Olympic Rings Symbolize All Countries and Nations

August 5, 2016, marks the opening ceremonies of the 31^st Modern Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Flags and banners showing five different colored rings on a white background line major roads throughout the city in Brazil.  Blue, yellow, black, green and red rings interlock against the white background, representing the colors of all of the competing countries.

The Olympic Flag is an iconic symbol owned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that uses it to promote the summer and winter games. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, the IOC aggressively protects the copyright of the flag. It’s the exclusive property of the IOC, and it can’t be used without written consent from the international organization.  

A common myth that the symbol of the interlocking rings was used during the first Olympic Games from 776 BC until 338 AD isn’t true.  Baron Pierre de Coubertin, cofounder of the modern Olympic Games in the late 1800’s, designed the Olympic Flag in 1912. He promoted the use of the flag to represent the international spirit of the world-wide competition.

For 16 days the games will match competitors from more than 200 countries. Athletes from throughout the world will try to get hold of gold, silver and bronze metals. For Brazil the real reward will come from millions of dollars tourists bring to the events promoted by the IOC.

Enjoy the games of the XXXI Olympiad!

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