The rings are five interlocking rings, colored blue, yellow, black, green, and red on a white field, known as the "Olympic rings ''. The symbol was originally designed in 1912 by de Coubertin. He appears to have intended the rings to represent the five participating continents: Africa, Asia, America, Australia and Europe. According to Coubertin, the colors of the rings together with the white of the background included the colors composing every competing nation 's flag at the time. Upon its initial introduction, Coubertin stated the following in the August 1912 edition of Olympique:
what are the colours of the olympic rings
blue, yellow, black, green, and red on a white field