Olympic Ring Mishap Maybe Intentional? Hidden Message?

So we know that at the opening of the olympics, there was a problem with the last ring on the olympics symbol.



Durring the closing ceramony, Russia seemed to laugh at it's own mistake by replicating the problem it had in the beginning, according to Source





I really didn't give this much thought until I noticed two different things about this last ring.

I remember hearing that the ring in question represented North America, so I looked into it and found that it was said that it actually represented the Americas in general. Now, this information isn't full proof because...

The current view of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is that the symbol "reinforces the idea" that the Olympic Movement is international and welcomes all countries of the world to join.[8] As can be read in the Olympic Charter, the Olympic symbol represents the union of the five regions of the world and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. However, no continent is represented by any specific ring. Prior to 1951, the official handbook stated that each color corresponded to a particular continent: blue for Europe, yellow for Asia, black for Africa, green for Australia and Oceania and red for the Americas; this was removed because there was no evidence that Coubertin had intended it (the quote above was probably an afterthought).

Source



And... Did anyone notice that the CLOSING ring error looked like anything interestingly familiar?



Anything at all?



ATS, I might be reaching here, and I don't really believe this, but I just thought it was an interesting take on the issue and it was something to ponder at the very least. Maybe it's someone purposly poking harmless fun. But then again.....

So what do you guys think? Coincidence? Harmless fun? Or... DOOOOOOM!

I thought it was proof the Russians have a sense of humour and it made me laugh.

I think it speaks more to the rest of the world that they would rather see a conspiracy, than admit the Russians cracked a joke at their own expense at a massive party they were hosting.

Who came up with the idea that the ring represents the Americas? If anything, the colors historically stand for national flag colors, and quite frankly, red represents Russia even today more than any other nation in my mind. China would likely be second, and I doubt they're trying to agitate the hornets nest they have next door, lol. Sounds like people with an agenda trying to make something out of nothing, imo.

finitedualities
Who came up with the idea that the ring represents the Americas?

.........

Sounds like people with an agenda trying to make something out of nothing, imo.

Reread the OP please

reply to post by finitedualities


No one.

en.wikipedia.org...

According to Coubertin, the ring colors with the white background stand for those colors that appeared on all the national flags that competed in the Olympic games at that time. Upon its initial introduction, Coubertin stated the following in the August, 1912 edition of Olympique:

"...the six colors [including the flag’s white background] thus combined reproduce the colors of all the nations, with no exception. The blue and yellow of Sweden, the blue and white of Greece, the tri- colors of France, England and America, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, the yellow and red of Spain next to the novelties of Brazil or Australia, with old Japan and new China. Here is truly an international symbol."

The current view of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is that the symbol "reinforces the idea" that the Olympic Movement is international and welcomes all countries of the world to join. As can be read in the Olympic Charter, the Olympic symbol represents the union of the five regions of the world and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. However, no continent is represented by any specific ring. Prior to 1951, the official handbook stated that each color corresponded to a particular continent: blue for Europe, yellow for Asia, black for Africa, green for Australia and Oceania and red for the Americas; this was removed because there was no evidence that Coubertin had intended it (the quote above was probably an afterthought)

StallionDuck

finitedualities
Who came up with the idea that the ring represents the Americas?

.........

Sounds like people with an agenda trying to make something out of nothing, imo.

Reread the OP please

"The symbol was originally designed in 1912 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, co-founder of the modern Olympic Games. According to Coubertin, the ring colors with the white background stand for those colors that appeared on all the national flags that competed in the Olympic games at that time. Upon its initial introduction, Coubertin stated the following in the August, 1912 edition of Olympique"

From your "source"

reply to post by StallionDuck


I think it was done as a harmless prank to goof on the US, for those in the know who would get the joke. It's no secret that Putin loathes Obama and the US in general, and twists the knife when he can (like giving Snowden asylum). As it discovered that we have more of a hand of what's going on in the Ukraine, there will be more animosity. I believe the mishaps regarding the Olympic rings is just a figurative way to show the rest of the world what Putin thinks in a way to marginalize us.

reply to post by finitedualities


*sigh*

Would you read the whole OP, please? Read it slowly if you must..

I never said it wasn't. I am aware of the whole of what's in wiki. I read it all. I only posted what related to my statement.

I said... Meh! Go back and reread it.

reply to post by khimbar


I agree with you.

I think the Russians were having a laugh at their own expense.

And why not..good for them.

I think Russia put on an excellent games, top-notch actually - despite the early propaganda from some quarters, trying to sour the games before they even began.

All of the competitors and spectators i've seen interviewed and have commented on the facilities and how the games have gone all seem to agree they were brilliant, and really enjoyed themselves.

The games also seemed to show an unusual but very welcome level of comradery and friendliness between the nations competing, this is the true nature of the games, and to see it so much in evidence was a welcome and refreshing change.

Well done Russia.

reply to post by StallionDuck


I'm sorry, it's a nice idea, but the obvious propaganda has come in the form of western media's marginalization of Russia's hosting capabilities through the deluge of stories about the hotels, dogs, etc. These problems were on an epidemic level in South Africa, but those articles were at a minimum during the World Cup, at least in the USA (the vuvuzela debacle aside).

I'll play, OP!

Bring on the DOOM!

reply to post by finitedualities


There is NO propaganda... Where do you see propaganda with this subject? This has NOTHING to do with any article out there. This is my own puzzle that I thought interesting to post. What are you even on about? Why are you acting out against the "westen media" when it has nothing to do with anyone?

The craziest part is... People are actually giving you stars for your posts when it has ZERO basis on anything mentioned here.

I thought the second glitch was a bit of humour at their own expense and showed us how classy they can be by saying "Hey, we can laugh about it too." It was a superb joke.

To ..ahem..use a source outside Wiki perhaps?

The original thoughts as to the meaning of the Olympic rings on the flag of the Olympic Games is the symbolism of the five different colored rings, all interlinked together. These five multicolored Olympic rings stand for the five continents where the athletes traveled from to take part in the sporting competitions of these Olympic events. The reason for the interlocking rings on the Olympic flag is symbolic in showing that the Olympic Games are intended for all nations to be able to come and compete against one another in unity.

Source: The tradition and meaning of the Olympic Rings

Oh, and according to that, we can blame this whole mess on the French. I should have known..somewhere deep down is a Frenchman.

If the Russians had an ulterior motive, what better way than to suggest it was on purpose to poke fun at themselves. The fact is this was a very public display of what could be a deliberate situation pertaining to the destruction of one of the continents included in the Olympic festivities. A warning in plain sight disguised as an accidental on purpose.

reply to post by StallionDuck


Your "puzzle" makes a quite the presumption from the get go, and you should have posted this to grey area or skunk works if you didn't want an honest critique. I mainly pointed out that if anything, the Russians were letting themselves down by having the red star fail to expand, while you're out on the limb claiming it represents America. Your own "source" even states the creator of the rings agreeing with my perspective. Please tell me how this doesn't concern your opening post?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Whose site is www.olympics.mu... and why it is a better source than wiki?

And I think you'll find it was Dr Brookes in Much Wenlock that the French stole from.



ETA to add.

Straight from the horses mouth.

www.olympic.org...

The five rings represent the five continents. They are interlaced to show the universality
of Olympism and the meeting of the athletes of the world during the Olympic Games.
On the Olympic flag, the rings appear on a white background. Combined in this way,
the six colours of the flag (blue, yellow, black, green, red and white) represent all nations.
It is a misconception, therefore, to believe that each of the colours corresponds to a certain
continent.

Not everything is about America OP.

reply to post by khimbar


Wiki isn't something I use or respect for anything, anywhere, ever. In fact...at the college, using Wiki as a source on anything at all is an immediate and no questions asked...FAIL. Period. You could write with the skills and talent of Stephen King...and if you sourced something to Wiki, you'll take an F and deal with it.

Why? Wiki can be whatever other people want it to be. Nothing is checked, verified or vetted. Now Wiki is a wonderful REFERENCE...because the links at the bottom of a Wikipage lead to SOURCES ....and those sources are, as often as not, quite useful and very workable for a cited works page, for instance. Wiki itself though? It's Sesame Street sans Big Bird.

I try not to be a source nazi...but Wiki is the ghetto of the internet for factual information ....if Wiki is where someone stops, and isn't using it as merely a starting point.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Totally agree.

Which is why I wonder where Olympics.mu or whatever it was gets their info from.

Anyhoo...doesn't matter one jot. Rings officially don't represent any particular continent, and Russians have a sense of humour which seems to surprise some people.

reply to post by khimbar


Well, the .mu extension is Mauritania, so credibility is what it is, if you have absolutely no idea what the truth is to the story of the Olympics or it's symbolism. I guess I figure most people who would speak with a sense of knowledge, would know that history already...and so, the .mu site looked like an easy one to cite. Everything being on one page, after all.

The same history, same points and same material is, as you went on to note, across the Official Olympic Committee page for the "Official" record of what the games are about and what it's rings mean.

Perhaps using the top source so people on phones and other devices can enjoy the scroll down through pages to see it would have been better...but I do try and make links workable for folks, when that choice is there .....and all info is about equal anyway.

That's just me...and I'm shocked such a BIG deal has been made of this, in the first place.

They goofed on a ring. So what? They played it up at the end...again.. so? It was a technical malfunction and a quirk as to WHICH ring for symbolism, this happened to be with, IMO.