The meaning of the five Olympic rings

The Olympic flag depicts five interlocked rings on a white background. The chosen colors are present in the flags of all nations, symbolizing the unity of all countries. (blue, yellow, black, green, red), plus the white background, were selected by Pierre de Coubertin because they were the colors used in all world flags up to that point. The interlocking of the rings represents the universality of the Olympic spirit.

As stated by the OC itself, it is incorrect to believe that the color of each ring represents a specific continent. The idea that each color represents a particular continent was included in the official Olympic manual before 1951. However, after that date, the Olympic Committee declared that such an association is not official.

Nevertheless, it has become widely accepted, and even the Olympic Charter states that the rings represent the union of the five continents. The common association between colors and continents follows this pattern: black for Africa, green or blue for Europe, red for the Americas, blue or green for Oceania, and yellow for Asia. This association is still prevalent in popular perception.

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