Agree, we are accustomed to taking some events for granted, without really thinking about the history of their occurrence or their characteristic features.
Perhaps the Olympics should be considered a similar global event. But every time sports competitions of this kind attract the attention of not even hundreds, but hundreds of thousands of devoted sports fans around the world.
Incredibly, they have been held for 118 years, and now both the fire and the rings of the Olympic Games are already commonly perceived.
What do these symbols mean and why did they become iconic? Perhaps not every modern person can answer this question.
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 seasons that take place 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 And this is far from accidental, because for a long time during the Olympics, military actions and conflicts stopped and are stopping all over the planet.
The number of games placed on the flag is also very well thought out. 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 decorated with the new symbol in 1916, but the First World War prevented the main 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, game artists made 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 played out ironically. 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." For the first time these words were said 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 decree, gold medals must contain at least 6 grams of pure gold in the form of 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 that each person disembark be paid one dollar. 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.
Almost 96 years after their introduction, many of us are still unaware of the significance of the Olympic rings. To find out 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 Olympics, are a major sporting event in which thousands of athletes from all over the world compete in various sports. There are two versions of this international sporting event - the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics, each of which takes place alternately every two years.
History of the Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games we see today are the creation of the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, who was inspired by the ancient Olympic festivals and decided to revive them. Many attempts were made to revive the game, but only Coubertin's efforts bore fruit at the end of the 19th century, only thanks to his persistence. 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 of games are used to represent the games: badges, flags, flames and other symbols 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 Olympic Games emblem is a design created by integrating the Olympic rings with one or more distinctive elements. The Olympic torch is received on all continents and is escorted to the Games site to light the Olympic flame and begin the Games. The Olympic flag, which was designed by Coubertin himself, sports five interlocking rings on a white background.
What do the Olympic rings mean?
The five intertwined rings that are depicted 
on the Olympic flag are known as the Olympic rings. These rings are colored blue, yellow, black, green And red color, and intertwined with each other, are in principle 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 World Congress of 1914...: 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.
source ru.wikipedia.org
One of the most recognizable symbols in the whole world is the five Olympic rings, and its uniqueness lies in the simplicity of its 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 (from left to right): blue, black, red, yellow and green. The Olympic emblem was first introduced 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. Before 1951, it was a common belief that a separate color corresponded to a separate continent. In particular, Europe is blue, Africa is black, America is red, Asia is yellow, Australia is green, but since the mid-twentieth century (in order to move away from racial discrimination) this 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 psychologist Carl Jung. It was he who, during his fascination with Chinese philosophy, combined the symbol of greatness and vital energy (a 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 5 types - swimming (water element - blue), fencing (fire element - red), cross-country running (earth element - yellow), equestrianism (wood element - green) and shooting (element of metal - black).
When developing a personal emblem for each Olympic Games, this symbolism of 5 rings is always used. Due to their versatility, rings fit perfectly with other image components. National Olympic Committees have their own official emblems, but their image also necessarily includes 5 Olympic rings.
The symbolism of the Olympic Games is known to each of us. For example, everyone knows what the Olympic emblem, the flag looks like, or what the anthem sounds like. However, not everyone knows what exactly the rings symbolize, and therefore more on that below.
The symbolism of the Olympic Games is known to each of us. For example, everyone knows what the Olympic emblem, the flag looks like, or what the anthem sounds like. However, not everyone knows what exactly the rings symbolize, and therefore more on that below.
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 took place in Ancient Greece and Rome. After the disappearance of these empires, the competition stopped. They were resumed already at the end of the 19th century (more precisely, in 1896) by Pierre de Coubertin.
The same person designed the Olympic emblem in 1913, which consists of 5 intertwined rings placed in the center of the Olympic movement flag.
What do the rings look like?
They are arranged in 2 consecutive rows. In this case:- 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, representing the letter W. In this case, the outermost hoops (blue and red) intersect only with 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 orientation 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 specific continent or part of the world. More on this below.
Each of the 6 colors (together with the white background on the panel) are combined in such a way as to represent the national shades of all countries of the world.
In accordance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the fundamental idea of the emblem should be considered to root the idea that the Olympic Movement is an international campaign that unites everyone “under its wing.” Each country in 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 symbol presented. It must be followed by all international organizations, athletes and government officials in all circumstances. One of the clearest examples is that even if the Olympic hoops are depicted on a black or dark background, the ring of the presented shade cannot be replaced with another color. In the modern history of the Olympic Games, there has not yet been a single case of violation of this norm. As a last resort, they insignificantly change the shade of the emblem.
According to de Coubertin himself, “5 rings of different shades intertwine with each other - 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. It is they who are currently cultivating the desire for Olympism and are ready to accept healthy competition and wage a fair fight, 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 are united 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 Olympian athlete had to be distinguished by his versatility. In this regard, he must master each of the 5 fundamental sports. We are talking about swimming, fencing, jumping, running and shooting.
As part of this:
- swimming corresponds to a blue tint;
- fencing – red;
- jumping - green;
- running – yellow;
- shooting - black.
The presented interpretation of the emblem, however, does not focus attention on the international scale of the Olympic competitions. She focused her attention on the abilities and results of a certain individual who deserves to be called the winner of the Olympic Games.
Religious interpretations of the emblem
Deciphering the symbolism of rings from a Christian point of view is widely popular. It sounds like this:
- The black color symbolizes sin, which separates man from God. In this regard, scandals and intrigues occur even at the Olympics;
- red is the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross so that all sins would be forgiven;
- 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 also 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 victory for 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 is blue, Asia is yellow, Africa is black, Australia is green, and America is red. However, already at the end of the 50s, this certificate was deleted, since there was no evidence that de Coubertin intended 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 swapped 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 unity of people in the name of a certain idea. It implies fair competition, partnership and striving forward to achieve new results.
Symbol of the Olympic Games
The Olympic rings have rightfully taken one of the most worthy places among the Olympic symbols. Five multi-colored rings, most often on a white background, intertwine and form a single whole, symbolizing a global sporting event. Five rings emblem
Hides the deepest meaning, which lies in the very concept of sport as such. It contains the idea of universal popularization of the Olympic movement, equal rights for each participating country, fair treatment of athletes, and healthy competition. The Olympic rings symbol made its debut at the 1914 Olympic Games, held in Belgium.
But who was the inventor of this symbol? What does it actually mean? There are two main opinions on this matter.
According to one version, recognized even by the Olympic Charter, origin of the Olympic rings symbol usually associated with the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin. It was on his initiative and development that 5 multi-colored rings were depicted on the Olympic flag. This happened in 1912. Intertwined with each other, they formed two rows. The top row consists of rings of blue, black and red, the bottom row of yellow and green. Number five symbolizes five parts of the world, each of which has a specific color. The blue color represents Europe, the black continent is Africa, the red is America, the yellow is Asia, and the green continent is Australia. The two American continents were considered as one continent; Antarctica and the Arctic were not taken into account. The interweaving of five rings into one means the unification of five continents in the name of competitions on a global scale, a common sports spirit, equality of countries and readiness for tough but fair competition.
Second version appearance of the Olympic rings, is not so well known, but at the same time cannot be prematurely dismissed. According to some reports, the symbol of the five Olympic rings was invented by psychologist Carl Jung. He was well versed in the field of Chinese philosophy, in which the sign of the ring signified a certain energy, vitality and greatness. According to Chinese beliefs, our world is governed by the energies of earth, water, fire, wood and metal. Jung personally proposed to designate five rings these energies and combine them into the symbol that we know today. In addition, in 1912 the scientist proposed his understanding of the Olympic competitions. Now we call them pentathlon. In his opinion, an Olympic athlete had to be versatile and master each of the five main sports - swimming, fencing, jumping, running and shooting. At the same time, the color blue corresponded to swimming, red to fencing, green to jumping, yellow to running, and black to shooting. This interpretation of the emblem focused attention not on the global scale of sports competitions, but on the abilities and achievements of a specific person worthy of being called an Olympic champion.
Use of the Olympic rings symbol subject to strict regulation. You cannot change colors or move rings from one row to another. Monitoring compliance with the regulations is carried out by the IOC.
