what do olympic rings represent

The Olympic rings represent the unity of the world’s continents and the coming together of athletes from around the globe at the Olympic Games.

Quick Scoop: Core Meaning

• The symbol is made of five interlaced rings of equal size: blue, yellow, black, green and red on a white background.

• They stand for the union of the five inhabited “parts of the world” in the Olympic Movement (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania) and the meeting of athletes at the Games.

• The interlocking design emphasizes unity, connection, and fair competition across nations.

Do the Colors Match Continents?

• A common myth is that each color equals a specific continent (for example, blue = Europe), but that is not official.

• Pierre de Coubertin’s idea was that the six colors together (five ring colors plus the white background) included at least one color from every national flag, symbolizing universality.

A Tiny Bit of History

• The rings were designed in 1913 by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games.

• They were created to visually express the Olympic ideals: internationalism, peaceful rivalry, and shared values in sport.

In short, if you see the Olympic rings, think: “all continents, all flags, all athletes — united in one sporting festival.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.