The colors of the Olympic rings and their meaning. The colors of the Olympic rings the meaning of each ring

16.09.2019

Agree, we are used to taking some events for granted, not really thinking about either the history of their occurrence or about their characteristic features.

Perhaps, the Olympics should be attributed to such events on a global scale. 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 perceived as usual.

What do these symbols mean and why exactly 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 sports event of an international scale, in which thousands of athletes from different countries compete.

There are Summer and Winter Olympic Games, which alternate every two years. That is, purely theoretically, it can be calculated that events of such a plan are arranged only in even years. And if in 2014 the Olympics were winter, then the next one, already in summer, will be held in 2016. By the way, by the decision of a special commission, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) has been instructed to host 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 clothes, interior items and even on children's toys.

The snow-white background symbolizes world peace. And this is far from accidental, because for a long time during the Olympics, hostilities and conflicts all over the planet have ceased and continue.

The number and colors of the Olympic rings on the flag are also very thoughtful. 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 it so, after all, the globe consists of six? The fact is that Antarctica and the Arctic, due to their uninhabitedness, were not taken into account when developing the symbol.

Ah, those Olympic rings! What they mean was invented a little later. Today, even schoolchildren can talk about the fact that each part of the world is correlated with its own specific color scheme. Europe corresponds to blue, Africa - black, America - red, Asia - yellow, Oceania - green.

Section 3. The 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 emblazoned with the new symbol in 1916, but World War I prevented major sporting events from being held.

It is hardly worth mentioning that immediately after their appearance, the rings fell in love and became an integral attribute of the Olympics. In the following years, they were used to create various logos associated with the Games.

Section 4. Has the symbol been upgraded?

Oddly enough, but yes. And the biggest changes to the Olympic rings were at the 1936 Olympics, held in the German capital Berlin.

Firstly, the rings were arranged not 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 location was no longer changed.

In 1960, in Italy, artists made the symbol of the Olympic Games - the rings - three-dimensional. It was made in gray. The rings were located under the Roman she-wolf, who, according to legend, nursed Romulus and Remus, who founded Rome. By the way, it was in that year that a new tradition was introduced - to hang medals around the neck of athletes.

The Mexicans who hosted the Games in 1968 were equally creative in their Olympic logo design. This time, as a symbol of the Olympic Games, the rings were inscribed in the inscription "Mexico City 68" and highlighted in color. The bottom rings were part of the number 68.

Section 5. 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 mean the planet's five inhabited continents, have not always worked out well. Something was condemned, something was welcomed, and there was something 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, the large snowflakes hanging over the Fisht stadium were to be transformed into the Olympic rings. But only four were revealed. One ring remained to hang like a snowflake.

However, the Russian TV viewers did not see this hitch, since the organizers understood what was happening a little earlier than the others, and broadcast footage from the rehearsal.

During the closure of the Olympic Games, this incident with an unopened ring was ironically beaten. At the beginning of the ceremony, the participants in the show formed a composition with five rings and one snowflake, which quickly opened up in a few seconds.

Section 6. Other symbols of the Olympiad

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 the 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 torch relay to the city where the Game is held began in 1936.
Medals. The athlete is awarded a gold medal for the first place, a silver medal for the second, and a bronze medal for the third. They are presented 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 the sports competition in the college. It seemed to Coubertin that this phrase perfectly captures 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 sounded for the first time in 1920.
Olympic principle was also identified by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896. It says that in the Olympic Games, as in life, the main thing is not victory, but participation.
Games opening ceremony- the most solemn part. It hosts a parade of athletes from all countries participating in the competition. The team of Greece comes out first, then the teams of the countries according to the alphabet, and the team of the country organizing the Games goes last.

Section 7. Interesting facts about the Olympic Games

According to the resolution of the International Olympic Committee, gold plated gold medals must contain a minimum of 6 grams.

On the logos of the Olympic Games, the year is usually written in four or two numbers (Athens-2004 or Barcelona-92). In the history of the Games, only once, in 1960, in Rome, the year was written in five letters (MCMLX).

During the Great Depression in 1932, the Brazilian government did not find the money to send its delegation to the Los Angeles Olympics. 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 to pay one dollar for each who went ashore. 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 a few more athletes, but 15 athletes returned back to Brazil.

The 1956 Summer Olympics were held in Melbourne, which was unable to host some sports. Australian quarantine regulations prohibited the importation of horses, and equestrian competitions had to be held in Stockholm.

Section 8. Looking to the future

As mentioned above, the next Olympic Games will be held in Brazil, in the world famous holiday city of Rio de Janeiro.

This capital of carnivals does more than surprise. It literally amazes every traveler, which means there is no doubt that the 2016 Olympics will be another amazing event.

Whether the Olympic rings will undergo changes, which means the unity of the planet, is still unknown, since such details are usually a secret part of the opening ceremony.

Olympic flag

Olympic flag Main article: Olympic symbols

Olympic flag- a white silk cloth embroidered on it with five intertwined rings of blue, black, red (top row), yellow and green (bottom row) colors.

Basic information

The flag was invented by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913 and presented at the VII Summer Olympics in Antwerp in 1920. The rings symbolize the five parts of the world. However, contrary to popular belief, each of the rings does not refer to any particular continent. Six colors (together with the white background of the canvas) are combined in such a way that they represent the national colors of all countries of the world without exception.

Original text(English) The Olympic flag ... has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the center: blue, yellow, black, green and red. This design 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. (1931, Textes choisis, vol. II, p. 470, 1931)

Variations

Each time before the Games, the IOC discusses, together with the council of the country in which the Olympic Games will be held, how every detail of the symbolism, including the ring, will look like. The color scheme remains unchanged, but all rings can be of the same color. Sometimes the arrangement of the rings is partially changed, but not their number. It happens that they use the classic strict initial version.

In 1936, at the XI Summer Olympics, the Olympic rings were depicted on the emblem, under the eagle. The most interesting thing is that the arrangement was shifted: the rings were fastened, but not so that the lower ring was in the center of the upper two fastening, but so that the rings were located almost in a row, where the first, third and fifth were slightly raised.

In 1948, on the emblem of the XIV Summer Olympic Games, the rings are painted in the foreground. The emblem was black and white, and so were the Olympic rings.

In the 1952 Summer Olympics emblem, they were shown in full white with a blue background above.

On the emblem of the XVI Summer Olympics, Swedish artists depicted the Olympic rings in the foreground against a green background, but all the rings are white.

In 1960, three-dimensional rings appeared in the emblem, silver-colored, monochromatic.

In 1964 in Tokyo, Japanese designers painted the rings gold.

The 1968 Summer Olympics had an emblem with colored Olympic rings, and with some idea. All rings are fastened according to the standard and were on the numbers of the year "68" (1968), so the lower (yellow and green) rings fell into the lower round parts of the "68" symbols.

On the 1976 Olympic emblem, all the rings are red and from the top three semicircles stretch upward, so that the result is 3 vertical ovals, and there are circles in them below. This symbol was also featured on the medals of the Games.

On the emblem of the games of the XXII Olympiad in Moscow, the rings were dark red and the last 2 were partially covered by the Olympic Bear.

At the next Games, in 1984, the rings on the emblem were located at the bottom in their standard color scheme.

In 1988, the emblem also depicted colored rings at the bottom, while the rings were poured on medals.

In 1992, there were Olympic rings on the mascot, emblem and medals.

On both sides of the 1996 Summer Olympics medals and emblem, rings were painted in gold.

In Sydney in 2000, the rings on the emblem were depicted at the very bottom, and on the reverse side of the medals they were engraved large.

The 2004 Summer Olympics emblem featured color-coded rings. They were also depicted on medals on both sides.

The Olympic rings were placed under the main part of the emblem of the 2008 Summer Olympics, but with the development of the computer industry, there were a huge number of variations of the emblem. In 2008, for the Beijing Games, three-dimensional rings were drawn using computer graphics, inside which are photographs of Chinese culture and attractions. The emblem of the Beijing application also depicts the Olympic rings, but in a very strange shape, a chain of semicircles fastened in a circle. There were also rings on both sides of each medal.

On the emblem of the XXX Olympiad in Great Britain, the Olympic rings were installed in the upper right part of the logo, inside the symbol "O" (or "N").

In the symbols of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, the motif of snowflakes is used.

Several countries put forward emblem applications for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, among which the city of Baku replaced the rings with little men, that is, a person of a certain color symbolized his continent. But the colors do not correspond to the standard, the drawn men are depicted in the following colors: (from left to right) white, yellow, black, brown and red.

Usage

In 2008, in Beijing, the image of the rings could be seen almost everywhere. The Olympic colored ring stickers have even been placed on toilet cisterns. Some Chinese boys were shaved with a 5-ring symbol during the Games. source not specified 2900 days] But more critical was the Chinese Liu Ming, who, in addition to 200 tattoos, had a place on his forehead for a new one - Olympic rings, drawn long before the opening of the Games. source not specified 2900 days] On the closing day, a fireworks display was specially planned in the form of this symbol. source not specified 2900 days]

Rings are often depicted on stamps, medals and coins. The most unusual places for the Olympic rings were a metal lamp post in Podolsk and a cast-iron manhole in Beijing. source not specified 2900 days]

The meaning of the colors of the Olympic rings

Serega kuptsevich

The meaning of the Olympic rings

The five intertwined rings depicted on the Olympic flag are known as the Olympic rings. These rings are colored blue, yellow, black, green and red and intertwined with each other, in principle, they 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 considered. Despite the lack of a specific color to a specific continent or region, various theories about the meaning of the color of the Olympic rings tend to associate them with different quotes. For example, at least one of the five colors among the Olympic rings appears on the flag of each of the participating countries. Five Olympic rings were adopted in 1914 and made their debut at the Belgian Olympics in 1920.

When this emblem was introduced in August 1912, de Coubertin stated the following in the Revue Olympic:
The emblem is chosen for illustration and represents the World Congress of 1914 ...: five rings of different colors 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 resurrecting the spirit of Olympism and ready to embrace healthy competition.

The rationale behind 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, stating that they represent the union of the five continents, as well as the gathering of athletes from all over the world for the Olympic Games. There is a strict code regarding the use of this symbol, which must be followed under all circumstances. For example, even if the Olympic rings are depicted against a black background, the black ring should not be replaced with a ring of a different color.

The symbol of the Olympic Games is five rings. What does the blue ring represent?

Andreyushka

Olympiad symbol rings- proposed by the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin.

From the very beginning, each ring represented a continent. Five rings - five continents (except Antarctica).

Interestingly, Coubertin did not specify the colors of the rings. Why these colors appeared is unclear.

After that, a version of the following arose and spread: red ring - America (like, red-skinned people), black ring - Africa (black people), yellow ring - Asia (yellow-skinned), green ring - Australia (there is a lot of green on the continent - green continent ), blue ring - Europe. Why blue is not clear. Who came up with this version is also unclear.

Now there have been proposals to make the Olympic rings all the same color. Whether they will accept him is also unknown.

Initially, Pierre de Coubertin (the "founder" of the Olympic movement in a new "format"), having developed the flag of the Olympics (a white panel, and on it five rings of blue (blue), black, red, yellow and green colors), put such a meaning into this symbol :

five colors + white (the color of the panel) - in total, 6 colors that are present on the state flags of all countries of the world.

There was no binding of a specific color to a specific continent. Therefore, the blue ring, in itself, does not symbolize anything.

Afanasy44

Pierre de Coubertin proposed such a symbolism - five crossed rings. He did not explain the colors, after him they began to associate black with Africa, yellow with Asia, red with America, where the reds live, Australia (the green continent) of course, and blue - Europe. Maybe it turned out not in vain, because the blue capital is located in Amsterdam, Denmark, and this is Europe.

Blue (blue) - sacred, divine, honest; the color of the sky, a symbol of the sublimity of aspirations, spiritual perfection ... whose veins, figuratively speaking, flows "blue blood"

Elena-kh

The blue ring symbolizes Europe. Unfortunately, it is not clear why the color blue was chosen for our continent. But I will offer my version - because in Europe, most likely, there are more people with blue eyes than with some others, although I could be wrong. Maybe because of the maritime border, although it exists on all continents.

Agafia

The five multi-colored rings symbolize the five different continents where people live. Black ring - Africa, yellow ring - Asia, Red ring - America, Green ring - Australia. Europe is left with what remains - the Blue Ring. A hint of Amsterdam and others like it?

The five rings of the Olympic Games symbol represent the 5 contents that take part in the games. Blue - Europe

Yellow - Asia

Green - Australia

Black - Africa

Red - North and South America.

As you can see, there is only Antarctica, of course, for obvious reasons.

Rainbow spring

All five Olympic rings symbolize the continent. Back in 1913, each continent was given one ring and assigned a color. Therefore, I can say with confidence that a blue or blue ring is a symbol of Europe.

Strymbrym

The five Olympic rings symbolize the five continents that host the Olympic Games. The red ring symbolizes America, black Africa, BLUE EUROPE, yellow Asia and green Australia.

What is the connection between the emblem of the Olympics and the English alphabet? It would seem not. Meanwhile, the arrangement of the rings corresponds to the English letter W (that is, World, the whole world, the planet) - because the Olympic rings symbolize precisely the worldwide, planet-wide celebration of sports.

The meaning is hidden and explicit

Olympics! How many associations does this word evoke. Sports, peace, friendship, competitions, medals, a podium ... But first of all, a flag with the image of five multi-colored rings pops up before our eyes. They are arranged in a certain sequence: the top row is occupied by blue, black, red, and the bottom row is occupied by yellow and green. The rings are intertwined and form a single whole.

Why exactly five rings? Their number coincides with the number of continents on the planet. The Arctic and Antarctica are not represented, they are still being mastered by man.

red was given to America (apparently, in honor of the Red Indians);
black went to Africa;
cool Europe is associated with blue;
sunny Asia took yellow for itself;
Continent green, Australia, marked in green.

Whether this is what Pierre de Coubertin, the organizer of the revival of the Olympic Games, had in mind when he came up with their symbol, has remained a mystery. Why are these colors preferred? Heraldry specialists will notice that the choice is by no means accidental. Let it be one color, but it is present on the state flag of any country. For the sake of curiosity, you can check. The Russian flag is no exception. It features 3 colors of the Olympic flag: white, blue, red.

From time to time, new versions of the interpretation of Olympic symbols appear. It is believed that the philosopher and psychologist from Switzerland Carl Gustav Jung was involved in the creation of the emblem. Its idea is based on the mythology of the Chinese people, which tells about the unity of the five elements. In China, each of the natural elements has its own sport:

swimming - Water;
running - to the Earth;
jumping - Air;
shooting - to Fire;
fencing - to Metal.

And the number five is also the pentathlon, the classic pentathlon. At the dawn of the Games, it was believed that an Olympian should be the best not in one sport, but in several.

Like everything legendary, the amazing emblem attracts with its mystery, and it is possible that the world will learn a lot more interesting things about it.

It is safe to say that the five Olympic rings symbolize:

equal rights of countries and athletes (all rings are the same in size);
friendship of peoples (they are intertwined);
world sporting event (the same W, with which this story began).

Rings are older than the flag

The flag is the shrine of the participants of the Olympic movement. A cloth of white silk with embroidered multi-colored rings unites athletes from all over the planet, it is solemnly carried out at the opening ceremony of the Games.

But the rings appeared before the flag. The symbol "Olympic rings" was approved by the IOC in 1913, the emblem debuted in 1914 in Belgium. World War I thundered - and in 1920 an Olympic banner decorated with rings flew over the Antwerp stadium: the 7th Summer Olympic Games started. Since then, the flag has been flying over the sports facilities from the opening day of the next Olympics until its completion. In 1988, the first flag was replaced with a new one, and the "patriarch" is kept in the Swiss Museum of the Olympic Games.

The Olympic Rings symbol is protected by law. The Olympic Charter, adopted in 1894 by the International Sports Congress, prohibits:

Change the colors of the rings.
Move rings from one row to another.
Use the symbol as a commodity in commercial transactions (with permission from the IOC only).

The Paralympics does not use the Olympic Rings symbol.
In 2014, at the Sochi Olympics, at the opening ceremony, there was a technical failure: one of the giant snowflakes did not open and did not turn into a ring. The viewers did not notice this - they broadcast a picture from the rehearsal. At the closing ceremony, the snowflake "did not open up" again - this time in the interpretation of the participants of the mass ballet. Having hesitated for about five seconds, the live "snowflake" (to the laughter of the audience) swiftly turned into a ring. So an unfortunate mistake of technology endowed Sochi with its own version of the symbol - with one unopened ring.

The sanctuary of the ancient Greeks is Olympia. It is located in the west of the Peloponnese peninsula. This place on the banks of the Alpheus River, right at the foot of Kronos, is still a place where the eternal flame burns, from which from time to time the flame of the Olympic Games is lit and the torch relay is started.

The tradition of holding such sports competitions was revived at the end of the nineteenth century by the French Baron de Coubertin. He was a well-known public figure of that era. And since then, the Olympic Games have been held every 4 years. And since 1924, they began to organize winter competitions.

Olympic symbols

Along with the revival of the Olympic tradition, a corresponding symbolism appeared: a flag, slogan, anthem, medals, talismans, emblem, etc. All of them were created with the aim of promoting this sports idea throughout the world. By the way, the official emblem of the Olympic Games is five colored rings intertwined in such a way that two rows are formed from them. The upper one consists of three rings, and the lower one, of course, of two.

At the mention of the Olympics, everyone first of all remembers the emblem - woven rings of blue, black, scarlet, yellow and depicted on a white background. However, not everyone knows the exact Olympic rings. There are several versions. Each of them is not devoid of logic and can pretend to be considered correct. Below we present to your attention some of them.

According to this version, the colors of the Olympic rings symbolize the continents. That is, this suggests that peoples from all over the world, or rather from everyone except Antarctica, can become participants in these games. Let's imagine which shades correspond to each of the continents? It turns out? Now let's check if you were able to orient yourself correctly. So what color are the Olympic rings? Europe is America red, Africa black, Australia green and Asia yellow.
Another version is associated with the name of the famous psychologist K. Jung. He is credited not only with the idea explaining the choice of a particular color, but also the creation of the symbolism itself. According to this version, Jung, being a connoisseur, proposed rings as an emblem - symbols of greatness and energy. The choice of the number of rings was associated with the five different energies (wood, water, metal, fire and earth) spoken of in Chinese philosophy. In addition, Jung in 1912 proposed the idea of pentathlon, that is, it was believed that each of the participants in the competition should master the following sports: swimming, jumping, fencing, running and shooting. The colors of the Olympic rings, according to this theory, correspond to each of these sports, as well as one of the above five energies. As a result, the following chains were obtained: swimming-water-blue, jumping-tree-green, running-ground-yellow, fencing-fire-red, shooting-metal-black.
The third version is, as it were, an addition to the first. It is believed that the colors of the Olympic rings are all the shades that the flags of all countries in the world contain. Again, this means that the participants can be athletes from all countries of the world without exception.

Agree that all versions are interesting, but it doesn't matter which one is correct. The main thing is that these games should unite all the peoples of the world. And let their representatives fight only at sports stadiums, but there will always be peace on our planet.

One of the largest world events uniting the population of the entire globe in their movement is the Olympic Games.

The history of the emergence of games

The idea of games, which are competitions in dexterity and skill, was borrowed from the ancient Hellenes, for whom such pagan festivals were traditional. In ancient Greece, running was the only competition in the first 13 games. Over the next years, the games developed and became more complicated - a distance of 384 meters and a "dolichodrom" (endurance run) were added. Since the 18th Olympiad, in addition to various types of running, pentathlon, fistfighting and chariot racing have been included in the competition. Towards the end of the 4th century AD, when the Greeks adopted the Christian faith, Rome considered it unacceptable to hold games glorifying the pagan gods of Hellas. Emperor Theodosius I declared the Olympic Games illegal and in 394 AD. banned them.

The beginning of the modern Olympic movement

The Olympics, to which we are accustomed (with the participation of all world states), was restored by the French athlete Baron Pierre de Coubertin at the end of the 19th century. Coubertin's persistence led to the creation of the Olympic Committee in 1894, and in 1896 the first revived Olympic Games were held in Greece, the home of the Olympic Games. In the modern movement, the Olympic Games are divided by type of competition into summer and winter. They alternate and are held every two years. All Olympiads are held under the slogan "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (translated from Latin as "Faster, Higher, Stronger"), and the main principle of the games is "The main thing is not victory, but participation."

Olympic symbols

The main symbols of the Olympic Games are the Olympic flame and the Olympic rings. The Olympic torch - an eternal flame, stored in Athens and illuminating the world for 16 prelaunch days, moves from continent to continent until it is delivered to the venue of the next competition. The Olympic rings symbolize the unity of all continents, all peoples in peaceful sports competitions. The emblem was designed and introduced by Coubertin in August 1912. Five rings represent parts of the world: both Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania. Antarctica and Arctic are not included in the symbolism.

Unshakable tradition

In 1914, the Olympic rings were recognized as the official emblem of the Games at the World Congress. Coubertin, in an interview with the Revue Olympic newspaper, said: "Five intertwining multi-colored rings represent five parts of color that revive the spirit of Olympism." Already in 1920, at the VII Summer Olympics in Belgium (Antwerp), the flag with the symbols of the competition was first raised: the Olympic rings were adorned with a white cloth. Their colors symbolize the continents of the participants in the merrymaking: blue is Europe, yellow is Asia, green is Australia, red unites both Americas and, finally, black is the color of Africa.

There are strict rules for the use of Olympic symbols, which cannot be deviated from under any circumstances. The color palette is preserved. However, by agreement with the IOC, Olympic rings of the same color may be used. No Olympiad can be held without the use of the image of the rings. This is a categorical requirement.

The Olympic Charter is a document covering the basic principles and tasks of the International Olympic Committee, recognizes the significance of this emblem and declares that the Olympic rings identify the union of the continents of the Earth, and their meaning is to strengthen the idea of the Olympic movement as a campaign uniting the countries of the whole world represented by athletes.

With the advent of Olympic symbols, some associate the psychologist Carl Jung, who is also considered its creator in some circles. Jung was well versed in Chinese philosophy, he knew that the ring in ancient cultures is a symbol of greatness and vitality. Therefore, he introduced the idea of five intertwined rings - a reflection of the five energies that are mentioned in Chinese philosophy: water, wood, fire, earth and metal.

Together with the symbols in 1912, the scientist introduced his own image of the Olympic competition - modern pentathlon. Any Olympian had to own each of its five types.

The first discipline - swimming - in the form of a blue ring also depicts the element of water and indicates the rhythm that holds the breath, allows you to move forward on the surface of the water, to leadership.

The green ring - jumping - is an image of a tree and a symbol of the rider's energy. He must have the ability to control not only his own energy, but also the energy of the horse.

The next discipline is fencing, and it is depicted by the fiery element in the form of a red ring. This discipline symbolizes flair. The swordsman's success depends on the ability to feel the enemy and guess his movements.

The yellow ring is an earth element and represents the discipline of cross country running. She indicates resilience and perseverance. The cross-country runner jumps over the elements, knowing when to slow down and when to speed up.

The shooting discipline and the unique properties of the metal are represented by a black ring. Accuracy and clarity are needed here. The success of a shot depends not only on physical exertion, but also on the ability of cold thinking, with the help of which the shooter concentrates on the target and strikes the target.

Sources:

what the five rings symbolize

Olympic symbolism is what distinguishes games of this scale from other world competitions. It was born along with the entire movement and represents a whole complex of different attributes. Some of them are basic and unchanged, others change depending on where this or that Olympiad is held.

Olympic is represented by several attributes at once - an emblem, a flag, a motto, a principle, an oath, fire, medals, an opening ceremony and a talisman. Each of them carries its own functional load and meets all the requirements of world-class sports competitions.

The emblem of the Games has been approved since 1913 and remains unchanged. She is familiar to everyone - five colored rings, among themselves. It has been in effect since then, it was developed taking into account the ancient Greek Olympics. Five circles mean five continents that participate in sports competitions. In addition, at least one color, which is represented on the Olympic rings, is necessarily found in any country. Therefore, the Olympic movement serves as a unifying factor.

The flag is equally important. It represents the image of the Olympic rings on a white cloth. Its role is quite simple - the world is white. And in combination with the emblem, it turns into a symbol of peace for the duration of the Games. It was first used as a competition attribute in 1920 in Belgium. According to the rules of the Olympics, the flag must participate in both the opening and closing ceremonies. After the end of the Games, it must be handed over to the representative of the city where the next competition will take place in 4 years.

The motto of the Olympic Games is the Latin slogan: "Citius, Altius, Fortius!" Translated into Russian it means "Faster, Higher, Stronger!" The role of the motto in the Olympics is to constantly remind everyone present why everyone is here.

The principle that "Victory is not the main thing, but participation" is an Olympic statement that appeared in 1896. The symbolism of the principle is that athletes should not feel overwhelmed if they lose. Its goal is to prevent the competition from falling into depression, but, on the contrary, to find the strength and prepare even better for the next Games.

The traditional vow is used in 1920. These are words about the need to respect your rivals, to observe sports ethics. The oath is taken not only by the athletes, but also by the judges and members of the evaluating commissions.

Of course, one cannot ignore such a symbol of the Olympics as. The ritual comes from Ancient Greece. The fire is lit directly in Olympia, then transferred to a special torch, which, traveling across the world, arrives at the capital of the Olympic Games. We need fire as a symbol to emphasize that sports competition is an attempt to improve oneself, it is an honest struggle for victory, as well as peace and friendship.

Medals are not only a reward, but also a certain symbol of the Games. They serve as a tribute to strong athletes and at the same time emphasize that all people are brothers, because representatives of various nationalities meet on the podium.

The opening ceremony is an obligatory attribute of the Olympic Games. First, it sets the mood for all two weeks ahead. Secondly, it is a demonstration of the power of the host. Thirdly, it is the opening ceremony that is the unifying force. This is due to the fact that a parade of athletes is required for her, in which future rivals walk side by side, shoulder to shoulder.

The Talisman can be called the mutable symbol of the Olympics. After all, a new attribute is developed for each competition. It must be approved by the IOC commission, chosen from several proposed options. The one that ends up as a result is patented and becomes a symbol of the Olympic movement in a given year. The mascot must meet several requirements - reflect the spirit of the host country of the Olympics, bring good luck to athletes and create a festive atmosphere. Usually,