Paris 2024 Olympics: What do the Olympic rings mean? Significance, origin, movement

As the Paris 2024 Olympics is about to begin, the entire world will focus on the grandest celebration of sport. The news feeds will get flooded with the Olympic symbol.

It is the most famous symbol in the world of sports and comprises five rings of five different colours- (left to right)- blue, yellow, black, green and red. The rings symbolise the union of the five continents, and the participation of the athletes at these Games and express the activity of the Olympic movement.

As the world gears towards the final countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympics, we take a look at the meaning behind the symbol of the Games.

Here’s what the Olympic rings stand for:

The five-coloured rings represent the five inhabited continents of the world. These are- Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. No ring colour represents a particular continent.

The five-coloured Olympic rings represent the five inhabited continents of the world. 
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

“These five rings represent the five parts of the world now won over to the cause of olympism and ready to accept its fecund rivalries. What is more, the six colours thus combined reproduce those of all nations without exception,” said Pierre de Coubertin, Founder of the Olympic Movement and the designer of the symbol.

What are the meaning of the Olympic rings?

As per Rule number eight of the Olympic Charter, the meaning of these rings is as follows:

“The Olympic symbol expresses the activity of the Olympic Movement and represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games.”

(With inputs from Olympic.com)