List of people who have opened the Olympic Games

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President Emmanuel Macron is the most recent person to have opened a Summer Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. Emmanuel Macron March 2024 (4).jpg
President Emmanuel Macron is the most recent person to have opened a Summer Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
President Xi Jinping is the most recent person to have opened a Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022. Xi Jinping 2019.jpg
President Xi Jinping is the most recent person to have opened a Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022.
President Yoon Suk Yeol is the most recent person to have opened a Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon Province in 2024. South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol portrait.jpg
President Yoon Suk Yeol is the most recent person to have opened a Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon Province in 2024.

The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event featuring both summer and winter sports, held every two years with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. During Olympic Games opening ceremonies, the sitting president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will make a speech before inviting a representative from the host country to officially declare that particular Games open. The current Olympic Charter requires this person to be the head of state of the host country, [1] although this has not always been the case. This article lists the people who have had the ceremonial duty to declare each Olympic Games open.

Contents

Opening ceremony

The IOC factsheet on the opening ceremony states: "According to the Olympic Charter protocol, the duty of declaring the Games officially open falls to the head of state of the host country. Those who have performed this task are royalty and presidents, or their representatives, whether it was a vice-president, a member of the royal family, or a governor-general". [2] [3] Rule 56 of Chapter 5 of the Olympic Charter sets out the exact words that are to be declared by the person opening the Games. If at a Summer Olympic Games, the words to be said are:

I declare open the Games of [name of the host city], celebrating the [ordinal number of the Olympiad] Olympiad of the modern era. [1]

When at a Winter Olympic Games, the dignitary opening the Games is to proclaim:

I declare open the [number of the Olympic Winter Games] Olympic Winter Games of [name of the host city]. [1]

However, this has not always been followed strictly;

On 30 July 1932, U.S. vice president Charles Curtis opened the Los Angeles Summer Olympics with:

"In the name, of the President of the United States, I proclaim open the Olympic Games of Los Angeles, celebrating the X Olympiad of the modern era."

On 1 August 1936, Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of Germany, opened the Games in Berlin in exact format in German:

"I proclaim open the Olympic Games of Berlin, celebrating the XI Olympiad of the modern era."

On 29 July 1948, King George VI of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, opened the Olympic Games of London in exact format:

"I proclaim open the Olympic Games of London, celebrating the XIV Olympiad of the modern era."

On 19 July 1952, Juho Kusti Paasikivi, President of Finland, opened the Olympic Games on Helsinki in exact format in English and Finnish:

"I declare open the Olympic Games of Helsinki, celebrating the XV Olympiad of the modern era."

On 22 November 1956, the Duke of Edinburgh opened the Games of Melbourne in exact format:

"I declare open the Olympic Games of Melbourne, celebrating the XVI Olympiad of the modern era."

On 27 August 1960, Giovanni Gronchi, President of the Italian Republic, declares the Summer Olympics in Rome open by speaking in Italian:

"I proclaim the opening of the Olympic Games of Rome, celebrating the XVII Olympiad of the modern era."

On 10 October 1964, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, opened the Summer Olympics in Tokyo by speaking in Japanese:

"Celebrating the XVIII modern Olympiad, we hereby declare the opening of the Tokyo Olympic Games."

On 12 October 1968, Mexican president Gustavo Diaz Ordaz opened the Games of Mexico City in Spanish:

"Today, 12 October 1968, I declare inaugurated the Olympic Games in Mexico, that commemorate the XIX Olympiad of the modern era."

On 26 August 1972, German president Gustav Heinemann opened the Games of Munich speaking in German:

"I declare the Olympic Games Munich 1972, celebrating the XX Olympiad of the modern era, open."

On 17 July 1976, Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, opened the Montreal Olympics (first in French followed by the English) with:

"I declare open the Olympic Games of 1976, celebrating the XXI Olympiad of the modern era."

On 19 July 1980, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev opened the Moscow Summer Olympics speaking in Russian:

"Mr. President of International Olympic Committee! Sportsmen of the world! Dear guests! Comrades! I declare the Olympic Games of 1980, celebrating the XXII Olympiad of the modern era, now open."

On 28 July 1984, U.S. president Ronald Reagan opened the Los Angeles Summer Olympics with:

"Celebrating the XXIII Olympiad of the modern era, I declare open the Olympic Games of Los Angeles."

On 17 September 1988, President of the Republic of Korea, Roh Tae-woo opened the Summer Olympics in Seoul by speaking in Korean:

"In celebration of the 24th modern Olympic Games, I declare the Seoul Olympic Games open."

On 25 July 1992, King Juan Carlos I of Spain opened the Barcelona Summer Olympics by saying:

"(In Catalan) Welcome all to Barcelona. (In Spanish) Today, 25 July of the Year 1992, I declare open the Barcelona Olympic Games that celebrate the XXV Olympiad of the modern era."

On 12 February 1994, King Harald V of Norway opened the Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer by speaking in Norwegian:

"I hereby declare opened the XVII Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer." [4]

On 19 July 1996, U.S. president Bill Clinton opened the Atlanta Summer Olympics with the exact format:

"I declare open the Games of Atlanta, celebrating the XXVI Olympiad of the modern era."

On 7 February 1998, Emperor Akihito of Japan opened the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano by speaking in Japanese:

"Here, I will declare the opening of the XVIII Olympic Winter Games in Nagano."

On 15 September 2000, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Sir William Deane opened the Sydney Summer Olympics with the exact format:

"I declare open the Games of Sydney, celebrating the XXVII Olympiad of the modern era."

On 8 February 2002, U.S. president George W. Bush opened the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, which took place five months after the September 11 attacks using the format of the Summer Games declaration with:

"On behalf of a proud, determined and grateful nation, I declare open the Games of Salt Lake City, celebrating the Olympic Winter Games."

On 13 August 2004, Konstantinos Stephanopoulos, President of the Hellenic Republic, opened the Athens Summer Olympics, by speaking in Greek:

"I declare the opening of the Olympic Games of Athens...and the celebration of the XXVIII Olympiad of the modern era."

On 10 February 2006, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of the Italian Republic, opened the Turin Olympic Winter Games using the format of the Summer Games declaration by speaking in Italian:

"I declare open, in Turin, the celebration of the XX Winter Olympic Games."

On 8 August 2008, Hu Jintao, the President of the People's Republic of China, opened the Beijing Summer Olympics by speaking in Mandarin:

"I declare the XXIX Olympic Games of Beijing open."

On 12 February 2010, the Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean, opened the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver using the format of the Summer Games declaration by saying in French and English:

"I declare open the Games of Vancouver, celebrating the 21st Olympic Winter Games." [5]

On 27 July 2012, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, declared the opening of the 2012 London Summer Olympics with the exact format:

"I declare open the Games of London, celebrating the XXX Olympiad of the modern era."

On 7 February 2014, Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, declares the opening of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics by speaking in Russian:

"The XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, I declare open."

On 5 August 2016, Brazilian vice president Michel Temer, as acting president during the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff's powers and duties, opened the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro by speaking in Brazilian Portuguese:

"After this wonderful spectacle, I declare open the Rio Olympic Games, celebrating the XXXI Olympiad of the modern era."

On 9 February 2018, Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, declares the opening of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics by speaking in Korean:

"I declare the 23rd Winter Olympic Games, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, open."

On 23 July 2021, Emperor Naruhito opened the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (which was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic), by speaking in Japanese:

"I hereby declare the opening of the Tokyo Games to commemorate the XXXII Modern Olympiad."

On 4 February 2022, Xi Jinping, the President of the People's Republic of China, opened the Beijing Winter Olympics by speaking in Mandarin:

"I declare the 24th Winter Olympic Games of Beijing open." [6]

On 26 July 2024, Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, declares the opening of the Paris Summer Olympics by speaking in French:

"I proclaim open the Games of Paris, celebrating the XXXIII Olympiad of the modern times."

Records

Adolf Hitler Hitler portrait crop.jpg
Adolf Hitler
Giovanni Gronchi Giovanni Gronchi.jpg
Giovanni Gronchi
Hirohito Hirohito in dress uniform.jpg
Hirohito
Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II official portrait for 1959 tour (retouched) (cropped) (3-to-4 aspect ratio).jpg
Elizabeth II

As of 2024, there have been 50 different individuals who opened either the Summer or Winter Olympic Games. Four of them have done so more than once. German führer Adolf Hitler was the first person to open more than one Olympic Games; he opened the 1936 Winter and Summer Olympics, both of which were hosted in Germany. He remains the only one to open more than one Games in the same year.

Italian president Giovanni Gronchi opened the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo and the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He was the first democratically elected head of state to open more than one Olympic Games.

Japanese emperor Hirohito opened the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. He was the first non-European to open more than one Olympic Games.

Queen Elizabeth II opened the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Great Britain. The first and only head of state to open the Summer Games more than once, she was also the only woman to open any Summer Olympics as of 2024, and the only one to do so in different host countries. Aside from declaring open the Games by herself, she was represented during the declaration four times: in the 1956 and 2000 Summer Olympics – both were held in Australia – as well as the 1988 and 2010 Winter Olympics – both were held in Canada. The first woman to open any Olympic Games was Princess Ragnhild of Norway in 1952. Aged 21, she was also the youngest person to have opened the Olympic Games.

Norwegian King Harald V became the first person to open both the regular Olympics and Youth Olympics, having opened the 1994 Winter and 2016 Winter Youth Games. He was followed by Chinese president and Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping, who opened the 2014 Summer Youth and 2022 Winter Games.

Canadian Governor General Michaëlle Jean became the first Black person to open any Olympic Games.

Dignitaries who have opened the Summer Olympics

YearGamesHost cityHost countryOfficially opened by [lower-alpha 1] Office of opener [lower-alpha 1] Notes
1896 I Olympiad Athens Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Kingdom of Greece George I King of the Hellenes [7]
1900 II Olympiad Paris Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France No official openingNo official opening [8]
1904 III Olympiad St. Louis Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg  United States David R. Francis President of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition [lower-alpha 2] [9]
1908 IV Olympiad London Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Edward VII King of the United Kingdom [10]
1912 V Olympiad Stockholm Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Gustaf V King of Sweden [11]
1920 VII Olympiad Antwerp Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Albert I King of the Belgians [12]
1924 VIII Olympiad Paris Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France Gaston Doumergue President of the French Republic [13]
1928 IX Olympiad Amsterdam Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Prince Hendrik Prince Consort of the Netherlands [lower-alpha 3] [14]
1932 X Olympiad Los Angeles Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Charles Curtis Vice President of the United States [lower-alpha 4] [15]
1936 XI Olympiad Berlin Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler Chancellor of the German Reich [lower-alpha 5] [16]
1948 XIV Olympiad London Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom George VI King of the United Kingdom [17]
1952 XV Olympiad Helsinki Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Juho Kusti Paasikivi President of the Republic of Finland [18]
1956 XVI Olympiad Melbourne Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Consort of the Queen of Australia [lower-alpha 6] [19]
1956 XVI Olympiad (equestrian) Stockholm Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Gustaf VI Adolf King of Sweden [20]
1960 XVII Olympiad Rome Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Giovanni Gronchi President of the Italian Republic [21]
1964 XVIII Olympiad Tokyo Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan Hirohito Emperor of Japan [22]
1968 XIX Olympiad Mexico City Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Gustavo Díaz Ordaz President of the United Mexican States [23]
1972 XX Olympiad Munich Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany Gustav Heinemann Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany [24]
1976 XXI Olympiad Montreal Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Elizabeth II Queen of Canada [25]
1980 XXII Olympiad Moscow Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [lower-alpha 7] [26]
1984 XXIII Olympiad Los Angeles Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Ronald Reagan President of the United States [27]
1988 XXIV Olympiad Seoul Flag of South Korea (1984-1997).svg  South Korea Roh Tae-woo President of the Republic of Korea [28]
1992 XXV Olympiad Barcelona Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Juan Carlos I King of Spain [29]
1996 XXVI Olympiad Atlanta Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Bill Clinton President of the United States [30]
2000 XXVII Olympiad Sydney Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia William Deane Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia [lower-alpha 8] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
2004 XXVIII Olympiad Athens Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Konstantinos Stephanopoulos President of the Hellenic Republic [36]
2008 XXIX Olympiad Beijing Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Hu Jintao President of the People's Republic of China [lower-alpha 9] [37]
2012 XXX Olympiad London Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Elizabeth II Queen of the United Kingdom [38]
2016 XXXI Olympiad Rio de Janeiro Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Michel Temer Vice President of the Federative Republic of Brazil [lower-alpha 10]
2020 [lower-alpha 11] XXXII Olympiad Tokyo Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Naruhito Emperor of Japan [39]
2024 XXXIII Olympiad Paris Flag of France.svg  France Emmanuel Macron President of the French Republic
2028 XXXIV Olympiad Los Angeles Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Donald Trump (expected) President of the United States
2032 XXXV Olympiad Brisbane Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia TBD Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia [lower-alpha 12] (expected)

Notes:

  1. 1 2 Names & offices in italics reflect an opener who was not head of state when opening the Games. If the office is partially italicized, the non-italicized portion is the office & name of the head of state being represented.
  2. Representing President Theodore Roosevelt.
  3. Representing his wife, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.
  4. Representing President Herbert Hoover.
  5. IOC records state Hitler opened these Games as "Chancellor" (head of government), but in 1934 that office was consolidated with "President" (head of state) into "Führer und Reichskanzler", or "Führer". [2]
  6. Representing his wife, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.
  7. IOC records state Brezhnev opened the Moscow Games as "President", a title used at that time by the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, or de jure head of state. (The office of President of the Soviet Union was not created until 1990, a year before the nation broke up.) Though Brezhnev was also de facto ruler as General Secretary of the Communist Party, that title is not reflected in IOC records. [2]
  8. Representing Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.
  9. IOC records state Hu Jintao opened the Beijing Games as "President", de jure head of state. Though Hu was also de facto ruler as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, that title is not reflected in IOC records. [2]
  10. As acting president, discharging the powers and duties of the office of President of the Federative Republic of Brazil in place of incumbent President Dilma Rousseff, who was suspended from her duties as President during her impeachment trial.
  11. Held in 2021, the 2020 Summer Olympics were delayed by a year due to the then-ongoing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
  12. Representing the King of Australia, currently Charles III.

Dignitaries who have opened the Winter Olympics

YearGamesHost cityHost countryOfficially opened by [lower-alpha 1] Office of opener [lower-alpha 1] Notes
1924 I Winter Chamonix Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France Gaston Vidal Undersecretary for Physical Education of the French Republic [lower-alpha 2] [40]
1928 II Winter St. Moritz Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Edmund Schulthess President of the Swiss Confederation [lower-alpha 3] [41]
1932 III Winter Lake Placid Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Franklin D. Roosevelt Governor of the State of New York [lower-alpha 4] [42]
1936 IV Winter Garmisch-Partenkirchen Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler Chancellor of the German Reich [lower-alpha 5] [43]
1948 V Winter St. Moritz Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Enrico Celio President of the Swiss Confederation [lower-alpha 3] [44]
1952 VI Winter Oslo Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Princess Ragnhild Princess of Norway [lower-alpha 6] [45]
1956 VII Winter Cortina d'Ampezzo Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Giovanni Gronchi President of the Italian Republic [46]
1960 VIII Winter Squaw Valley Flag of the United States (1959-1960).svg  United States Richard Nixon Vice President of the United States [lower-alpha 7] [47]
1964 IX Winter Innsbruck Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Adolf Schärf Federal President of the Republic of Austria [48]
1968 X Winter Grenoble Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France Charles de Gaulle President of the French Republic [49]
1972 XI Winter Sapporo Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan Hirohito Emperor of Japan [50]
1976 XII Winter Innsbruck Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Rudolf Kirchschläger Federal President of the Republic of Austria [51]
1980 XIII Winter Lake Placid Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Walter Mondale Vice President of the United States [lower-alpha 8] [52]
1984 XIV Winter Sarajevo Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia Mika Špiljak President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia [53]
1988 XV Winter Calgary Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Jeanne Sauvé Governor General of Canada [lower-alpha 9] [54]
1992 XVI Winter Albertville Flag of France (lighter variant).svg  France François Mitterrand President of the French Republic [55]
1994 XVII Winter Lillehammer Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Harald V King of Norway [56]
1998 XVIII Winter Nagano Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan Akihito Emperor of Japan [57]
2002 XIX Winter Salt Lake City Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States George W. Bush President of the United States [58]
2006 XX Winter Turin Flag of Italy (2003-2006).svg  Italy Carlo Azeglio Ciampi President of the Italian Republic [59]
2010 XXI Winter Vancouver Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Michaëlle Jean Governor General of Canada [lower-alpha 9] [60]
2014 XXII Winter Sochi Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Vladimir Putin President of the Russian Federation [61]
2018 XXIII Winter Pyeongchang Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea Moon Jae-in President of the Republic of Korea
2022 XXIV Winter Beijing Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Xi Jinping President of the People's Republic of China [lower-alpha 10]
2026 XXV Winter Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Sergio Mattarella (expected) President of the Italian Republic
2030 XXVI Winter French Alps Flag of France.svg  France TBD (expected) President of the French Republic
2034 XXVII Winter Salt Lake City Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States TBD President of the United States (expected)
  1. 1 2 Names & offices in italics reflect an opener who was not head of state when he or she opened the Games. If the office is partially italicized, the non-italicized portion is the office & name of the head of state being represented.
  2. Representing President Alexandre Millerand.
  3. 1 2 This office is technically not head of state in and of itself, but is the presiding officer of the Federal Council which collectively acts as head of state.
  4. Representing President Herbert Hoover.
  5. IOC records state Hitler opened these Games as "Chancellor" (head of government), but in 1934 that office was consolidated with "President" (head of state) into "Führer und Reichskanzler", or "Führer". [3]
  6. Representing her grandfather, King Haakon VII of Norway.
  7. Representing President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
  8. Representing President Jimmy Carter.
  9. 1 2 Representing Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.
  10. IOC records state Xi Jinping opened the Beijing Games as "President", de jure head of state. Though Xi was also de facto ruler as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, that title is not reflected in IOC records. [62]

Dignitaries who have opened the Youth Olympic Games

YearGamesHost cityOfficially opened byOffice of openerNotes
2010 I Summer Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore S. R. Nathan President of the Republic of Singapore
2012 I Winter Flag of Austria.svg Innsbruck, Austria Heinz Fischer Federal President of the Republic of Austria
2014 II Summer Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Nanjing, China PR Xi Jinping President of the People's Republic of China [lower-alpha 1]
2016 II Winter Flag of Norway.svg Lillehammer, Norway Harald V King of Norway
2018 III Summer Flag of Argentina.svg Buenos Aires, Argentina Mauricio Macri President of the Argentine Republic
2020 III Winter Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Lausanne, Switzerland Simonetta Sommaruga President of the Swiss Confederation [lower-alpha 2]
2024 IV Winter Flag of South Korea.svg Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol President of the Republic of Korea
2026 IV Summer Flag of Senegal.svg Dakar, Senegal Bassirou Diomaye Faye (expected) President of the Republic of Senegal

Notes:

  1. IOC records state Xi Jinping opened the Nanjing Games as "President", de jure head of state. Though Xi was also de facto ruler as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, that title is not reflected in IOC records. [62]
  2. This office is technically not head of state in and of itself, but is the presiding officer of the Federal Council which collectively acts as head of state.

See also

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The 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, officially known as the II Summer Youth Olympic Games Chinese: 第二届夏季青年奧林匹克运动会; pinyin: Dì'èrjiè Xiàjì Qīngnián Àolínpǐkè Yùndònghuì, and commonly known as Nanjing 2014, were the second Summer Youth Olympic Games, an international sports, education and cultural festival for teenagers, held from 16 to 28 August 2014 in Nanjing, China. These were the first Youth Olympic Games held in China, making it the first country to host both regular and Youth Olympics following the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympic Games ceremony</span> Ceremonial events of the ancient and modern Olympic Games

The Olympic Games ceremonies of the ancient Olympic Games were an integral part of the games; modern Olympic Games have opening, closing, and medal ceremonies. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies date back to the ancient games from which the modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies. During the 2004 Summer Olympics, the medal winners received a crown of olive branches, which was a direct reference to the ancient games, in which the victor's prize was an olive wreath. The various elements of ceremonies are mandated by the Olympic Charter, and cannot be changed by the host nation. Host nations are required to seek the approval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for ceremony elements, including the artistic portions of the opening and closing ceremonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of the International Olympic Committee</span> Head of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee

The president of the International Olympic Committee is head of the executive board that assumes the general overall responsibility for the administration of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the management of its affairs. The IOC Executive Board consists of the chairman president, four vice-presidents, and ten other IOC members; all of the board members are elected by the IOC Session, using a secret ballot, by a majority vote.

The 2022 Winter Olympics closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing on 20 February 2022. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings are expected to combine the formal ceremonial closing of this international sporting event with an artistic spectacle to showcase the culture and history of the current and next host nation (Italy) for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Summer Olympics closing ceremony</span>

The closing ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, on 2 October 1988 at 19:00 -20:45 KDT (UTC+10).

The opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, on 17 September 1988 at 10:30 KDT (UTC+10). The official song of this game was "Hand in Hand", which was performed by Koreana. The Games were officially opened by President of the Republic of Korea Roh Tae-woo.

References

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