What does each ring on the Olympic flag mean. What do the olympic rings mean

The symbolism of the Olympic Games is known to each of us. For example, everyone knows what the Olympic emblem looks like, the flag or how the anthem sounds. However, far from everyone knows what exactly the rings symbolize, and therefore more on that later.

The symbolism of the Olympic Games is known to each of us. For example, everyone knows what the Olympic emblem looks like, the flag or how the anthem sounds. However, far from everyone knows what exactly the rings symbolize, and therefore more on that later.

History of the Olympic emblem


Sports competitions were held between people thousands of years ago. One of the first and most famous are the Olympic Games, which took place in Ancient Greece and Rome. After the disappearance of the represented empires, the competition was suspended. They were renewed already at the end of the 19th century (or rather, in 1896) by Pierre de Coubertin.

The same person designed the Olympic rings in 1913, which are otherwise called the emblem. They are placed in the center of the flag of the Olympic Movement and represent 5 interlaced rings.


What do the rings look like?


They are arranged in 2 consecutive rows. Wherein:

  • 3 of them - blue, yellow and black are located at the top;
  • 2 - green and red - are located in the bottom row.

The rings are connected into a single chain, which is the letter W. At the same time, the outermost of the hoops (blue and red) intersect only with 1 of the other rings. The rings, placed in the center - each with 2 other symbols of the emblem.


All about symbolism


The rings represent the union, the unity of the 5 parts of the world, as well as the worldwide focus of the Olympic Games. At the same time, contrary to one of the most common versions, each of the symbols does not belong to any particular continent or part of the world. More on this below.

So, each of the 6 colors (together with a white background on the cloth) are combined in such a way as to represent the national shades of all the states of the world.

In accordance with the International Olympic Committee - IOC - the fundamental idea of ​​the emblem should be considered the rooting of the idea that the Olympic Movement is an international campaign that unites everyone "under its wing". Each of the states of the world can participate in this international competition. Including the Olympic Charter itself (a set of legal norms) indicates that:

  • The Olympic rings are relevant because they symbolize the unity of 5 continents;
  • an additional interpretation of the emblem is a symbol of the gathering of athletes from all countries to participate in the Olympic Games.

A strict code has been developed regarding the use of the represented symbol. It must be followed by all international organizations, athletes and government officials under all circumstances. One of the clearest examples should be considered that even if the Olympic hoops are depicted on a black or dark background, the ring of the presented shade cannot be replaced by an object of a different color. In the modern history of the existence of the Olympic Games, there has not yet been a single case of violation of this rule. In extreme cases, the shade of the emblem is not significantly changed.



In the words of de Coubertin himself: “5 rings of different shades are intertwined with each other - blue, yellow, black, green, red. They are placed on a solid white field, reminiscent of the background of a sheet of paper. These 5 symbols represent each of the parts of the world. It is they who are currently cultivating the desire for Olympism and are ready to accept healthy competition and wage a fair fight, conquering new heights.”


Interpretation of Carl Jung


Carl Jung, the most famous scientist of the 20th century, who lived at the same time as de Coubertin, proposed to perceive 5 rings as specific energies - earth, water, fire, wood and metal. It is they who unite in the symbol known today. In addition, in 1912, Jung proposed his own perception of the competition, which is also often called the pentathlon. According to him, an athlete who is an Olympian should have been distinguished by versatility. In this regard, he must master any of the 5 fundamental sports. We are talking about swimming, fencing, jumping, running and shooting.

Within this:

  • swimming corresponds to a blue tint;
  • fencing - red;
  • jumping - green;
  • run - yellow;
  • shooting - black.

The presented interpretation of the emblem, however, focuses rather than on the international scale of the Olympic competitions. She focused her attention on the abilities and results of a certain person who deserves to be called the winner of the Olympic Games.


Religious interpretations of the emblem


Deciphering the symbolism of the rings from a Christian point of view is widely popular. It sounds like this:

  • black color symbolizes the sin that separates man from God. In this regard, even at the Olympics there are scandals and intrigues;
  • red is the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross so that all sins could be forgiven people;
  • blue is the Holy Spirit who dwells in everyone after baptism. It will provide an opportunity to achieve high results not only in sports, but in life in general;
  • green symbolizes spiritual growth in the process of knowing the Lord;
  • yellow is similar to a gold-plated Olympic medal and is a symbol of the victory of peace and pacifism.

The most common inaccuracies in understanding the emblem


Until 1951, official sources claimed that the shades of the rings corresponded to different parts of the world. So, Europe - blue, Asia - yellow, Africa - black, Australia - green, and America - red. However, already at the end of the 50s, this certificate was deleted, since there was no evidence that de Coubertin assumed such a distribution of shades.

In addition, another common misconception is that, as many believe, in the first years before the start of the competition, the rings were interchanged with each other. Their location has remained unchanged since the creation of the emblem.

Thus, the presented symbolism of intertwined rings is a symbol of peace and the unity of people in the name of a certain idea. It implies fair competition, partnership and striving forward to achieve new results.

The idea of ​​using five rings as a symbol of the Olympic Games appeared more than 100 years ago. Back in 1913, the French baron Pierre de Coubertin, who resumed sports competitions, came up with a banner consisting of multi-colored rings placed on a white canvas. What do the Olympic rings mean? , not many of us know. After reading the article below, you can not only fill this gap, but also learn a lot of interesting facts related to the history of these competitions.

What do the Olympic rings mean and what are their colors?

Of all the existing versions, the one that says about the connection of each Olympic ring with a certain continent is considered the most correct:

  • Blue . This color is associated with Europe: peace, harmony, constancy and wisdom. To be fair, it should be noted that the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin was crazy about all shades of blue (from blue to sapphire).
  • Black . The baron marked Africa with a black ring. Obviously, this choice was associated with the skin color of people living on this continent.
  • Red . The French aristocrat associated the red color with North America - endless pomegranate canyons, and South America - the hot temper of the Latin peoples.
  • Yellow . This color is characterized with Asia: openness and a moderate state of mind. It is these characteristics that Eastern religious teachings are famous for.
  • Green . Despite the fact that Pierre de Coubertin had never been to Australia, he associated this mysterious continent with green.

What color are the olympic rings

In the mid-60s of the last century, the anti-apartheid movement was actively developing. The Olympic leaders, as a matter of urgency, needed to do something about the black (Africa) ring.

There are new versions explaining the shades of the rings:

  • feng shui and esotericism. Each ring is associated with the elements of the Earth:
    1. Blue- water.
    2. Black- metal.
    3. Red- fire.
    4. Yellow- Earth.
    5. Green- tree.
  • Pentathlon. The version that the Olympic Games can be characterized by five areas in sports:
    1. Blue: team water polo, diving, swimming (breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly, etc.) and synchronized swimming.
    2. Black: shot and discus throwing, sports shooting, weightlifting.
    3. Red: fencing, wrestling, boxing.
    4. Yellow: athletics and, first of all, running at various distances.
    5. Green: Pole vault, long and high.
  • Flag colors. The last theory is that in the palette of the flag of any state there is always at least one color placed on the Olympic banner.

Attributes of the Olympic Games

Any mass movement has an ideology. The Olympic Games, which have attributes known to all, are no exception:

  • Flag. Five intertwined rings of different colors on a white banner. White color - characterizes the world, rings - connection of athletes from different continents.
  • Motto. From Latin, the Olympic motto is translated as: " Faster, Higher, Brave". The last word, for some reason, cut the ear of Baron Coubertin, and he changed it to "Stronger."
  • The principle of the competition. The founder of the games believed that the main thing is not the triumph of an athlete in sports competitions, but participation.
  • Oath. Athletes solemnly swear to uphold the sporting principles of competition, to defeat their rivals only in a fair fight.
  • Fire. The Olympic flame symbolizes peace on earth and friendship between all the peoples of the planet.

Mascots of the Olympic Games

The Olympics cannot be imagined without a talisman. This attribute first appeared at sports games in Mexico in 1968. We list the most popular characters:

  • Summer games. Oddly enough, dogs and predatory animals were the most symbolic. Other characters: bear, beaver, eaglet and many imaginary characters.
  • Winter Games. What animal is winter associated with? That's right, with a mouse. Bears are record holders in the nomination of the mascot of the Winter Olympic Games. We also note the leopard, raccoon, wolf cub and even fabulous gnomes.

Why mascots in the Olympics? First of all, this attribute allows you to create a holiday atmosphere.

Among the many options, we highlight two main ones:

  1. The Spirit of the Olympic City. As a talisman, an animal or a fictional creature is chosen, with which, in one way or another, the city in which sports games are held is associated.
  2. Finance. The sale of souvenirs, toys and similar things with the emblem of the character bring huge money to the organizers.

Ideology of the Olympic Games

The founder of the new wave of the Olympic movement, promoted two main principles for holding international competitions:

  • physical health. As a teenager, Coubertin attended educational institutions in the UK. In them, he drew attention - all classes take place with a bias towards the study of Christian values ​​​​and the development of physical form. Subsequently, he tried to introduce these disciplines in French schools. The physical health of mankind, and therefore the absence of disease, is an axiom forever associated with the Olympic Games.
  • World. Friendship between nations is the second postulate of the Olympics. The IOC, during the games, recommends that the opposing sides cease hostilities. It is understood that during the pause, the leaders of the countries will be able to find a peaceful solution to the existing problems.

funny moments

The most incredible events that happened during the Olympic Games:

  • At the games in Sapporo, Japan, the order of the rings on the Olympic flag was reversed.
  • In 1980, representatives of many foreign countries were absent from the Summer Olympics. The Soviet Union was not slow in responding: not a single representative from the powers of the socialist camp was present at the next Olympic Games in the United States.
  • The longest games were held in Paris (1900) and lasted almost 6 months.
  • Starting with the competitions held in the Finnish capital in 1952, an unspoken sports competition between the USSR and the USA began.
  • The first time the world saw the Olympic flag was in 1920. The delay of seven years, because the banner was invented in 1913, is explained by the outbreak of the First World War in Europe.

Now you know what the Olympic rings mean - this is nothing more than a conditional connection of the five continents of the Earth into one. From now on, every athlete from anywhere in the world, regardless of their social status, race and political views, can participate in the most prestigious competitions of our time. The holiday, which takes place every four years, promotes not only a healthy lifestyle and the desire to instill a love for sports, but also calls on humanity to live in peace and harmony.

Video about the organization of the Olympics in Sochi

Below is a video in which MGSU students formed 5 Olympic rings right near the building of their institute:

Agree, we are accustomed to taking some events for granted, not really thinking about either the history of their occurrence or their characteristic features.

Perhaps, the Olympics should be attributed to such events on a global scale. But every time sports competitions of this kind attract the attention of not even hundreds, but hundreds of thousands of devoted sports fans around the world.

Incredibly, they have been held for 118 years, and now both the fire and the rings of the Olympic Games are already habitually perceived.

What do these symbols mean and why exactly did they become iconic? Perhaps not every modern person can answer this question.

Section 1. Olympics today

In general, the Olympics should be understood as an international sporting event in which thousands of athletes from different countries compete.

There are summer and winter events taking place alternately every two years. That is, purely theoretically, it can be calculated that events of such a plan are arranged only in even years. And if in 2014 the Olympics were winter, then the next, already summer, will be held in 2016. By the way, by decision of a special commission, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) was entrusted to host it.

Section 2. Five rings of the Olympic Games as the main symbol of the competition

A white flag with characteristic symbols... At some point, as if by magic, it appears everywhere: on buildings, on sports and casual clothes, interior items and even on children's toys.

The snow-white background symbolizes world peace. And this is far from accidental, because for a long time, during the Olympics, hostilities and conflicts ceased and continue to cease on the entire planet.

The number and games placed on the flag are also very well thought out. They are colored yellow, blue, black, red and green.

First of all, we note that the rings of the Olympic Games symbolize the five continents of the planet: America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Why is this so, because the globe consists of six? The fact is that the Antarctic and the Arctic, due to their uninhabited nature, were not taken into account when developing the symbol.

Ah, those Olympic rings! What they mean was invented a little later. Today, even schoolchildren can talk about the fact that each part of the world is correlated with its own specific color. Blue corresponds to Europe, black to Africa, red to America, yellow to Asia, and green to Oceania.

Section 3. The emblem of the Olympic Games: rings and the history of their occurrence

This symbolic sign was developed in 1912 by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. They adopted the emblem in 1914, although it should be noted that it made its debut much later, only in 1920, at the Olympics in Belgium. It was originally planned that the world would see a flag decorated with a new symbol in 1916, but the First World War prevented the main

It is hardly worth mentioning that immediately after their appearance, the rings fell in love and became an integral attribute of the Olympics. In later years, they were used to create various logos associated with the Games.

Section 4. Has the symbol been modernized?

Oddly enough, but yes. And the Olympic rings underwent the biggest changes at the 1936 Olympics, held in the German capital Berlin.

Firstly, the rings were arranged not as usual in two rows, but in one. Their arrangement is somewhat similar to the traditional one due to the fact that the first, third and fifth of them were raised compared to the second and fourth.

Secondly, both the rings and the eagle holding them were made in black and white. In subsequent years, the monochrome version of the Olympic Games logo was used quite often, but the location was no longer changed.

In 1960, in Italy, the artists of the games - the rings - made it voluminous. It was done in grey. The rings were located under the Roman she-wolf, which, according to legend, nursed Romulus and Remus, who founded Rome. By the way, it was in that year that a new tradition was introduced - to hang medals around the neck of athletes.

The Mexicans, who hosted the Games in 1968, approached the creation of the Olympic logo no less creatively. This time, as a symbol of the Olympic Games, the rings were inscribed in the inscription "Mexico-68" and highlighted in color. The lower rings were part of the number 68.

Section 5. The unopened ring of the Sochi Olympics

But not everything is as smooth as it might seem at first glance. The rings of the Olympic Games, which means the five inhabited continents of the planet, have not always been successful. Something was condemned, something was welcomed, and there was something that went down in history.

A small technical incident with the rings occurred at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi (Russia).

According to the plan, during the show, large snowflakes hanging over the Fisht stadium were to be transformed into the Olympic rings. But only four were revealed. One ring remained hanging like a snowflake.

However, the Russian viewers did not see this hitch, since the organizers realized a little earlier than the rest what was happening, and they broadcast footage from the rehearsal.

During the closing of the Olympic Games, this incident with an unopened ring was played ironically. At the beginning of the ceremony, the participants of the show formed a composition with five rings and one snowflake, which quickly opened up in a few seconds.

Section 6. Other symbols of the Olympics

It should be noted that, in addition to the official flag and rings, there are also other symbols of the Olympics.

  • Fire. The tradition of lighting a torch was taken by Coubertin in 1912 from the ancient Greeks. The Olympic flame is a symbol of purity, struggle for victory and self-improvement. It was first lit in 1928. The relay race to pass the torch to the city where the Game is held began in 1936.
  • Medals. For the first place, the athlete is awarded a gold medal, for the second - a silver, for the third - a bronze. They are awarded to the winners after the competition at a special ceremony.
  • Motto"Citius, Altius, Fortius" can be translated into Russian as "Faster, higher, stronger." For the first time, these words were said by the priest Henri Martin Didon during the opening of sports competitions in college. It seemed to Coubertin that this phrase perfectly reflects the essence of the Olympic Games.
  • Oath, according to which the participants of the Games must respect and comply with the established rules. Its text was written by Pierre de Coubertin and was first heard in 1920.
  • Olympic principle was also defined by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896. He says that in the Olympic Games, as in life, the main thing is not victory, but participation.
  • Games Opening Ceremony- the most solemn part. It hosts a parade of athletes from all countries participating in the competition. The team of Greece goes first, then the teams of the countries according to the alphabet, and the team of the country organizing the Games comes last.

Section 7. Interesting facts about the Olympic Games

According to the decree, gold medals of pure gold in the form of a coating must contain at least 6 grams.

On the logos of the Olympic Games, the year is usually written with four or two digits (Athens 2004 or Barcelona 92). In the entire history of the Games, only once in 1960 in Rome was the year written with five letters (MCMLX).

During the Great Depression in 1932, the Brazilian government did not find the money to send its delegation to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. As a result, 82 Brazilian athletes were put on a ship with coffee in order to bring them to America with the proceeds. When the ship arrived at the port of San Pedro, its leaders demanded that one dollar be paid for each person who disembarked. Only those who had a chance to receive a medal were let down from the ship. He then went to San Francisco to sell coffee and was able to land a few more athletes, but 15 athletes returned to Brazil.

In 1956, the Summer Olympics were held in Melbourne, which was unable to host some sports. Australian quarantine regulations prohibited the importation of horses, and equestrian competitions had to be held in Stockholm.

Section 8. Looking to the Future

As previously reported, the next Olympic Games will be held in Brazil, in the world famous holiday city of Rio de Janeiro.

This capital of carnivals can not only surprise. It literally amazes every traveler, which means there is no doubt that the 2016 Olympics will be another amazing event.

Whether the rings of the Olympic Games, which means the unity of the planet, will undergo changes is still unknown, since such details are usually a secret part of the opening ceremony.

14.12.2015

Since ancient times, the Olympic Games have been accompanied by the use of a number of symbols. The olive branch, the anthem, the motto, medals, the Olympic flame and, of course, the famous flag with the image of five multi-colored rings - all this was an integral attribute of the most significant world sports competitions.

But it is the Olympic rings, depicted on a white background, that raise the most questions. Why do rings sometimes change color and arrangement, but their number never changes? In order to get answers, you need to go back in time. Let's find out what the Olympic rings mean.

What do the Olympic rings mean and what is their history. The well-known French public and sports figure, historian and philanthropist Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 initiates the resumption of the Olympic Games and becomes the Secretary General of the International Olympic Committee. At the congress at the Sorbonne, a joint decision was made on the venue for the first Olympics - it was held in 1896 in Athens, which symbolized the origin of competitions of this kind in Ancient Greece. At the end of the first Games, Pierre de Coubertin becomes president of the Olympic Committee.

Pierre de Coubertin did a lot more for the Olympic Games - in particular, he made every effort to increase public interest in them, invented and introduced a new sport, the modern pentathlon. Also, it was with the light hand of the baron that art competitions were held as part of the Olympics from 1912 to 1948, designed to show that a healthy mind is no less important than a healthy body.

Now some of his achievements and innovations have sunk into oblivion, while others still thrive. But it is the Olympic flag that is the most famous creation of Pierre de Coubertin. Despite the fact that its design was developed back in 1913, the flag was first shown only at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920. According to Coubertin himself, the Olympic rings really represent the five continents of the globe. And the colors, including the white background, are the collective colors of all the flags of the countries of the world that existed at that time. It is noteworthy that, contrary to popular misconception, the rings were never tied to specific continents. Their main purpose was exactly like the meaning of the Olympics itself, emphasizing the unity of all the people of the world.

How has the Olympic flag changed?

For the first time, the Olympic Committee agreed to deviate from the original version of Coubertin only in 1936, during the Berlin Games. In addition to the fact that the rings of the flag were made in black, there was an image of an eagle above them. In addition, the position of the rings was changed - they were located in the same row, but the first, third and fifth towered slightly above the rest.

The next Olympic Games took place only 12 years later. They took place in London, where a non-standard flag was again used - the rings were in the foreground, while views of the English capital served as the background. This Olympics is remarkable not only for the flag, but also for the record number of participating countries - athletes from 59 countries came to the competition.

At the 1960 Rome Olympics, designers first created three-dimensional rings. The location of the rings did not change, but they were all painted silver. The 1968 games in Mexico City are also remarkable for the interesting stylization of the flag - there the rings became part of the number 68, symbolizing the year of the Olympics. At the same time, for the first time in a long time, they received their original colors.

Moscow also distinguished itself in the issue of styling the Olympic flag! At the 1980 Games, all red rings were standard, but the last two were partially hidden behind the Olympic Bear. Later, evil tongues began to assert that in this way the USSR wanted to show its disregard for the two continents. How - you can easily guess for yourself.

In Sochi in 2014, the Olympic flag itself was no different from the standard one, however, a funny incident was connected with the Olympic rings - during the Opening, one of the rings, which were raised by complex structures, simply got stuck.

Olympic Games in 2016

At the moment, it is already known which flag will be used as the official one at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. However, in addition to the official one, the emblem invented and proposed by designers from Baku has also become widespread. On it, the rings are depicted in the form of little men-athletes, each of which, in its color, reflects a completely understandable continent. But the Olympic Committee rejected this option, despite its originality, for two reasons at once: firstly, it cannot be called correct, and secondly, the colors did not match the original ones.

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With the advent of the Olympic symbols, some associate the psychologist Carl Jung, who is also considered in some circles to be its creator. Jung was well versed in Chinese philosophy, he knew that the ring in ancient cultures is a symbol of greatness and vitality. So he introduced the idea of ​​five intertwined rings - a reflection of the five energies that are mentioned in Chinese philosophy: water, wood, fire, earth and metal.

Together with the symbols in 1912, the scientist introduced his image of the Olympic competitions - the modern pentathlon. Any Olympian had to master each of his five events.

The first discipline - swimming - in the form of a blue ring also depicts the element of water and indicates the rhythm that holds the breath, allows you to move forward on the surface of the water, to leadership.

The green ring - jumping - is an image of a tree and a symbol of the rider's energy. He must have the ability to control not only his own energy, but also the energy of the horse.

The next discipline is fencing, and it is represented by the fire element in the form of a red ring. This discipline symbolizes flair. The success of a swordsman depends on the ability to feel the enemy and guess his movements.

The yellow ring represents the earth element and represents the discipline of cross-country running. It indicates perseverance and perseverance. The cross-country runner jumps over the elements, knowing when to slow down and when to speed up.

The discipline of shooting and the unique properties of the metal are depicted by a black ring. This requires precision and clarity. The success of the shot depends not only on physical tension, but also on the ability of cold thinking, with which the shooter concentrates on the target and hits the target.

Sources:

  • what do the five rings symbolize

Olympic symbolism is what distinguishes games of this magnitude from other world competitions. It originated along with the whole movement and represents a whole complex of various attributes. Some of them are basic and unchanged, others change depending on where this or that Olympics takes place.

The Olympic is represented by several attributes at once - an emblem, a flag, a motto, a principle, an oath, fire, medals, an opening ceremony and a talisman. Each of them carries its own functional load and meets all the requirements of world-class sports competitions.

The emblem of the Games has been approved since 1913 and is unchanged. She is familiar to everyone - five colored rings, among themselves. It has been operating since then, it was developed taking into account the ancient Greek Olympiad. The five circles mean the five continents that participate in sports competitions. In addition, in any country there must be at least one color that is represented on the Olympic rings. Therefore, the Olympic movement performs the function of a unifying factor.

The flag is just as important. It represents the image of the Olympic rings on a white cloth. His role is quite simple - the white color of the world. And in combination with the emblem, it turns into a symbol of peace during the Games. It was first used as an attribute of the competition in 1920 in Belgium. According to the rules of the Olympics, the flag must participate in both the opening and closing ceremonies. After the end of the Games, it must be handed over to the representative of the city where the next competitions will be held in 4 years.

The motto of the Olympic Games is the Latin slogan: "Citius, Altius, Fortius!". Translated into Russian, this means "Faster, Higher, Stronger!". The role of the motto in the Olympics is to constantly remind everyone present why everyone is here.

The principle "The main thing is not winning, but participating" is an Olympic statement that appeared in 1896. The symbolism of the principle is that the athletes should not feel defeated if they lose. Its goal is to ensure that the competitions do not fall into depression, but, on the contrary, find strength in themselves and prepare even better for the next Games.

The traditional oath used is 1920. These are words about the need to respect your rivals, to observe sports ethics. The oath is taken not only by athletes, but also by judges and members of the evaluation commissions.

Of course, one cannot ignore such a symbol of the Olympics as. The ritual comes from ancient Greece. The fire is lit directly in Olympia, then it is transferred to a special torch, which, traveling through the whole world, arrives in the capital of the Olympic Games. We need fire as a symbol to emphasize that sports competitions are an attempt to improve ourselves, it is an honest struggle for victory, and it is also peace and friendship.

Medals are not only an award, but also a certain symbol of the Games. They serve as a tribute to strong athletes and at the same time emphasize that all people are brothers, because. representatives of various nationalities meet on the podium.

The opening ceremony is a mandatory attribute of the Olympic Games. Firstly, it sets the mood for all two weeks ahead. Secondly, it is a demonstration of the power of the host. Thirdly, it is the opening ceremony that is the unifying force. This is due to the fact that a parade of athletes is obligatory for her, in which future rivals walk side by side, shoulder to shoulder.

The talisman can be called a changeable symbol of the Olympics. After all, a new attribute is being developed for each competition. It must be approved by the IOC commission, chosen from several proposed options. The one they end up with is patented and becomes the symbol of the Olympic Movement in a given year. The talisman must meet several requirements - reflect the spirit of the host country of the Olympics, bring good luck to athletes and create a festive atmosphere. As a rule, the mascot is presented in the form of an animal that is popular for the country where the competition is held. In some cases, it can be made in the form of a fantastic creature.