Who raises the Olympic flag at the Opening Ceremony

The white flag bearing the five interlocking rings—representing the five inhabited continents—rises at the end of every Opening Ceremony to mark the start of the Games. Designed by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1913, it was first flown at the 1920 Games in Antwerp and symbolized a desire for unity after World War I.

The Olympic Charter requires a larger Olympic flag to fly for the entire duration of the Games, but it does not name who must raise it. Over time it has become customary for members of the host country’s military to perform the honor. Before the hoist, other honorees sometimes carry the flag into the stadium, as happened in Tokyo when athletes who were also essential workers took part; in Turin 2006 members of the Alpini raised the flag, and in Vancouver 2010 it was raised by members of the RCMP on foot.

At the Closing Ceremony the flag is passed to the next host city—the 2024 ceremony saw the mayor of Paris hand it to the mayor of Los Angeles for 2028—and it will appear again in Milan for the 2026 Winter Games.