The format, rules, ceremonies and symbols that have come to be known as a part of the Olympics were largely invented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.
The symbols and pageantry of the Olympic Games play a very important role in arousing the imagination, stimulating personal goal setting and reminding people of who they are and what is good in all people.
The Olympic rings
Designed by Baron de Coubertin in 1913, the five interlocked rings — an upper row of three rings and a lower row of two — are the official symbol of the Olympic Games. The Olympic rings can be displayed in one single color or several colors. When the multicolored scheme is used, each ring has a prescribed color in a prescribed order — the upper rings, from left to right, are blue, black and red; the lower two are yellow and green.
The five-ring symbol is thought by many to represent the five continents of the world — Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and America — that were united in the movement to reinstitute the Olympic Games.
Legend has it that the colors of the rings were selected because at least one of the five colors can be found in the flag of every nation in the world, although such an intention was never confirmed.
The rings are the exclusive property of the IOC.
The Olympic flag
Now in its ninth decade, the Olympic flag is a globally recognized and respected banner bearing the official five-ring symbol of the Games.
The flag features a white background and no border. Centered in the flag are the five interlocking rings.
At the 1914 Olympic Congress, de Coubertin unveiled the Olympic flag as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the IOC's founding.
However, it wasn't until six years later — at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Games — that the Olympic flag was unfurled as part of the multiday competition.
The original flag was used through the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games before being retired. A new Olympic flag was flown at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games.
At the closing ceremonies, the mayor of the host city transfers the Olympic flag to the mayor of the next host city. The flag is often kept in a town hall or city center of the host city until the next Olympic Games.
DID YOU KNOW?
* Packed aboard the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis for its May 2000 flight was an unlit Olympic 2000 torch and an Olympic flag, the latter scheduled to fly in Sydney during the Summer Games.
Federal regulations and Olympic-related symbols:
Federal regulations govern the use of Olympic-related symbols, marks and terminology. They cannot be used without legal authorization.
However, they may be used for educational purposes only by non-profit organizations and educational institutions for the study of or for the purpose of increasing the awareness and understanding of Olympic ideals (Olympism), the Olympic movement and the Olympic Games. The use of Olympic-related symbols, for example, would be acceptable for a classroom or hallway bulletin board.
