What does the five rings on the Olympics emblem stand for?
According to the Olympic Charter, the five-ringed symbol “represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games.” Baron Pierre de Coubertin conceived of both the symbol and the flag. Not coincidentally, Coubertin is the founder of the modern Olympic Movement. The Olympic Committee adopted the flag in 1914, and it was first flown at the 1920 Antwerp Games. While the charter isn’t explicit, many believe that the colors of the flag– blue, black, red, yellow, and green on a white field — are used because at least one of these colors exists in each of the flags of the nations participating in the Olympics. This may be true; however, the notion that each ring represents a specific continent is not. The five interlocking rings represent the five continents brought together by the Olympic Movement. The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games adds an additional layer of symbolism to the flag. Traditionally, eight people carry in t
