Switzerland has won seven medals at the Olympic Games in Paris so far. The Swiss flag has shone in the background seven times during the award ceremony. The Swiss flag is unique in its square shape. The only other flag that is also square is the Vatican flag.
Equal treatment at the Olympic Games
The fact that the Swiss flag is square has repeatedly caused problems internationally. For example, a rectangular flag was temporarily hoisted in front of the UN headquarters in New York until Switzerland intervened.
At the UN headquarters in New York, the Swiss flag is the only one flying in a square shape.
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At international events such as the Olympic Games, protocol dictates what the flags look like. Roger Federer’s appearance at the opening ceremony in Beijing in 2008 caused some controversy because the flag was cut rectangularly.
Roger Federer wore a rectangular Swiss flag in Beijing in 2008 due to regulations.
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The Swiss flag does not always appear square in Paris either. For example, it flies rectangular in front of the Eiffel Tower and it was not square on the Swiss boat at the opening ceremony either.
When asked, Swiss Olympic confirmed that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) always uses a rectangular flag at the Olympic Games. This is in the spirit of equal treatment of all countries. “We regularly point out to the IOC the correct dimensions of the Swiss flag, and the IOC then points out the equal treatment again,” explains a spokesperson for Swiss Olympic.
The Swiss flag next to the other national flags in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
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Nina Christen and Nino Schurter carried the Swiss flag on the Swiss boat at the opening ceremony.
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A special shape with precise dimensions
In Switzerland, the term “flag” is used more often than “ensign”. The white cross is always centered in the middle. The dimensions of the cross and the red color are precisely defined. The arms of the white cross are each one sixth longer than they are wide. The shade of red is the Pantone color 485C.
Pantone is a color system that was introduced in 1963 and is widely used. It consists of an extensive selection of standardized colors that have a unique number and name – like the color 485C of the red of the Swiss flag.
The history of the Swiss flag
The Swiss flag as we know it has existed since 1840. Historians disagree about the reason for the red background color. One theory is that it refers to the blood of Christ. Another is that the red comes from the Bernese flag of the time. In 1848, the red flag with the white cross was finally enshrined in the constitution as the country’s emblem.
The Swiss flag has its origins in the 14th century. In the Battle of Laupen in 1339, soldiers wore a sewn white cross on their chain mail to distinguish themselves from other actors on the battlefield. Later, the cross also appeared on the weapons and banners of Swiss soldiers.
