Olympic Flag

The Olympic Flag, also known as the Olympic Rings, is one of the most universally recognized symbols in the world. Its design consists of five interlocking rings of equal dimensions, arranged in two rows on a plain white field. The rings are colored, from left to right, blue, yellow, black, green, and red. This simple yet powerful emblem was conceived as a symbol of the Olympic Movement and its global reach.

The flag's proportions are officially defined, and its design is meticulously specified to ensure consistency across all applications. The interlocking nature of the rings is a key visual element, representing the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world. The white background was chosen to symbolize peace and the spirit of the Games.

Unlike national flags, the Olympic Flag is an ideological banner representing an international organization and its ideals. It is flown at all Olympic venues, from the Opening Ceremony to the closing of the Games, and is a central part of the Olympic protocol. Its design is protected by the International Olympic Committee and is used under strict guidelines.

The primary symbolism of the flag lies in its five interlocking rings, which represent the union of the five inhabited continents: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. The interlocking design signifies the meeting of athletes from all over the world and the universal spirit of friendship and fair play. The six colors—blue, yellow, black, green, red, and white—were chosen because at least one of them appears on the flag of every nation in the world, thus representing universality.

Contrary to a common misconception, the colors are not assigned to specific continents. The white field of the flag carries its own symbolic weight, representing the peaceful competition and truce that the Olympic Games are intended to promote. Together, the rings and colors form a complete symbol of the Olympic Movement's global and inclusive mission.

The flag was designed by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, in 1913. He presented the design at the Olympic Congress in Paris that same year. The flag was first flown at the 1914 Olympic Congress in Alexandria, Egypt, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Olympic Movement's revival.

Its official debut at an Olympic Games was delayed by World War I, finally occurring at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. Since then, a specific Olympic Flag has been used for the Opening Ceremony and then preserved, with a notable tradition beginning at the 1920 Antwerp Games where a large flag was presented to the IOC by the city and later passed to subsequent host cities.