The Olympic Charter

Last modified: 2005-07-09 by juan manuel gabino villascán
Keywords: olympic games | international olympic committee | national olympic committee | ring |
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by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán
Flag adopted: 1914.

The Olympic Charter (updated 12 december 1999), includes the following information about the Olympic flag, the Olympic symbol, the flags and emblems of the NOCs, and the Parade of Flags:

• Art. 12: Olympic Symbol
• Art. 13: Olympic Flag
• Art. 15: Olympic Emblem
• Art. 17: Rights to the Olympic Symbol, Flag, Motto and Anthem
• BYE-LAW TO RULES 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 AND 17 (NOC and OCOG Emblems)
• Art. 35: (NOC) Flag, Emblem and Anthem
• Art. 67: Use of the Olympic Flag
• BYE-LAW TO RULE 69 (Opening and Closing Ceremonies)
• Sources

See:

• IOC / CIO - International Olympic Committee / Comité International Olympique
• Olympics - General index

Other sites:

• Olympic Charter (2004 version, 50 KB large-PDF file)
• International Olympic Committee Website

1. The Olympic symbol consists of the five Olympic rings used alone, in one or in several colours.
2. The five colours of the rings are mandatorily blue, yellow, black, green and red. The rings are interlaced from left to right. The blue, black and red rings are situated at the top, the yellow and green rings at the bottom. The whole approximately forms a regular trapezium, the shorter of the parallel sides forming the base, according to the official design deposited at the IOC headquarters and reproduced below.
3. The Olympic symbol represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games.
   

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The Olympic flag has a white background, with no border. In its centre is located the Olympic symbol in its five colours. Its design and proportions shall be those of the flag presented by Pierre de Coubertin at the Paris Congress in 1914.

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1. An Olympic emblem is an integrated design associating the Olympic rings with another distinctive element.
2. The design of any Olympic emblem shall be submitted to the IOC Executive Board for its approval. Such approval is a prerequisite to any use of such emblem.
   

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All rights to the Olympic symbol, the Olympic flag, the Olympic motto and the Olympic anthem belong exclusively to the IOC.

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4.      The NOCs may only use the Olympic symbol, flag, motto and anthem within the framework of their non-profit-making activities, provided such use contributes to the development of the Olympic Movement and does not detract from its dignity and provided the NOCs concerned have obtained the prior approval of the IOC Executive Board.

5.      (…)

6.      (…)

7.      (…)

7.1.   An Olympic emblem may be created by an NOC or an OCOG.

7.2.   The IOC Executive Board may approve the design of an Olympic emblem provided that it considers that there is no risk of confusion between such emblem and the Olympic symbol or other Olympic emblems.

7.3.   The area covered by the Olympic symbol contained in an Olympic emblem shall not exceed one third of the total area of such emblem. Furthermore, the Olympic symbol contained in an Olympic emblem must appear in its entirety and must not be altered in any way whatsoever.

7.4.   In addition to the foregoing, the Olympic emblem of an NOC must fulfil the following conditions:

7.4.1.      The emblem must be designed in such a way that it is clearly identified as being connected with the country of the NOC concerned.

7.4.2.