Last modified: 2005-12-24 by juan manuel gabino villascán
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![[The Olympic flag]](../images/o/oly@ioc.gif)
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán
Flag adopted: 1914.
The Olympic flag was designed in 1913 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin as a flag for the Olympic Congress in Paris 1914 celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Olympic Movement. At the congress the flag was adopted as the flag for the Olympic Movement.
International Olympic Committee Website, July 2000
Flagmaster 84 [flm], Autumn 1996
See:
See also:
Other site:
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.
Flagmaster 84 [flm], Autumn 1996
Olympic Charter -
International Olympic Committee, 12 December 1999
![[Ceremonial Olympic flag]](../images/o/oly@cem.gif)
by Zachary Harden and Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, July, 2005.
![[Ceremonial Olympic flag photo]](../images/o/oly@cem.jpg)
From JSonline
Posted by Zachary Harden, August 6, 2004.
Click the image to enlarge
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
Flagmaster 84 [flm], 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 altarstone 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 ringlogo 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 judgement 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.
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 Syndey 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.
![[The Olympic flag as hoisted in some McDonald's locations]](../images/o/o@!mcds.gif)
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.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z |
Names and codes from International Olympic Committee NOC (Country) CODE MEMBERSHIP FOUNDED CONTINENT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFGHANISTAN AFG 1948 1933 ASIA ALBANIA ALB 1932 1930 EUROPA ALGERIA ALG 1963 1962 AFRICA AMERICAN SAMOA ASA 1998 1984 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) ANDORRA AND 1996 1994 EUROPA ANGOLA ANT 1980 1979 AFRICA ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA ATG 1970 1928 THE AMERICAS ARGENTINA ARG 1912 1893 CONMEBOL ARMENIA ARM 1992 1992 EUROPA ARUBA ARU 1988 1932 THE AMERICAS AUSTRALIA AUS 1963 1961 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) AUSTRIA AUT 1907 1904 EUROPA AZERBAIJAN AZE 1994 1992 EUROPA BAHAMAS BAH 1968 1967 THE AMERICAS BAHRAIN BRN 1966 1957 ASIA BANGLADESH BGD 1974 1972 ASIA BARBADOS BRB 1968 1910 THE AMERICAS BELARUS BLR 1992 1989 EUROPA BELGIUM BEL 1904 1895 EUROPA BELIZE BIZ 1986 1980 THE AMERICAS BENIN BEN 1962 1962 AFRICA BERMUDA BER 1962 1928 THE AMERICAS BHUTAN BHU 2000 1983 ASIA BOLIVIA BOL 1926 1925 CONMEBOL BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA BIH 1996 1992 EUROPA BOTSWANA BOT 1976 1970 AFRICA BRAZIL BRA 1923 1914 CONMEBOL BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS IVB 1996 1974 THE AMERICAS BRUNEI DARUSSALAM BRU 1969 1959 ASIA BULGARIA BUL 1924 1923 EUROPA BURKINA FASO BUR 1964 1960 AFRICA BURUNDI BDI 1972 1948 AFRICA CAMBODIA CAM 1953 1933 ASIA CAMEROON CMR 1962 1959 AFRICA CANADA CAN 1912 1912 THE AMERICAS CAPE VERDE CPV 1986 1982 AFRICA CAYMAN ISLANDS CAY 1992 1966 THE AMERICAS CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC CTA 1963 1961 AFRICA CHAD CHA 1988 1962 AFRICA CHILE CHI 1912 1895 CONMEBOL CHINESE TAIPEI TPE 1954 1924 ASIA COLOMBIA COL 1936 1924 CONMEBOL COMOROS COM 2005 1979 AFRICA CONGO CGO 1962 1962 AFRICA CONGO DR COD 1962 1919 AFRICA COOK ISLANDS COK 1994 1971 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) COSTA RICA CRC 1927 1921 THE AMERICAS COTE D'IVOIRE CIV 1960 1960 AFRICA CROATIA CRO 1941/92 1912 EUROPA CUBA CUB 1932 1924 THE AMERICAS CYPRUS CYP 1948 1934 EUROPA CZECH REPUBLIC CZE 1907/94 1901 EUROPA DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA PRK 1958 1945 ASIA DENMARK DEN 1904 1889 EUROPA DJIBOUTI DJI 1994 1979 AFRICA DOMINICA DMA 1994 1970 THE AMERICAS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DOM 1958 1953 THE AMERICAS ECUADOR ECU 1926 1925 CONMEBOL EGYPT EGY 1923 1921 AFRICA EL SALVADOR ESA 1938 1935 THE AMERICAS EQUATORIAL GUINEA GEQ 1986 1960 AFRICA ERITREA ERI 1998 1996 AFRICA ESTONIA EST 1923/92 1921 EUROPA ETHIOPIA ETH 1953 1943 AFRICA FAROE ISLANDS FRO 1988 1979 EUROPA FIJI FIJ 1963 1938 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) FINLAND FIN 1908 1907 EUROPA FRANCE FRA 1904 1919 EUROPA GABON GAB 1963 1962 AFRICA GAMBIA GAM 1966 1952 AFRICA GEORGIA GEO 1992 1990 EUROPA GERMANY GER 1904 1900 EUROPA GHANA GHA 1958 1957 AFRICA GREAT BRITAIN GBR 1910 1876 EUROPA GREECE GRE 1927 1926 EUROPA GRENADA GRN 1976 1924 THE AMERICAS GUAM GUM 1996 1975 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) GUATEMALA GUA 1946 1919 THE AMERICAS GUINEA GUI 1960 1960 AFRICA GUINEA-BISSAU GBS 1986 1974 AFRICA GUYANA GUY 1968 1902 THE AMERICAS HAITI HAI 1933 1904 THE AMERICAS HONDURAS HON 1951 1951 THE AMERICAS HONG KONG, CHINA HKG 1954 1914 ASIA HUNGARY HUN 1906 1901 EUROPA ICELAND ISL 1947 1947 EUROPA INDIA IND 1948 1937 ASIA INDONESIA INA 1952 1930 ASIA IRAQ IRQ 1950 1948 ASIA IRELAND IRL 1923 1921 EUROPA ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN IRI 1945 1920 ASIA ISRAEL ISR 1948 1928/48 EUROPA ITALY ITA 1905 1898 EUROPA JAMAICA JAM 1962 1910 THE AMERICAS JAPAN JPN 1929 1921 ASIA JORDAN JOR 1958 1949 ASIA KAZAKHSTAN KAZ 1994 1914 EUROPA KENYA KEN 1960 1960 AFRICA KIRIBATI KIR OCEANIA (PACIFIC) KOREA KOR 1948 1928 ASIA KUWAIT KUW 1962 1952 ASIA KYRGYZSTAN KGZ 1994 1992 ASIA LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC LAO 1952 1951 ASIA LATVIA LAT 1992/92 1921 EUROPA LEBANON LIB 1935 1933 ASIA LESOTHO LES 1964 1932 AFRICA LIBERIA LBR 1962 1936 AFRICA LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA LBA 1963 1962 AFRICA LIECHTENSTEIN LIE 1974 1934 EUROPA LITHUANIA LTU 1923/92 1922 EUROPA LUXEMBOURG LUX 1910 1908 EUROPA THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA MKD 1994 1908 EUROPA MADAGASCAR MAD 1962 1961 AFRICA MALAWI MAW 1967 1966 AFRICA MALAYSIA MAS 1956 1933 ASIA MALDIVES MDV 1986 1982 ASIA MALI MLI 1962 1960 AFRICA MALTA MLT 1959 1900 EUROPA MAURITANIA MTN 1964 1961 AFRICA MAURITIUS MRI 1962 1952 AFRICA MEXICO MEX 1929 1927 THE AMERICAS FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA FSM OCEANIA REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA MDA 1994 1990 EUROPA MONACO MON EUROPE MONGOLIA MGL 1998 1959 ASIA MOROCCO MAR 1956 1955 AFRICA MOZAMBIQUE MOZ 1980 1975 AFRICA MYANMAR MYA 1957 1947 ASIA NAMIBIA NAM 1992 1990 AFRICA NAURU NRU OCEANIA NEPAL NEP 1970 1951 ASIA NETHERLANDS NED 1904 1889 EUROPA NETHERLANDS ANTILLES AHO 1932 1921 THE AMERICAS NEW ZEALAND NZL 1948 1891 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) NICARAGUA NCA 1950 1931 THE AMERICAS NIGER NIG 1967 1967 AFRICA NIGERIA NGR 1959 1945 AFRICA NORWAY NOR 1908 1902 EUROPA OMAN OMA 1980 1978 ASIA PAKISTAN PAK 1948 1948 ASIA PALAU PLW OCEANIA (PACIFIC) PALESTINE PLE 1998 1928/62 ASIA PANAMA PAN 1938 1937 THE AMERICAS PAPUA NEW GUINEA PNG 1963 1962 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) PARAGUAY PAR 1921 1906 CONMEBOL PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA CHN 1931 1924 ASIA PERU PER 1924 1922 CONMEBOL PHILIPPINES PHI 1928 1907 ASIA POLAND POL 1923 1919 EUROPA PORTUGAL POR 1923 1914 EUROPA PUERTO RICO PUR 1960 1940 THE AMERICAS QATAR QAT 1970 1960 ASIA ROMANIA ROM 1922 1909 EUROPA RUSSIAN FEDERATION RUS 1912/92 1912 EUROPA RWANDA RWA 1976 1972 AFRICA SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS SKN 1992 1932 THE AMERICAS SAINT LUCIA LCA 1988 1979 THE AMERICAS SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES VIN 1988 1979 THE AMERICAS SAMOA SAM 1986 1968 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) SAN MARINO SMR 1988 1931 EUROPA SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE STP 1986 1975 AFRICA SAUDI ARABIA KSA 1959 1959 ASIA SENEGAL SEN 1962 1960 AFRICA SERBIA AND MOTENEGRO SCG 1919 1919 EUROPA SEYCHELLES SEY 1986 1979 AFRICA SIERRA LEONE SLE 1967 1967 AFRICA SINGAPORE SIN 1952 1892 ASIA SLOVAKIA SVK 1907/94 1993 EUROPA SLOVENIA SLO 1992 1920 EUROPA SOLOMON ISLANDS SOL 1988 1978 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) SOMALIA SOM 1960 1951 AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA RSA 1992 1991 AFRICA SPAIN ESP 1904 1913 EUROPA SRI LANKA SRI 1950 1939 ASIA SUDAN SUD 1948 1936 AFRICA SURINAME SUR 1929 1920 THE AMERICAS SWAZILAND SWZ 1978 1968 AFRICA SWEDEN SWE 1904 1904 EUROPA SWITZERLAND SUI 1904 1895 EUROPA SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC SYR 1937 1936 ASIA TAIWAN, REPUBLIC OF CHINA SEE: CHINESE TAIPEI TAJIKISTAN TJK 1994 1936 ASIA UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA TAN 1964 1930 AFRICA THAILAND THA 1925 1916 ASIA TIMOR-LESTE TLS 2005 2002 ASIA TOGO TOG 1962 1960 AFRICA TONGA TGA 1994 1965 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TRI 1963 1908 THE AMERICAS TUNISIA TUN 1960 1956 AFRICA TURKEY TUR 1923 1923 EUROPA TURKMENISTAN TKM 1994 1992 ASIA UGANDA UGA 1959 1924 AFRICA UKRAINE UKR 1992 1991 EUROPA UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UAE 1972 1971 ASIA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA USA 1914 1913 THE AMERICAS URUGUAY URU 1923 1900 CONMEBOL UZBEKISTAN UZB 1994 1946 ASIA VANUATU VAN 1988 1934 PACIFIC (OCEANIA) VENEZUELA VEN 1952 1926 CONMEBOL VIET NAM VIE 1964 1962 ASIA VIRGIN ISLANDS ISV 1998 1992 THE AMERICAS YEMEN YEM 1980 1962 ASIA ZAMBIA ZAM 1964 1929 AFRICA ZIMBABWE ZIM 1965 1965 AFRICA
COUNTRY ZONE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOLY SEE (VATICAN STATE) EUROPE MARSHAL ISLANDS OCEANIA TUVALU OCEANIA