The Olympic Rings symbol was designed in 1912 by Pierre de Coubertine to represent the five continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and America. The five interlocking rings are blue, yellow, black, green and red, representing the colors that appeared on national flags at the time. While the rings originally represented specific continents with assigned colors, they now simply represent the union of the five continents and the gathering of athletes from around the world at the Olympic Games.

1. The Olympic Rings
CEIP Saco e Arce - 2012

2. Symbol of the Games
The symbol of the
Modern Olympic
Games is five
interlocking rings,
on a white field.
The five rings are
blue, yellow, black,
green and red.

3. How did they choose
which colours to use?
The colours chosen
stood for those colours
that appeared on the
national flags of the
world at the time
the symbol was
designed.

4. When was the symbol
designed?
The Olympic Rings
symbol was designed
in 1912, by Baron
Pierre de Coubertine,
the founder
of the modern
Olympic Games.
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5. Why are there five rings?
The five
interlocking rings
represent the five
continents which
took part in the
first Olympic
Games.

6. Does each colour represent a
specific continent?
Today no continent is thought to be represented by
any specific ring
or colour. But,
before 1951,
the Olympic
handbook stated
that blue was
for Europe, yellow for Asia, black for Africa,
green for Oceania and red for America.

7. The Rings modern meaning
According to the
Olympic Commitee,
the Olympic symbol
represents the union
of the five continents
and the meeting of
athletes from all over
the world at the Olympic Games.