Fans noticed the same mistake with the Olympic flag during the 2024 opening ceremonies in Paris, France on Friday.
Millions around the world tuned in tonight to watch the thrilling kickoff to the 2024 Summer Olympics. The opening ceremony has been generally well-received by critics, although many quickly noticed an embarrassing issue regarding the raising of the Olympic flag.
Four officers of the Republican Guard, part of France’s National Gendarmerie, raised the flag. As they were doing so, folks on X/Twitter realized that the flag was actually being raised upside down.
Note that the top row of the actual logo (from left to right) consists of the blue, black and red rings. The bottom row features the yellow ring on the left, with the green ring on the right:
Wondering about the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics logo? Here’s the story behind that design: https://t.co/Cx271b3nBv pic.twitter.com/3xcofnN3uQ
— SportsLogos.Net (@sportslogosnet) July 26, 2024
Here’s the video of the officers raised the flag, along with the (many) realizations from fans who tuned in:
Those who managed to stay awake during the Opening Ceremonies were treated to the Olympic flag being flown upside down pic.twitter.com/flIG1kF8g7
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) July 26, 2024
The Olympic flag is upside down!! #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/GCvusFEGED
— mrlkdds (@mrlkdds) July 26, 2024
They hung that Olympic flag incorrectly, right? Like it’s not just rainy with no wind, I’m pretty sure that’s hanging either upside down or vertical. It hurts my brain pic.twitter.com/suy7MzO5aS
— The Ball Is Orange (@theballisorange) July 26, 2024
@BBCSport Shame the Olympic flag was hoisted upside down 😳 pic.twitter.com/hl6v8rvH5K
— Mike T (@Tutts558) July 26, 2024
I’m in awe of France spending €130m on a lavish, unintelligible ceremony that culminates in sending the Olympic flag down the Seine on a robot horse for nearly half an hour, the central moment of the event, only for them to raise it upside down.
— Against League 3 (@AgainstLeague3) July 26, 2024
looks like the olympic flag is upside down… https://t.co/6Q5U19R2Go
— Joshua Hoyos (@JoshuaHoyos) July 26, 2024
If you’re having a bad day at work, it could be worse. You could be the flag team that hoisted the Olympic Flag upside down at the opening ceremony. #Paris2024
— Jonathan Jaworski (@jaworskijp) July 26, 2024
More than 10,000 athletes worldwide are competing in this year’s Olympics which run until Aug. 11. These athletes will compete in 32 different sports, including basketball, boxing, fencing, rugby sevens, swimming, archery and wrestling.
The 2024 Summer Olympics mark the first time that the Summer Games will be held in France since 1924. The French city of Albertville hosted the 1992 Winter Olympics 32 years ago.
Paris also hosted the 1900 Summer Olympics, the second Olympic Games held in modern history.
About The Olympic Flag
As detailed on the Olympics.com official website, the Olympic flag was designed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913 and remains in use over a century later. The five rings represent the five continents and countries “united by Olympism”, the website notes.
de Coubertin developed a keen interest on ancient Greece and the Ancient Olympic Games that are believed to have started around 776 BC. de Coubertin created the International Olympic Committee and brought back the modern Olympic games that the world celebrates today.
