Russia
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opened on Friday with a glittering ceremony at the San Siro stadium echoed by festivities at Games venues across the snow-capped Italian Alps. The opening ceremony sparked numerous reactions across the world – including in Russia, whose team is competing under a neutral flag.
The extravaganza reflected the most geographically widespread Olympics in history. It culminated in the lighting of two cauldrons, one at Milan’s Arch of Peace and one in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the chic resort 400 kilometres (250 miles) from Milan that is hosting the women’s alpine skiing.
The ceremony in Milan showcased Italy’s rich cultural heritage, with a nod to late fashion giant Giorgio Armani.
An otherwise harmonious event was punctuated by loud boos from the crowd when US Vice President JD Vance appeared on the big screen at the San Siro stadium. But the US team received loud applause from spectators as they began their parade.
There has been anger in Italy over the presence of agents from the US immigration enforcement agency ICE as part of security for the American delegation, even though the Italian government has said the agents will not have any operational role on its soil.
Performers at the San Siro show wore outsized heads of the three great masters of Italian opera – Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini while American diva Mariah Carey, in a white sequined dress with feathers, sang “Volare” in Italian and “Nothing is Impossible”.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli got a rapturous reception after performing “Nessun Dorma” and dozens of models honoured Armani by streaming across the stage wearing red, green, and white trouser suits.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella declared the Games open after International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Kirsty Coventry told the competitors: “You remind us that we can be brave, that we can be kind, that we can get back up, no matter how hard we fall.”
In a first, 2,900 athletes paraded in the venues closest to where they will compete in the February 6-22 Games, in a bid to minimise travel.
The Games opening ceremony also sparked reaction in Russia, where the event was broadcast.
The Russian Olympic team has been competing under a neutral flag since 2022, a reaction by the IOC to Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Among Russian citizens and also some international figures, calls have grown for Russia to be allowed to compete once again under its own flag.
The country is however showing no sign of stopping its invasion of Ukraine.
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