An emotional ceremony at the Roman amphitheater “Arena di Verona“ closed the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, BTA reported.
The ceremony, titled “Beauty in Action“, included a performance by Italian ballet dancer Roberto Bolle in what has become a celebration of Italian art as well as sporting achievements. Performances of Giuseppe Verdi's most famous operas - “Rigoletto” and “La Traviata”, symphonic music, ballet art and the main character Rigoletto were part of the opening fragment of the spectacle.
The initial video showed Deborah Compagnoni, an Olympic champion from the 1990s, wearing an evening dress but with her skis with her.
The flag of the hosts appeared at the stadium followed by all the champions and medalists of Italy, including Francesca Brignone, Ariana Fontana, Francesca Lollobrigida and others.
The Olympic flame was brought in by the Olympic champions with the cross-country skiing relay from Lillehammer 1994 - Maurilio de Zolt, Marco Albarello, Silvio Fauner and Giorgio Vanzetta.
The flag bearers of all 92 countries appeared on stage, and the bronze medalist in the 15 km individual discipline in biathlon, Lora Hristova, carried the Bulgarian flag.
The parade of athletes, who had fun and enjoyed the moment, turned into a real celebration. A total of 2,900 athletes competed for 116 medals during the Games in Milan-Cortina.
The awarding of the winners in the 50 km classic cross-country skiing for women, which was won by Eba Andersson (Sweden), as well as for men, in which Johannes Klaebo won his sixth gold medal of the Games, followed.
There was also a special segment for the volunteers, who were the main driving force of the biggest sporting event.
The ceremony for the handover of the Olympic flag from the current host Italy to the future France ended with the anthem of the next organizers, and was also attended by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the mayors of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo - Giuseppe Sala and Gianluca Lorenzo, as well as representatives of the French organizers. After that, footage from the French Alps, where the next edition of the Games is scheduled for 2030, appeared on the video wall. year.
In his speech, the President of the Organizing Committee Giovanni Malago congratulated everyone for the good organization and reported the record-breaking strong performance of the Italian athletes.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry officially closed the Olympics.
"Thank you, Italy, for these magical games. Now that we are approaching their end, I feel a lot of emotions. A little sadness, yes. But also a lot of pride and gratitude as I say these words: I declare the XXV Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina closed. I call on the youth of the world to gather in four years in the French Alps to celebrate the XXVI Olympic Winter Games," she said.
The Olympic flame was extinguished simultaneously in both altars in Milan and in Cortina, and in the stadium the flame went out in the hands of the most titled Italian in winter sports - Ariana Fontana.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was in Verona, was in a festive mood.
“The Olympic Games gave us unforgettable emotions and a sense of pride that will stay with Italy for a long time“, she wrote on social media, adding that the smooth running had “brought prestige to the entire nation“.
Italy thus passed the baton to France, where the best winter sports competitors will gather again in four years.