of the emblem is a symbol of the gathering of athletes from all countries to participate in the Olympic Games.

A strict code has been developed regarding the use of the represented symbol. It must be followed by all international organizations, athletes and government officials under all circumstances. One of the clearest examples should be considered that even if the Olympic hoops are depicted on a black or dark background, the ring of the presented shade cannot be replaced by another color. In the modern history of the existence of the Olympic Games, there has not yet been a single case of violation of this rule. In extreme cases, the shade of the emblem is insignificantly changed.

According to de Coubertin himself, “5 rings of different shades are intertwined - blue, yellow, black, green, red. They are placed on a solid white field, reminiscent of the background of a sheet of paper. These 5 symbols represent each of the parts of the world. They are on this moment cultivate the desire for Olympism and are ready to accept healthy competition and fight fair, conquering new heights".

Interpretation of Carl Jung

Carl Jung, the most famous scientist of the 20th century, who lived at the same time as de Coubertin, proposed to perceive 5 rings as specific energies - earth, water, fire, wood and metal. It is they who unite in the symbol known today. In addition, in 1912, Jung proposed his own perception of the competition, which is also often called the pentathlon. According to him, an athlete who is an Olympian should have been distinguished by versatility. In this regard, he must master each of the 5 fundamental sports. We are talking about swimming, fencing, jumping, running and shooting.

Within this:

• swimming corresponds to a blue tint;
• fencing - red;
• jumping - green;
• run - yellow;
• shooting - black.

The presented interpretation of the emblem, however, focuses rather than on the international scale of the Olympic competitions. She focused her attention on the abilities and results of a certain person who deserves to be called the winner of the Olympic Games.

Religious interpretations of the emblem

Deciphering the symbolism of the rings from a Christian point of view is widely popular. It sounds like this:

• black color symbolizes the sin that separates man from God. In this regard, even at the Olympics there are scandals and intrigues;
• red is the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross so that all sins could be forgiven people;
• blue is the Holy Spirit who dwells in everyone after baptism. It will provide an opportunity to achieve high results not only in sports, but in life in general;
• green symbolizes spiritual growth in the process of knowing the Lord;
• yellow is similar to a gold-plated Olympic medal and is a symbol of the victory of peace and pacifism.

The most common inaccuracies in understanding the emblem

Until 1951, official sources claimed that the shades of the rings corresponded to different parts of the world. So, Europe - blue, Asia - yellow, Africa - black, Australia - green, and America - red. However, already at the end of the 50s, this certificate was deleted, since there was no evidence that de Coubertin assumed such a distribution of shades.

In addition, another common misconception is that, as many believe, in the first years before the start of the competition, the rings were interchanged with each other. Their location has remained unchanged since the creation of the emblem.

Thus, the presented symbolism of intertwined rings is a symbol of peace and the unity of people in the name of a certain idea. It implies fair competition, partnership and striving forward to achieve new results.

One of the most recognizable symbols around the world is the five Olympic rings, and its uniqueness lies in its simplicity of execution, which is why many sports fans depict it on their faces and in their hairstyles. The rings are arranged in a W-shape. Their colors are (from left to right): blue, black, red, yellow and green. The Olympic emblem was first presented in 1920 at the VII Summer Olympic Games in Antwerp (Belgium).

There are several theories about the origin and interpretation of such a popular emblem. The main version is a symbolic image of the unity of 5 continents, which was invented in 1913 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. Until 1951, it was widely believed that a particular color corresponded to a particular continent. In particular, Europe is blue, Africa is black, America is red, Asia is yellow, Australia is green, but since the middle of the 20th century (in order to move away from racial discrimination), such a distribution of colors has been abandoned. The theory of the unity of all peoples is also supported by the fact that the flag of any state contains at least 1 color from the emblem.

Another version says that the idea of ​​​​5 multi-colored rings was taken from the psychologist Carl Jung. It was he who, during the period of enthusiasm for Chinese philosophy, combined the symbol of greatness and vitality (circle) with 5 colors, reflecting the types of energies (water, wood, fire, earth and metal). In 1912, the psychologist also introduced his own image of the Olympic competition - the modern pentathlon. In his opinion, all Olympians had to master each of the 5 types - swimming (water element - blue), fencing (fiery - red), cross-country running (earth - yellow), equestrian sports (wood element - green) and shooting (metal element - black).

When developing a personal emblem for each Olympic Games, this symbolism of 5 rings is always used. Due to their versatility, the rings are perfectly combined with other components of the image. National Olympic Committees have their own official emblems, but they also necessarily have 5 Olympic rings in their image.

More than 100 years after their introduction, many of us are still unaware of the meaning of the Olympic rings. To learn the meaning of the Olympic rings and their connection to the concept of the Olympic Games, read on...

The Olympic Games, popularly known as the Olympiad, is a major sporting event in which thousands of athletes from all over the world compete in various types sports. There are two versions of this international sporting event - the Olympic Summer and Winter Olympic Games, each of which takes place alternately every two years.

History of Olympic Games

The modern Olympic Games we see today are the invention of the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, who was inspired by the ancient Olympic festivals and decided to bring them to life. Many attempts were made to revive the game, but only Coubertin's efforts bore fruit in the late 19th century, thanks to his perseverance. After all, the International Olympic Committee was founded in 1894 and the first modern Olympic Games were held two years later, in 1896 in Athens.

Symbols of the Olympic Games

A wide variety is used to represent the games: badges, flags, flames and other symbols that are used by the International Olympic Committee to promote the game throughout the year and especially during the games. The motto of the Olympic Games is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which in Latin means: "Faster, higher, stronger." The emblem of the Olympic Games is a design created by integrating the Olympic rings with one or more distinctive elements. The Olympic torch is accepted on all continents and accompanied to the venue of the games to light the Olympic flame and start the games. The Olympic flag, which was designed by Coubertin himself, sports five intertwined rings on a white background.

What do the olympic rings mean

Five intertwined rings, which are depicted
on the flag of the Olympics are known as the Olympic rings. These rings are colored blue, yellow, black, green And red color, and intertwined with each other, in principle are the 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 were not taken into account. Despite the lack of a specific color to a specific continent or region, various theories about the meaning of the colors of the Olympic rings tend to associate them with various 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 made their Olympic debut in Belgium in 1920.

When this emblem was introduced in August 1912, de Coubertin stated the following in the Revue Olympique: The emblem is chosen to illustrate and represents the 1914 World Congress...: five rings different color intertwined - blue, yellow, black, green, red and placed on a white field of a 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 accept healthy competition.

The purpose 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 of the world are invited to join it. Even the Olympic Charter recognizes the significance of the Olympic rings stating that they represent the union of the five continents as well as the gathering of athletes from all over the world for the Olympics. 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, black ring should not be replaced by a ring of a different color.

source en.wikipedia.org

Many people do not know the Olympic rings of color and their meaning. Rings and rings, and after all, Pierre de Coubertin, who in 1913, when he came up with a symbol for the revived Olympics, put meaning into his creation. He wanted to unite all continents in a single symbol, and he succeeded.

Olympic rings color meaning

In the 60s, the fight against apartheid and racism began, and then bam, and Africa is represented in black on the Olympic flag. Not politically correct. I urgently had to think about how to change it, and at the same time, in fact, without changing anything. No sooner said than done. Remember Feng Shui? Great stuff, always helps. They said that the Olympic rings now symbolize the elements of the earth, and this is what happened:

• Blue is water.
• Black metal.
• Red is fire.
• Yellow is earth.
• Green is a tree.

But for those who do not believe in feng shui, each ring, each color has become a symbol of a certain sport:

Blue: team water polo, diving, swimming (breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly, etc.) and synchronized swimming.

• Black: shot and discus throw, sport shooting, weightlifting.
• Red: fencing, wrestling, boxing.
• Yellow: athletics and, first of all, running at various distances.
• Green: Pole vault, long and high.

Well, that's all. Beautiful, politically correct, and everyone can choose the transcript that he likes best.