Those are of course, the Olympic rings, the symbol of the Olympic Games, which was created by Pierre de Coubertin (see 79 Days) in 1912. The five rings are interlocking to promote peace, unity and healthy competition between the five continents which partake in the Olympics. The five colors - blue, yellow, black, green, red - along with the white background represent the colors of the flags of the countries that took part in the Olympics at that time.
Athens, Greece hosted the first Olympic Games in 1896. As is usually the case, the host nation did particularly well, and was awarded 47 medals - the most at that Olympics.
Austria is the leading nation in alpine skiing medals with 101 at the Winter Olympics. Austrian athletes have also swept the World Cup podium (meaning they have come in first, second and third place) 47 times since 1973. No other country has dominated a single winter sport to this extent. This year, the Austrian ski team is lacking the big stars they've had in the past, such as Hermann Maier, but their track record proves they can never be counted out. Look for Benjamin Raich and Michael Walchhofer in the men's events and Marlies Schild in the women's events.
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