What?
The opening of the 25th edition of the Winter Olympics.
Where?
The main ceremony takes place at the San Siro in Milan, which has a capacity of 75,000 spectators and is usually the home ground of Inter and Milan football clubs. At the same time, ceremonies will take place at three other Olympic locations – in Predazzo, Livigno and Cortina d’Ampezzo – which show that this is an Olympics with a unique layout.
This includes a parade along Corso Italia with flag bearers. For the host country, alpine skier Federica Brignone and Olympic curling champion Amos Mosaner are the flag bearers. The flag bearers of the USA are Frank Del Duca and Erin Jackson.
Swedish flag bearer?
Sweden’s flag bearers this evening are alpine skier Sara Hector and mogul skier Walter Wallberg. Hector takes part in Cortina and Wallberg in Livigno.
TV broadcast?
SVT1/SVT play at 8 p.m. with AnnaMaria Fredholm as commentator.
Will Pita Taufatofua attend the inauguration?
Yes, the cross-country skier who competed in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will be the flag bearer for Tonga. At the inauguration in South Korea, he stood out in the winter cold with an oiled torso and no shirt.
Is there a theme?
The theme revolves around the universal concept “Armonia”, which means a journey through art and innovation, nature and city as well as tradition and future. A homage to Italy and the country’s values.
Which artists are performing?
Among others, the American Mariah Carey, the Golden Globe winner Laura Pausini and the tenor Andrea Bocelli.
What else can you expect?
The fashion icon Giorgio Armani, who died last September, is being honored. Leonardo da Vinci and Christopher Columbus are also honored.
How many fires should be lit?
For the first time, two fires will be lit to officially open the Games. One fire will take place in Milan at the Arco della Pace and the other in Cortina d’Ampezzo at Piazza Dibona.
How does the torch relay work?
The relay started on November 26th in Olympia, Greece and on February 6th the torch will arrive in San Siro. With 10,001 torchbearers it travels a total of 63 days over 12,000 kilometers.
It was previously clear that Zlatan Ibrahimovic was one of them and on Friday afternoon he walked the streets of Milan with the torch.
– It’s a fantastic feeling and a great honor to be here. I am very happy. As a former athlete, I think the Olympic Games are a wonderful thing. “It’s not my sport, but I’m a big fan,” he told Repubblica newspaper.
Ibrahimovic has played for both Inter and Milan and is now a sports agent in Milan.
Will Russia and Belarus take part?
Athletes from Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete under a neutral flag without the national anthem. Among other things, the Russian ski racer Nikita Filippov was given permission to take part.
Read more:
On Friday they will be Swedish flag bearers
The women’s ice hockey team nods to the opening of the Olympic Games – few Swedes in Milan
