The Olympic Games - Symbols and Creeds

With any great tradition or event there must be a theme or motto that underscores it's purpose. From the very beginning Pierre De Coubertin sought to promote the highest possible ideals and achievements as a part of the Olympic Games. In line with this the Olympic motto is "Swifter, Higher, Stronger". In Latin - "Citius, Altius, Fortius". It was a line that was apparently coined by Henri Didon who was a friar and sports enthusiast as well as a good friend to De Coubertin. It certainly expressed the original focus of this international event.

De Coubertin first introduced this credo at the 1924 Games in Paris. And although the Olympic Games have certainly highlighted great wins and outstanding world records De Coubertin hoped that more importantly the participation at this global event would inspire an optimistic and productive approach in all avenues of life. This is outlined in the Olympic Creed that reads in part:

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

As an added symbol of the universality of the Olympic Games De Coubertin unveiled what would become the official Olympic flag after the Stockholm Games in 1912. The flag is white in it's background with five interlocking rings of different colors which are black, blue, green, red and yellow. Together they represent five inhabited continents. The Americas being regarded as one continent. With no ring being specifically designated to any particular continent.

The colors are such that any nation has at least one of these colors in it's national flag. And the fact that they are interlocked is meant to represent the ideal of unity as these nations come together in the healthful pursuit of great physical achievement. It is a symbol of the Games that the Olympic Committee is very protective of in terms of copyright issues desiring it's message to remain unsullied by any potential parodies.

The Olympic flag is raised with great ceremony at the beginning of the Games and then lowered at the close. The mayor of the city that has hosted the current Games then returns it to the president of the IOC who then passes it to the mayor of the city that will next host the Games. This particular ceremony originated in Antwerp in 1920.