What Do the Olympic Rings Mean? | Mental Floss What Do the Olympic Rings Mean? Getty Images Like us on Facebook In 1894, Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin—a French aristocrat and intellectual who had previously attempted to incorporate more physical education in schools—convened a congress in Paris with the goal of reviving the ancient Olympic Games (an idea Coubertin first introduced at a USFSA meeting in 1889). The congress agreed on proposals for a modern Olympics, and the International Olympic Committee was soon formalized and given the task of planning the 1896 Athens Games. After the 1912 Stockholm Games—the first Games featuring athletes from all five inhabited parts of the world—a design of five interlocked rings, drawn and colored by hand, appeared at the top of a letter Coubertin sent to a colleague. Coubertin used his ring design as the emblem of the IOC's 20th anniversary celebration in 1914. A year later, it became the official Olympic symbol. The rings were to be used on flags and signage at the 1916 Games, but those games were canceled because of the ongoing World War.

The rings made a belated debut at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium. Coubertin explained his design in 1931: "A white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: blue, yellow, black, green and red ... is symbolic; it represents the five inhabited continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colors are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time." Coubertin used a loose interpretation of "continent" that included Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. He never said nor wrote that any specific ring represents a specific continent. Because the rings were originally designed as a logo for the IOC's 20th anniversary and only later became a symbol of the Olympics, it's also probable, according to historian David Young, that Coubertin originally thought of the rings as symbols of the five Games already successfully staged. ANCIENT RINGS? Popular myth (and an academic article) has it that the rings were inspired by a similar, ancient design found on a stone at Delphi, Greece. This "ancient" design, however, is really just a modern prop.

For the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin, Carl Diem, president of the organizing committee, wanted to relay the Olympic Flame from its lighting point in Olympia to the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Diem, it seems, had a flair for theatrics, and included in the relay a stop at Delphi's ancient stadium for a faux-ancient Greek torchbearers' ceremony complete with a faux-ancient, 3-foot-tall stone altar with the modern ring design chiseled into its sides. After the ceremony, the torch runners went on their way, but no one ever removed the stone from the stadium. Two decades later, British researchers visiting Delphi noticed the ring design on the stone. They concluded that the stone was an ancient altar, and thought the ring design had been used in ancient Greece and now formed "a link between ancient and modern Olympics." The real story behind the altar was later revealed, and "Carl Diem's Stone" was moved from the stadium and placed near the ticketed entrance to the historic site. The inspiration for Coubertin's design seems to be a little more modern.

Four years before he convened his Olympic congress, he had become president of the French sports-governing body, the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA). The Union was formed from the merging of two smaller sporting bodies, and to symbolize this, a logo of two interlocking rings—one red and one blue, on a white background—was created and displayed on the uniforms of USFSA athletes. "It seems quite obvious," says historian Robert Barney in a 1992 Olympic Revue article, "that Coubertin's affiliation with the USFSA led him to think in terms of interlocked rings or circles when he applied his mind towards conceiving a logo ... indeed, a ring-logo that would symbolize his Olympic Movement's success up to that point in time.... Circles, after all, connote wholeness, the interlocking of them, continuity." LORD OF THE RINGS The IOC takes their rings very seriously, and the symbol is subject to very strict usage rules and graphic standards, including: The area covered by the Olympic symbol (the rings) contained in an Olympic emblem (e.g.

the 2008 Games emblem ) can't exceed one-third of the total area of the emblem. * The Olympic symbol contained in an Olympic emblem has to appear in its entirety (no skimping on rings!) and can't be altered in any way. * The rings can be reproduced in a solid version (for single color reproduction in blue, yellow, black, green, red, white, gray, gold, silver, or bronze) or an interlocking version (interlaced from left to right; and reproduced in any of the aforementioned colors or full color, in which case the blue, black and red rings are on top and the yellow and green are on the bottom). * For reproduction on dark backgrounds, the rings must be a monochromatic yellow, white, gray, gold, silver, or bronze; full color on a dark background is not allowed. This article originally appeared in 2010. The Olympic Symbol # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z NEW RANDOM The Olympic Symbol This page is about the meaning, origin and characteristic of the symbol, emblem, seal, sign, logo or flag: The Olympic Symbol.

The Olympic symbols are icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee to promote the Olympic Games. Some - such as the flame, fanfare, and theme - are more common during Olympic competition, but others, such as the flag, can be seen throughout the year. The current view of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is that the symbol " reinforces the idea" that the Olympic Movement is international and welcomes all countries of the world to join. As can be read in the Olympic Charter , the Olympic symbol represents the union of the five regions of the world and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games . However , no continent is represented by any specific ring. Prior to 1951, the official handbook stated that each colour corresponded to a particular continent : blue for Europe , yellow for Asia, black for Africa , green for Australia and Oceania and red for America ( North and South considered as a single continent ); this was removed because there was no evidence that Coubertin had intended it (the quote above was probably an afterthought ).

Graphical characteristics: Olympic Symbols | Moscow, Russia - Embassy of the United States Moscow, Russia - Embassy of the United States Olympic Symbols Olympic Symbols Olympic rings like these ones at the Sochi Airport are among the most widely recognized symbols in the world. (c) AP Photo French baron, Pierre de Coubertin, not only started the movement to found the modern Olympic Games, but he also designed the Olympic Rings. Coubertin described the Rings and their meaning in the following quote: “ The Olympic flag […] has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: blue, yellow, black, green and red […]. This design is symbolic; it represents the five continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colours are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time. ” (1931) Textes choisis, vol. II, p.470. Many understood Coubertin’s statement to mean that the rings’ coloration represents each of the nations that competed in the first of the modern Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee, however, states that the rings do not correspond to a specific nation or continent.

Rather, the rings are interlaced to symbolize the universality of the Games; the Olympic Games invite people from around the world to engage in a peaceful and cooperative sporting event. The three Agitos The Paralympic Symbol (three Agitos) consists of three elements in red, blue and green – the three colors that are most widely represented in national flags around the world. The three Agitos (from the Latin meaning “I move”) encircling a central point symbolize motion, emphasize the role of the Paralympic Movement in bringing athletes together from all corners of the world to compete. The symbol also emphasizes the fact that Paralympic athletes are constantly inspiring and exciting the world with their performances: always moving forward and never giving up. The previous Paralympic Symbols, which are no longer in use, were based on the traditional Korean decorative component called ‘Tae-Geuk’. According to oriental philosophy, Tae-Geuk refers to the ultimate reality from which all things and values originate. Tae-Geuks started to be used at the 1988 Summer Paralympic Games in Seoul, Korea.

With five Tae-Geuks arranged similarly to the Olympic Rings, in a similar set of five colors, the symbol was not considered distinctive enough and therefore was changed to a three-Tae-Geuk design. Until 2003, the three-Tae-Geuk design was used for the Paralympic Symbol. In the same year, after a strategic review process, this symbol was replaced by the current one – the three Agitos. [Source: International Paralympic Committee Brand Brook, February 2013] Olympic Oath, Hymn, Motto In addition to the official logos of the Olympics and Paralympics, there are other significant symbols, such as the oath, hymn and motto. The Olympic Oath states, "In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams." Baron Pierre de Coubertin wrote the oath for the athletes to recite at each Olympic Games.

During the opening ceremonies, one athlete from the host nation recites the oath on behalf of all the athletes while holding a corner of the Olympic flag. A judge from the host country also speaks the oath, with slightly different wording. The Olympic oath was first taken during the 1920 Olympic Games by Belgian fencer Victor Boin. The taking of the Paralympic Oath is an important part of the protocol procedures during the Opening Ceremony at the Paralympic Games. After the Paralympic flag has been raised, an athlete from the team of the nation that is organizing the Paralympic Games mounts the official rostrum.

He or she holds a corner of the Paralympic flag and raises his/her right hand while reciting the following solemn oath, thereby renewing his/her commitment to a fair competition and the ideals of the Paralympic Movement on behalf of all participants: “In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Paralympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams.” This oath was adapted from the Olympic Oath written by Pierre de Coubertin. [Source: International Paralympic Committee] Olympic Mascot The Olympic Mascots are a warm and friendly presence amid the intensity of the world’s most competitive athletic events. The first official Olympic Mascot dates back to the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Since then, Olympic Mascots have become a main element of the Olympic image. There are three mascots for the Sochi Winter Olympics: the Hare, the Polar Bear and the Leopard. Whereas mascots are usually selected by the local organizing committee of the host city, the Sochi mascots were selected through a contest.

The Sochi Organizing Committee allowed first Russians and later internationals to send in drawings of ideas for mascots. The Committee received 24,048 submissions, from which it selected 10. Then, through the televised program “ Talismaniya Sochi 2014 – The Final ” on February 26, 2011 , the Russian public voted for the three mascots you see in the picture below! Postal stamp of Sochi Mascots. Credit: Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee American Citizen Services This site is managed by the U.S. Department of State. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. What do the Olympic rings mean? What do the Olympic rings mean? Matt Soniak These look familiar.

(Harry How/Getty Images) February 11, 2014 10 things you need to know today Today's best articles The week's best photojournalism Daily business briefing In 1894, Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin — a French aristocrat and intellectual who had previously attempted to incorporate more physical education in schools — convened a congress in Paris with the goal of reviving the ancient Olympic Games (an idea Coubertin first introduced at a USFSA meeting in 1889). The congress agreed on proposals for a modern Olympics, and the International Olympic Committee was soon formalized and given the task of planning the 1896 Athens Games. After the 1912 Stockholm Games — the first Games featuring athletes from all five inhabited parts of the world — a design of five interlocked rings, drawn and colored by hand, appeared at the top of a letter Coubertin sent to a colleague. Coubertin used his ring design as the emblem of the IOC's 20th anniversary celebration in 1914. A year later, it became the official Olympic symbol.

The rings were to be used on flags and signage at the 1916 Games, but those games were cancelled because of the ongoing World War. The rings made a belated debut at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium. Coubertin explained his design in 1931: "A white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: Blue, yellow, black, green and red...is symbolic; it represents the five inhabited continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colors are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time." Coubertin used a loose interpretation of "continent" that included Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. He never said nor wrote that any specific ring represents a specific continent. Because the rings were originally designed as a logo for the IOC's 20th anniversary and only later became a symbol of the Olympics, it's also probable, according to historian David Young, that Coubertin originally thought of the rings as symbols of the five Games already successfully staged. Ancient Rings?

Popular myth (and an academic article) has it that the rings were inspired by a similar, ancient design found on a stone at Delphi, Greece. This "ancient" design, however, is really just a modern prop. For the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin, Carl Diem, president of the organizing committee, wanted to relay the Olympic Flame from its lighting point in Olympia to the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Diem, it seems, had a flair for theatrics, and included in the relay a stop at Delphi's ancient stadium for a faux-ancient Greek torchbearers' ceremony complete with a faux-ancient, three-foot-tall stone altar with the modern ring design chiseled into its sides. After the ceremony, the torch runners went on their way, but no one ever removed the stone from the stadium. Two decades later, British researchers visiting Delphi noticed the ring design on the stone.

They concluded that the stone was an ancient altar, and thought the ring design had been used in ancient Greece and now formed "a link between ancient and modern Olympics." The real story behind the altar was later revealed and "Carl Diem's Stone" was moved from the stadium and placed near the ticketed entrance to the historic site. The inspiration for Coubertin's design seems to be a little more modern. Four years before he convened his Olympic congress, he had become president of the French sports-governing body, the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA). The Union was formed from the merging of two smaller sporting bodies, and to symbolize this, a logo of two interlocking rings — one red and one blue, on a white background — was created and displayed on the uniforms of USFSA athletes. "It seems quite obvious," says historian Robert Barney in a 1992 Olympic Revue article, "that Coubertin's affiliation with the USFSA led him to think in terms of interlocked rings or circles when he applied his mind towards conceiving a logo ...

indeed, a ring-logo that would symbolize his Olympic Movement's success up to that point in time.... Circles, after all, connote wholeness, the interlocking of them, continuity." Lord of the Rings The IOC takes their rings very seriously, and the symbol is subject to very strict usage rules and graphic standards, including: *The area covered by the Olympic symbol (the rings) contained in an Olympic emblem (e.g. the 2008 Games emblem ) can't exceed 1/3 of the total area of the emblem. *The Olympic symbol contained in an Olympic emblem has to appear in its entirety (no skimping on rings!) and can't be altered in any way. *The rings can be reproduced in a solid version (for single color reproduction in blue, yellow, black, green, red, white, gray, gold, silver, or bronze) or an interlocking version (interlaced from left to right; and reproduced in any of the aforementioned colors or full color, in which case the blue, black, and red rings are on top and the yellow and green are on the bottom).

*For reproduction on dark backgrounds, the rings must be a monochromatic yellow, white, gray, gold, silver, or bronze; full color on a dark background is not allowed. This article originally appeared in 2010. More from Mental Floss... Kid Activities | Summer Olympics Theme for Kids Summer Olympics Theme for Kids June 3, 2011 04:50 by Barbara Shelby OLYMPICS ARE A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP, UNITY AND PEACE... If you are planning an "Olympic Themed Day, Week or Month" convey to children in your program-- that this is an opportunity for Fun and Games, but most importantly, the activities are A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP, UNITY AND PEACE... SUMMER OLYMPICS: The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held in London from July 27 to August 12 2012, followed by the 2012 Paralympic Games from August 29 to September 9... _____________ First a little FYI...WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE OLYMPIC RINGS?

The Olympic symbol consists of five interlaced rings of equal dimensions, used alone, in one or in five different colors, which are, from left to right, blue, yellow, black, green and red. The Olympic symbol (the Olympic rings) expresses the activity of the Olympic Movement and represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. (See more below in making an Olympic Flag) ______________ WHAT EVENTS are played at the SUMMER Olympics? Impress the kids with how much you know! (Crafts and Activities follow this list) • ARCHERY There are both individual and team events in which archers battle in a seeded knockout tournament, firing arrows at a target from 70 metres. • AQUATICS Aquatics consists of a range of sports including swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo. Open water swimming is included for the first time this year. • ATHLETICS There are 47 different athletics events at the Olympics, 24 for men and 23 for women. There is no 50km road walk for women, who also compete in the heptathlon rather than the decathlon, but otherwise the men's and women's events mirror each other.

• BADMINTON There are five Olympic tournaments in the world's fastest racquet sport: men's singles and doubles, women's singles and doubles, as well as mixed doubles. All are straight elimination events. • BASEBALL Two teams take turns batting and fielding and the object is to score the most runs in nine innings. Baseball will disappear from the Olympics in 2012. • BASKETBALL Each game consists of four periods of 10 minutes with five minutes overtime allowed if a match is tied. Olympic basketball gold medals have ended up in American hands more often than not. • BOXING There are 11 weight categories contested in Olympic boxing - from light-flyweight (under 48kg) to super heavyweight (over 91kg). Only amateur boxers between the ages of 17 and 34 are allowed to enter. • CANOE/KAYAK Men race in both canoes and kayaks, while women compete only in the kayaks. Flatwater canoe and kayak racing was first seen at the Olympics with a demonstration competition in 1924, before it gained full medal status in 1936.

• CYCLING Men and women compete in all forms of cycling at the Olympics, although a handful of track events are only open to men. Road races take place in two forms - straight races and time trials. • EQUESTRIAN The three equestrian disciplines - show jumping, dressage and three-day eventing, which have been part of the Olympic Games since 1912, are the only Games which allow men and women to compete on the same terms. • FENCING Fencing is split into three disciplines defined by the type of weapon used. Epee events use a heavier blade, foil events use a lighter blade in which only the torso is a target, while the sabre is a light blade used to cut and thrust. • FOOTBALL The Olympic football competition is effectively an under-23 World Cup with 16 teams competing in the men's tournament and 12 in the women's. Professionals are allowed to participate, but in the men's tournament each nation is restricted to only three players over 23 years of age. • GYMNASTICS Olympic gymnastics consists of three disciplines; artistic, rhythmic and trampoline.

Both men and women compete in gymnastics, although each discipline differs greatly with individual and team medals also competed for. • HANDBALL Two teams of seven compete on indoor courts to score more goals than the other by throwing the ball into the opposing net. Halves last 30 minutes, with a 10-minute break in between. • HOCKEY Field hockey is a 70-minute game split into two 35-minute halves, while extra time and a penalty stroke competition may be played in the event of a tie. Both sides field 10 outfield players and a goalkeeper. • JUDO Judo is a traditional Japanese wrestling sport that dates back to the 1880s and means "the gentle way". Men and women compete in all seven weight classes, with men contesting bouts of five minutes and women four. • MODERN PENTATHLON Modern pentathlon contains five sports - shooting, fencing, swimming, equestrian and running - which competitors undertake in the course of a day. It is the only event which was created specifically for the modern Olympic Games.

• ROWING There are 14 medal events in the Olympics with women competing in six of these.The competition is made up of heats with the winner progressing to a semi final or sometimes straight to a six-boat final. • SAILING All 11 classes are sailed in a fleet racing format, whereby contestants will race in a group around a course of buoys. Each boat earns a score equal to its finishing position, with the eventual winner having the lowest score. • SHOOTING The Olympics have 15 shooting events, six for women and nine for men. For the rifle and pistol categories competitors shoot at targets on the shooting range. The shotgun category sees competitors shoot at clay targets. • SOFTBALL Softball is the sole women-only sport in the Olympics. The game is similar to baseball, with some key differences. Women's fast-pitch, the variation used is played over seven innings rather than nine, with a larger ball and pitching is underarm. • TABLE TENNIS Table tennis lays claim to the title of the world's largest participation sport - a fact attributed to its immense popularity in the Far East. There are four Olympic table tennis tournaments - singles and doubles for both men and women.

• TAEKWONDO Taekwondo is one of many Korean martial art forms dating back to the early 20th century. Men and women each compete in four different weight classes ranging From 80kg and above in men to below 49kg in women. • TENNIS All Olympic tennis competitions are decided on a knockout basis. Each nation may enter a maximum of six singles players and four doubles teams, who are put in different sections of the draw. For the singles competition 16 players are seeded, while the doubles draw includes eight seeded teams. • TRIATHLON The Olympic triathlon, a continuous distance race consisting of swimming, cycling and running, is contested by men and women in individual races. The event is made up of a 1.5km swim followed by a 40km cycle and ending in a 10km run. • VOLLEYBALL Indoor volleyball is played by teams of six over a maximum of five sets, with the first four won by the team who reaches 25 and the fifth by the team who reaches 15, though they must have a two-point advantage. The beach variety takes place on a smaller court with teams of two players.

• WEIGHTLIFTING There are two techniques in Olympic weightlifting - the snatch and the clean and jerk - both performed by each athlete. There are eight weight categories in the men's event, ranging from 56kg to over 105kg. In the women's there are seven, starting at 48kg and going through to the over 75kg category. • WRESTLING Men's wrestling is contested in seven weight categories from bantamweight to super heavyweight. All seven are contested in both Greco-Roman and freestyle. For the women there is no Greco-Roman . __________________ FYI... The five colored rings on a white field form the Olympic Flag. The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games at which it was flown were Antwerp, 1920. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games. _______ MAKE AN OLYMPICS FLAG (or flags) to have at your events or decorate your room. 1. The five rings (circles) are interlocking on a white background. The white background symbolizes peace.

The colors of red, blue, green, yellow, and black, were chosen because each nation has at least one of these colors in its national flag. 2. The 5 rings represent the five major land areas of the world - (show this land areas on a map or globe). The five interlocking rings represent the continents of Africa, Australia, Europe, The Americas, and Asia. The rings are interlocked to show friendship among the nations. ______________________ ACTIVITY MAKE FLAGS OF THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED... Decorate the room with the flags. You can also PUT UP A WORLD MAP with the continents of Africa, Australia, Europe, The Americas, and Asia __________ MAKE AN OLYMPIC RINGS CRAFT Materials: 1. Cut out the center of five paper plates. It's easier to use a knife or scissors to make a slit in the center of the plate, then use scissors to finish cutting out the inner circle. 2. Use markers or paint to color each plate the color of the Olympic rings. (Color one plate blue, one black, one red, one yellow and one green.) 3. Arrange the plates in the order the Olympic rings are in the Olympic symbol.

The Olympic rings on the upper row are, from left to right, blue, black and red. The Olympic rings on the lower row are yellow and green. 4. Staple the plates together to create an Olympic rings decoration. 5. If you want to hang your Olympic rings as a decoration, use a hole punch to create two holes in the top and hang it with string. ________________________ OLYMPIC RINGS MURAL Cut five large ring shapes out of sturdy paper. Have children work together to color or paint each ring one of these colors: red, green, black, yellow, and blue. Arrange the rings on a plain white sheet of butcher paper and hang it up for closing ceremonies or a room decoration. _________________ Pipe cleaners, masking tape, crayons, markers or paint. Make a leaf template; trace and cut out the needed number of leaves- Use a string to measure your head. 1. Color the leaves on both sides green. 2. Tape a leaf to the end of the pipe cleaner and secure it with tape. Tape leaves half way down one pipe cleaner. 3. Take another pipe cleaner and place a leaf on its end. Then twist it together with the other pipe cleaner. 4.

Add leaves half way down the pipe cleaner. Use the string to measure the pipe cleaners. When the pipe cleaners length matches the string length add a leaf at the end. Twist the pipe cleaner to make a circle and secure with tape. ___________________ MAKE AN OLYMPIC GAME MASCOT ( To the left are Wenlock and Mandeville~ mascots for the 2012 Olympics starting July 27 in London--) Materials for your own class/school/program mascots... Put out assorted art materials such as: Styrofoam shapes, pipe cleaners, toilet paper tubes, tin foil, google eyes, paint, spangles, scraps of material, etc. Possibilities are endless) With the children make a list of the qualities a mascot should have. (See the FYI-list the end of this entry) • Have children design and make Olympic mascots for you school or program. • Make your character so it has all of the qualities of an Olympic mascot. • Use a variety of art materials to make the mascots unique. • Give the mascot a name. • Display the mascots in your room.

FYI: OLYMPIC MASCOT HISTORY Since the first mascot in Olympic history made its appearance at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, Olympic Mascots have become a main element of the Olympic image. As a unique and popular image full of vitality, a mascot is able to materialize the Olympic spirit, communicate the concepts of each Olympic Games, promote the history and culture of the host city and create a festive atmosphere for the Games. Mascots act as a significant vehicle for communicating the Olympic spirit to the general public, especially children and youth. Whatever shapes they have, they fundamentally share a creative rationale, that is, the mascots must be able to convey the theme of the Olympic Games, showcase the distinctive geographical features, history and culture unique to the host city. ( Click here to learn the symbolism of this years mascots-you will be taken off of KidActivities site) _________________ THEMED PAPER PONCHOS (Good for Pre-K to about grade 2) 1. Take a large piece of butcher or roll paper. Fold it in half, and cut out a neck hole along the fold to make a poncho! 2.

Next decorate the ponchos in interesting designs---or to go with a THEMED day/week or party! 3. Example: Decorate your poncho with an American Flag or red, white and blue for a Patriotic or Olympic theme! _________________ TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL OLYMPICS GAMES DAY... ORGANIZE TEAMS FOR PLAY 1. Plan the Olympic Games for the children. (Lots of games on KidActivities!!!) 2. Decide how many teams you will have. 3. Divide the kids into the teams. 4. Have each group decorate a banner with their team name and symbol. 5. Meet with staff members regarding who is to do what. OLYMPICS DAY HAVE AN OPENING CEREMONY AND OR PARADE--This will kick off the whole event. • Explain what games will be involved in the competitions, how competitors are expected to win and lose graciously, and point out how much fun the day will be. • Organize the children to march around an area holding their banners. Play the Olympic theme or the "Star-Spangled Banner." ______________ DURING PLAY... Post the rules of the games and review the rules with the children and place signs where events are located.

___________________ Need: Small paper bag, newspaper, string Stuff a small paper bag with newspaper. Tie it off with a 12" long string. Hold the end of the string. Spin around 3 times. Let go. Watch how far the hammer travels. Record distances. The longest distance wins. ____________ JAVELIN THROW Need: soda straws, waste paper basket, tape Tape 4 straws together end to end. Mark a starting line behind which all players must stand. Place a wastepaper basket 5 feet from the starting line. Throw straws into the wastebasket. Give each player 5 turns. The winner is the child who gets the straws into the basket the most times. __________ STANDING BROAD STRETCH Mark a starting line with tape. Start with the toes behind the line. Take one giant step. Measure the step. The winner is the one who took the biggest step. SHOT PUT FOR DISTANCE Make a ball out of aluminum foil. Hold the ball in the palm of one hand. Instruct children to place that hand next to their ear and then push the shot into the air extending their arms. They can not move their feet. Record distances; the longest distance wins.

____________ Use a Frisbee to play discus...or... Tape two heavy foam plates together. Hold the "discus" like a flying disk. Throw away from the waist. Record distances. The longest distance wins ____________ You can have competitions involving pairs and singles. You will need a judge to determine if shots are in or out in the event there is a question. Use the official badminton rules or make your own that are consistent for every team. SOCCER Set goals at least 15 feet apart. Goals can be as simple as a rope anchored in the ground. Play the best two out of three games. Keep scores for medals and prizes. _________________________ Can you play any of the games mentioned above such as: SOFTBALL, FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, HANDBALL, HOCKEY, TENNIS OR VOLLEYBALL? They're all summer Olympic Games!!! ______________ In preparation for YOUR Summer Olympics you will need: • Stop watches • Whistles for the game officials • Equipment that each game requires ______________ LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Part 2 Check out the great ideas in the RACES, RELAYS, BALLOONS & BEANBAG Category ...All great games for an Olympics type theme! There are more than 45 games in that Category! Also look at ideas in the OUTDOOR WATER PLAY CATEGORY . Towards the page bottom is a description of a WATER THEMED FIELD DAY! ______________ Submitted by Doreen Z from Mi./Fla On rainy days have kids MAKE RIBBONS FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS for the summer or end of school year. Use permanent markers or fabric paint to make ribbons for events/games such as: Best waterballoon maker, 1st in water relay, Big drip award, Little dripper award, etc. At the end of the day when the kids are drying off and after clean up--pass out the awards. See how many they can collect during camp, field day, or the school year. ___________________ BEFORE GAMES...HAVE KIDS SAY THE OLYMPIC OATH! Every four years the world celebrates as the athletes take an oath...

In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams. Have your kids put up their right hand and say an oath/promise at the beginning of your games... A simplified version for the kids to say before THEIR events is... "I promise follow the rules of the games... To be fair... To be a good sport... and honor my teams! I'll remember to play for fun! _________________ THIS IS A GOOD PHOTO OP! This is a good time to gather the children with their Olympic flags and medals and make a group picture or individual pictures before and at the closing ceremony after the games. Make sure someone has a camera and video camera during the events! ________________ MAKE OLYMPIC RINGS COOKIE SNACK Need: Five Home-made or purchased "ring" cookies (round cookies with a hole in the center) per child. "Writing frosting" in red, green, black, blue and yellow or add food coloring to white frosting. Decorate each cookie with a different color frosting. Lay out the cookies on a plate in the pattern of the Olympic rings.

Enjoy and Eat! _____________ INCLUDE A "FRIENDSHIP SNACK"... TWO FRIENSHIP SNACKS #1. Have each child bring in a half cup of their favorite snack (You can offer parents suggestion at this point: cereal, raisins, crackers, etc) When you get all of the snacks--- mix them all in a huge bowl and serve them for snack. Talk about how DIFFERENT THINGS GO TOGETHER to make something very good. This helps get the ideas of diversity, sharing, cooperation, and trying new things across. ________ #2. Do the same as above, however,USE FRUIT instead of snack mixes. 1. Have each child bring in one can or piece of fresh fruit 2. talk about how different things go together,to make something very good. This helps get the ideas of diversity, sharing, cooperation, and trying new things across. 3. Donate any left-over cans to a shelter _______ CHECK OUT THE 'PATRIOTIC-RED/WHITE & BLUE CATEGORY' Many ideas can be used for promoting 'Spirit' in your program Olympics Day or Theme... __________ JUST A FYI SAFETY REMINDER! TAKE A GULP OF WATER...

Use caution when it's hot outside, especially for active kids. In high temperatures, kids don't sweat as much as adults do, so it's harder for them to cool off. This makes them more at risk for dehydration and heat exhaustion. WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE and kids are playing sports-or even just actively playing-head off problems by making sure they DRINK FLUIDS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER ACTIVITY. As a guideline, encourage AT LEAST 4 ounces of fluid EVERY 15-20 minutes, or whenever there's a break or time-out. Tip: One ounce equals about one "gulp'--therefor 4 gulps are needed for eveery 15 to 20 minutes! _______________ International Olympic Committee - IOC / Olympic Games This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website International Olympic Committee - IOC / Olympic Games Comité International Olympique - CIO / Jeux Olympiques image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán Flag adopted: 1914. "... in 1913, the five rings appeared at the top of a letter written by Pierre de Coubertin. He drew the rings and coloured them in by hand.

It was also Coubertin who had the idea for the Olympic flag. He presented the rings and flag in June 1914 in Paris at the Olympic Congress." Description of the flag According to the Olympic Charter the design and proportions of the Olympic flag are those of the flag presented by Pierre de Coubertin at the Paris Congress in 1914. On a white field without borders, five rings in blue, yellow, black, green, and red interlaced from left to right forming a trapezium with the blue, black and red rings are at the top and the yellow and green rings at the bottom. The proportions of the original flag were 2 x 3m and the rings occupied an area of 0.6 x 2.2m. There are a few exceptions to this rule. Among these are the Antwerp and Seoul flags, which have a fringe of the six colours around the white field. Olympic Charter - International Olympic Committee , 12 December 1999 I note that we show the Olympic Flag in dimensions of what looks like either 2:3 or 3:5, which is the way it is normally seen.

I'm sure, however, that the official flag hoisted above the stadium in London (and presumably the same flag at other Olympics) was far closer to 3:4 in ratio. Anyone know for certain what dimensions this flag has? James Grutness, 14 August 2012 Olympic flag in 1:2 ratio image by Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 26 September 2014 Olympic flag, rare, unique ratio, asymmetric image by Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 26 September 2014 Charter (8 September 2013) now at . Its content has changed since our previous quote, though. We could document the chances in the treatment of the Olympic flag by comparing the years. Articles are now [quoting]: 8 The Olympic symbol* The Olympic symbol consists of five interlaced rings of equal dimensions (the Olympic rings), used alone, in one or in five different colours. When used in its five-colour version, these colours shall be, from left to right, blue, yellow, black, green and red.

The rings are interlaced from left to right; the blue, black and red rings are situated at the top, the yellow and green rings at the bottom in accordance with the following graphic reproduction. The Olympic symbol expresses the activity of the Olympic Movement and represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. [Then follows an illustration showing the symbol.] 9 The Olympic flag* The Olympic flag has a white background, with no border. The Olympic symbol in its five colours is located in its centre. 11 Olympic emblems* An Olympic emblem is an integrated design associating the Olympic rings with another distinctive element. [The asterisks indicate a Bye-Law:] Bye-law to Rules 7-14 4. Creation and use of an Olympic emblem by an NOC or an OCOG: 4.1 An Olympic emblem may be created by an NOC or an OCOG subject to the approval of the IOC. 4.2 The IOC may approve the design of an Olympic emblem provided that it considers that such emblem is distinct from other Olympic emblems.

4.3 The area covered by the Olympic symbol contained in an Olympic emblem shall not exceed one third of the total area of such emblem. The Olympic symbol contained in an Olympic emblem must appear in its entirety and must not be altered in any way. 4.4 In addition to the foregoing, the Olympic emblem of an NOC must fulfil the following conditions: 4.4.1 The emblem must be designed in such a way that it is clearly identified as being connected with the country of the NOC concerned. 4.4.2 The distinctive element of the emblem cannot be limited to the sole name � or abbreviation of such name � of the country of the NOC concerned. 4.4.3 The distinctive element of the emblem must not make reference to the Olympic Games or to a specific date or event so as to be limited in time. 4.4.4 The distinctive element of the emblem must not contain mottoes, designations or other generic expressions which give the impression of being universal or international in nature.

4.5 In addition to the provisions contained in paragraphs 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 above, the Olympic emblem of an OCOG must fulfil the following conditions: 4.5.1 The emblem must be designed in such a way that it is clearly identifiable as being connected with the Olympic Games organised by the OCOG concerned. 4.5.2 The distinctive element of the emblem cannot be limited to the sole name � or abbreviation of such name � of the country of the OCOG concerned. 4.5.3 The distinctive element of the emblem must not contain mottoes, designations or other generic expressions which give the impression of being universal or international in nature. 4.6 Any Olympic emblem which has been approved by the IOC before the foregoing provisions come into effect shall remain valid.... For the rest there's a lot about protection and restrictions to use here, that doesn't seem all that interesting, flag-wise. Anyway, I was quoting that, to show that the ratio of the flag is not mentioned in the charter. My rendition is as good as any other, except that some may be better approximations of flags that went before.

(Based on the Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán image, though I thought we'd had a better depiction since. Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 26 September 2014 Posted by Zachary Harden, August 6, 2004. Click the image to enlarge About the Ceremonial Flag On 5th June at the 90th Session of the International Olympic Committee in Berlin, IOC President Samaranch presented Mr. Tae Woo Roh, President of the Seoul Olympic Organising Committee (SLOOC), with the Seoul Olympic Flag, which is to be flown by host cities as the new official standard of the Games. The flag was one of two that the SLOOC had made at the request of the IOC to replace the Antwerp Flag, which has become worn with years of use and has now been retired to be placed in the Olympic Museum. The other Seoul Flag, which was presented to Mr. Samaranch in Seoul last September 27th. just before the dedication of the new Olympic Stadium, is to be kept at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne.

The Dong-A Silk Co., one of Korea's leading producers of silk fabric, made the flag of 100 percent pure Korean raw silk in a three-ply, 21-denier material weighing 45 grams per inch. Three metres long and two metres high, the flag is seamless - one of the few improvements made over the Antwerp Flag, which was not of a single piece. The five-ring emblem, two metres by sixty centimetres, is centered on the flag ; the rings are made of the same fabric as the field, hand-dyed and sewn on with spun silk yarn. The fringe, made of 120-denier spun silk yarn braided by hand, was sewn to the border with 12-ply, 21-denier silk yarn. All the needlework was done by the deft hands of women skilled in Korea's traditional methods. Fast acid dyes were used and the coloured portions of the flag were treated with water repellent to render them resistant to running or fading. The original Olympic flag, based on a design by the Baron Pierre de Coubertin himself, was made in the Au Bon Marché store near Coubertin's birthplace in Paris.

It was first flown in 1914 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the creation of the International Olympic Committee but did not serve as a standard for the Games until 1920 in Antwerp, hence the name by which it came to be known. (No Games were held in 1916 because of the First World War). This flag has been the official standard of every Olympiad since; and all other Olympic flags, including the new official standards from Seoul, have followed its design. Upon receiving the new flag, Mr. Roh thanked the IOC for giving Seoul the honour of making it and said that he hoped it would fly all around the world, contributing to the realisation of the ideals of the IOC and to peace and harmony for all mankind. During a brief ceremony held in the SLOOC's auditorium, SLOOC President Mr. Tae-Woo Roh presented this new flag to the Mayor of Seoul, Mr. Bo-Yun Yum, on the 11th July in the presence of the members of the SLOOC, the Municipal Council and the Korean Olympic Committee.

The flag will be kept in the Mayor's office until the day of the Opening of the Games of the XXIV Olympiad in 1988. Olympic Review 215, September 1985 (p. 551-2) Posted by: Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, Oct. 7, 2008 Origin and Meaning of the Olympic flag Pierre de Coubertin is said to have found the original Olympic symbol engraved on an altar-stone unearthed at Delphi. It has been used at least since Athens 1906 to symbolize the five Olympic continents. When Pierre de Coubertin in 1913 designed a flag for the 1914 Paris Congress of the Olympic Movement, celebrating the movements twentieth anniversary, naturally he chose the Olympic symbol. For the colours he decided to use the colours of the flags of all countries that were part of the Olympic Movement, six colours in all: White for the cloth and Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Black for the rings. The congress was so taken with this design that it adopted it as the flag for the Olympic Movement.

As can be read in the Olympic Charter , the Olympic symbol represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. However, no continent is represented by any specific ring. Though colourful explanations about the symbolism of the coloured rings exist, the only connection between the rings and the continents is that the number five refers to the number of continents. Any other relation must be a post-facto interpretation. Herman De Wael, 15 April 1999 m ], Autumn 1996 Pascal Vagnat, 11 December 1998 The text above contains a passage that needs to be corrected. It is written that "Pierre de Coubertin is said to have found the original Olympic symbol engraved on an altar-stone unearthed at Delphi." Apparently a number of publications on the Olympic games and movement contain similar claims, sometimes accompanied by photographs of the "evidence", a stone with the five rings carved into it. An article by Robert Knight Barney called 'This Great Symbol: The Tricks of History' and published in Olympic Review (No. 301, 1992 pp.

627-631, 641), sets the record straight concerning the supposed antique origins of the famous Olympic rings. Barney points out that the stones in question, which may still be seen at Delphi, were in fact manufactured for a ceremony which formed part of the torch relay from Greece to Germany for the 1936 games. The stones were since left at various locations at Delphi, causing later visitors to mistake the stones with the rings for genuine antique artefacts. In the same article Barney also presents new views on the origins of the Olympic emblem. Barney explains that the likely inspiration for the interlocked rings lies in the symbol of the French sports federation USFSA - Union des sociétés françaises des sports athlétiques. The USFSA used an emblem consisting of two interlocking rings, reflecting that the USFSA was born through the merger of two previously independent associations. de Coubertain was president of the USFSA.

Barney states that the symbol with the two rings is known to have been used on uniforms "at least as early as 1893." When the time came to make an emblem for the Olympic movement, the 20th anniversary of the Olympic movement in 1914, the symbol of the USFSA served as model: "It seems quite obvious, therefore, that Coubertin's affiliation with the USFSA led him to think in terms of interlocked rings or circles when he applied his mind towards conceiving a logo for his commemorative conference of 1914, indeed, a ring logo that would symbolize his Olympic Movement's success up to that point in time, just as the interlocking of two rings had signified the successful marriage of two distinct societies into one, the USFSA. Circles, after all, connote wholeness (as we are told by the psychologist Karl Jung), the interlocking of them, continuity." (p. 629).

In Barney's judgment the five rings of the Olympic emblem "connoted the successful accomplishment of history's first five Modern Olympic Games, and that the ring colours exemplify hues represented in the flags of each of the countries participating in the Games of the Olympiads I, II, III, IV, and V." (p. 631). Jan Oskar Engene, 13 January 2002. The writer following article was apparently quite convinced that the flag was first shown in Paris, and thus neglected to check the congress date. Fortunately, I already quoted the month from the website as "June 1914", which tells us the flag was first shown in Egypt, and only then in Paris. This flag was designed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913, and was made in the "Bon Marché" store, adjoining the Rue Oudinot, birthplace of the Baron. This first flag is 3 meters long, and 2 meters wide: the emblem placed in the center is 2,06 m. by 60 cm.

From now on the flags which will fly over the stadia will be of this format, although some will possibly have fringes and be made of a more sumptuous material than the simple cotton used for the original. (...) The Olympic flag made its first official appearance in 1914 in Paris on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Modern Olympic Games. It was next flown on 5th April 1914 in Alexandria during the Pan-Egyptian Games and then in the hall of honour at the San Francisco Exhibition on 18th March 1915. (...) The flag was not hoisted over an Olympic stadium until 1920 at the Antwerp Games. On this occasion the motto CITIUS, ALTIUS, FORTIUS had been added which, although attributed to Pierre de Coubertin, was in fact composed by one of his friends, the Reverend Father Didon." The Olympic Flag, Newsletter of the IOC 2, November 1967 (p. 15-16) Posted by: Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, Oct. 14, 2008.

These five rings represent the five parts of the world now won over to Olympism and ready to accept its fertile rivalries. Also (white background included) the six colours thus combined represent all those of all nations without exception. The blue and yellow of Sweden, the blue and white of Greece, the French, British, American, Belgian, Italian, Hungarian colours, the yellow and red of Spain are alongside the new ones of Brazil and Australia and next to ancient Japan and young China. This is a truly international emblem!' As to the origins of the design, Coubertin 'is said to have come across the design of five interlocked rings on an altar unearthed at Delphi'. Lord Killanin and John Rodda, The Olympic Games, quoted in 100 Years of the Olympic Games: Flag Challenges of the XXVI Olympiad, Flagmaster 84 [ f m ], Autumn 1996. The article also mentions an alternative story about the manufacture of the first flag, which was based on an article by Lucien Philippe in Emblemes et Pavillons 37 (August 1993).

Philippe states that the first flag was actually made in the workshops of Maurice Charnier, the founder of the flag manufacturer Festa, at 106 rue Vieille du Temple, in Paris. Crampton tries to reconcile the two accounts by suggesting that Bon Marche could have referred Coubertin to Charnier, but I think this is speculation. Lord Killanin and John Rodda, The Olympic Games, quoted in 100 Years of the Olympic Games: Flag Challenges of the XXVI Olympiad, Flagmaster 84 [ f m ], Autumn 1996 Ian Sumner, Oct. 14, 2008 There's a very thorough article on the origins of the symbol, and the influences that may have made themselves felt on Coubertin, by Karl Lennartz, called 'The story of the rings', from the Journal of Olympic History vol 10 (2001-2) pp29ff, just here . The author makes the point that the use of interlaced rings to symbolise unity was hardly a new thing, even in Coubertin's day.

Coubertin was also high up in the Union des Societes Francaises de Sports Athletiques, which used two interlinked rings as its symbol, and some teams (there's a photo of the US rugby team in 1900, for example) used that symbol on their kit for a time. The quotation used by William Crampton originally came from an article by Coubertin in the Revue Olympique in 1913. Ian Sumner, Oct. 14, 2008 The emblem selected to illustrate and represent the 1914 world congress which was to place the final seal on the restoration of the Olympics began to appear on various preliminary documents: five rings linked at regular intervals, their various colours - blue, yellow, black, green and red - standing out against the white of the paper. These five rings represent the five parts of the world now won over to Olympism, ready to accept its fruitful rivalries. In addition, the six colours combined in this way reproduce the colours of every country without exception.

The blue and yellow of Sweden, the blue and white of Greece, the tricolor flags of France, England, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Hungary, and the yellow and red of Spain are included, as are the innovative flags of Brazil and Australia, and those of ancient Japan and modern China. This, truly, is an international emblem. It was made to be turned into a flag, and the look of the flag would be perfect. It is a light, appealing flag, a delight to see fluttering in the wind. Its meaning is largely symbolic. Its success is assured, to the point that after the Congress it can continue to be raised on solemn Olympic occasions. However this may turn out, the celebrations of 1914 now have the eurythmic messengers they needed to announce them. The great poster; the first copies of which have been given to the national Olympic Committees and which continues to be available to them, met with immediate general admiration. The reduction to post card format is equally successful for that medium. The five rings and their various applications will also be deeply appreciated.

..." In this translation De Coubertin says: "It is a light, appealing flag, a delight to see fluttering in the wind. Its meaning is largely symbolic." This could indicate that the flag already existed. The French, however, is: "Un pareil drapeau est léger, chatoyant, spirituel à voir flotter; il a un sens largement symbolique." Worded like that, I think it speaks of "Such a flag". De Coubertin indeed presents the emblem as the symbol of the Olympic Congress, though he leaves the door open to using it more generally. The flag being lent to Angelo B. Olanaki to be flown at the opening of the Chatsby Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt on 5 April 1914 is consistent with this purpose: Had it been the Olympic flag to be, then flying it before it was adopted would seem rather curious. But as the flag of the Olympic Congress, to be held that year, flying the flag at the opening of the first Panegyptian Games would have been quite fitting. The congress was held 15 - 23 June 1914 in Paris.

The next Olympic Review speaks very enthusiastically about the whole event, describes the festivities, and promises to publish the details of the meetings in the coming issues. It then adds the sombre note that, just after the congress, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife have been murdered. This small note eventually evolved into a European tribal war killing more than 20 million people. I'm not sure whether, as the war broke out, those next OR-s were actually published, or even written. So far I've not seen any reference to their content, and as a result I don't know how the flag was actually adopted. The story about the carving the symbol on a stone at Delphi in 1936 appears in an article by Robert K. Barney, 'This great symbol' ., in Olympic Revue 301 (November 1992). Ian Sumner, Oct. 14, 2008 The host's and Greek flag at Olympic ceremonies At the end of each games, the flag of Greece is raised first, no matter if it is summer or winter, to show the location of the first modern games. The first modern games was held in 1896 at Athens, Greece.

The second flag flown is that of the host country of the games. The last flag is the host country of the next games of that same season. The flags at Sydney were at this order: Greece, Australia, Greece. When the Greek anthem was sung, both Greek flags were raised at the same time in order not to offend the Aussies, and the Aussie anthem came last. This time at Salt Lake City, it will be Greece, United States, and Italy. Italy will be hosting the games in 2006 in the city of Turin. Zachary Harden, 26 January 2002. Illegal Olympic flag? image by Mark Sensen and Thorsten, October 2, 2004. Some McDonald's locations in the U.S. fly an Olympic flag with the words "OFFICIAL RESTAURANT". The rings in these flags extend almost all the way to the edges, according the image above. Thorsten, October 2, 2004. The flag was also used at McDonald's Canada locations during the games.

I never got a good enough look to read the wording, it may have been the same as the U.S., or perhaps dans tous les deux langues officielles in the two official languages, e.g. French and English. It looked like there was more writing than just "OFFICIAL RESTAURANT". Dean McGee, October 3, 2004. I believe that the rule is valid for all cases and probably the restaurants are in breach of the agreement with the IOC - but then again, it may well be that IOC allowed the issue even against its regulation, for certain amount of financial support. See the rule 7, 8, 9, and 12 of the Olympic Charter ... There is a number of other interesting reference to the flag and symbols (and flag related ceremonies etc.) in the Charter. Click here to read the full text of the Olympic Charter. This is a 350 KB large-PDF file. Željko Heimer, October 3, 2004.

Who Designed The Olympic Rings Logo Who Designed The Olympic Rings Logo 23 Jun, 2012 who designed 0 The Olympic games are considered to be one of the premiere sporting events in the world and the competition is held every 4 years. The most well known symbol of the Olympic Games is the 5 interlocking colored rings (blue, yellow, black, green and red) on a white background. This design is well recognized and is used on the Olympic flag and to promote the games. Continue reading if you want to know who designed this famous logo. Who designed the Olympic rings? The simple design of the Olympic rings was developed in 1912 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who was the founder of the modern Olympic Games. The five rings are said to symbolize the five continents involved in the games. These are Africa, America (North and South), Asia, Australia, Oceania and Europe. This means that there are actually 6 continents involved in the Olympics, but the Americas are counted as one continent. Antarctica isn’t included at all because Antarctica isn’t a country and doesn’t have an Olympic team!

At the time that it was designed the colors of the logo could be used to make any national flag in the world. For example, blue and yellow for Sweden, and blue, white and red for France. However, this is no longer true as some nations use colors not seen in the Olympic rings, such as the orange in the Armenian flag. The symbol and flag made their official debut at the Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920, but their use didn’t became widespread until the 1936 Summer Olympics. Did you know? A popular myth states that de Coubertin’s design was inspired by an ancient Greek design. In the 1950′s a stone was found in Delphi, site of the first Olympics, with the Olympic symbol. However, the people who discovered the stone didn’t realize that it had been carved in 1936 during a promotion for the games later that year! Related Article

Question: The Olympic symbol consists of five what?
Answer: Rings