Quick Read
- The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics formally opened on Friday across four sites in Italy.
- Italian skiing legends Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni lit the main Olympic cauldron in Milan.
- U.S. Vice President JD Vance received jeers and whistles from the crowd during the opening ceremony.
- The Games are the most geographically dispersed Winter Olympics in history, with events across the Italian Alps.
- Protests related to U.S. immigration enforcement and local housing prices occurred in Milan.
MILAN (Azat TV) – The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics formally kicked off on Friday with exuberant opening ceremonies across four sites in Italy, showcasing national pride and artistic pageantry. However, the traditional pledges of sportsmanship and peaceful international competition unfolded against a backdrop of a fraying world order, evidenced by a mixed reception for U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
At the climax of the main ceremony in Milan, Italian skiing legends Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni lit the Olympic cauldron, while competing skier Sofia Goggia lit a separate cauldron in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Celebrations also took place in Predazzo and Livigno, all nestled in the Italian Alps, marking these Games as the most geographically dispersed Winter Olympics in history.
Milan Cortina Opening Ceremonies Unfold Across Italy
The elaborate opening spectacle was partly ‘a tribute to Italy, its culture and creativity,’ according to creative director Marco Balich. The ceremonies at San Siro stadium, a century-old Milan landmark, featured performances by American singer Mariah Carey, who sang an Italian classic, and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Italian rapper Ghali, along with Cecilia Bartoli and Lang Lang, also took to the stage. Cultural segments paid homage to Italy’s artistic heritage, with dancers representing sculptor Antonio Canova’s ‘Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss’ and actors portraying legendary composers Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Gioachino Rossini. The segment ‘City and Mountain’ contrasted bustling Milan with the serene ski resort of Cortina, culminating in five huge, gold rings forming the Olympic logo above the stage.
The Olympic flag was carried in with significant pomp by an international crew, including Kenyan marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, former Hiroshima mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, and Tongan athlete Pita Taufatofua.
Parade of Nations Highlights Global Diversity at Winter Olympics
The Parade of Nations saw athletes enter behind their national flags, with Greece leading as the founder of the Games and host nation Italy entering last to sustained cheers. Each country’s name-card carrier wore an elegant silver puffer coat and dark eyeglasses. The U.S. team, one of the largest delegations with over 200 athletes, marched after Venezuela, a country with which the Trump administration has had strained relations. Flag-bearers for Team USA in Milan were Olympic champion speedskater Erin Jackson, the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Games, and bobsledder Frank Del Duca, a sergeant in the U.S. Army.
The Games also highlighted global participation, with Africa fielding more entrants than ever before—15 athletes from eight countries. Malaysia’s contingent consisted of a single Alpine skier, 21-year-old Aruwin Salehhuddin, who hoisted the national flag alone, remarking on its weight. She is one of 15 nations to send just one athlete, including Eritrea, Pakistan, Malta, Nigeria, and Puerto Rico.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance Faces Mixed Reception in Milan
While American athletes received an enthusiastic welcome, the mood shifted when cameras briefly turned to U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, who were shown waving American flags from the tribune. Jeers and whistles could be heard from sections of the crowd, according to WLWT reports. This reaction, confirmed by The New York Times, was attributed by analysts to eroding support for the U.S. among its allies, following the Trump administration’s aggressive foreign policy posture, which includes punitive tariffs, military action in Venezuela, and threats to invade Greenland. Similar jeers were also heard when Israel’s delegation entered the stadium.
Scattered protests also took place in Milan, including one opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, who are in Italy to advise its security forces during the Games. Another demonstration outside the San Siro highlighted concerns over high prices and a lack of affordable housing in one of Milan’s poorer neighborhoods.
A Geographically Dispersed Milan Cortina Games
The staging of these Games across a vast area of northern Italy, with athlete parades held in four distinct locations—Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno, and Predazzo—underscores their unique logistical challenge. This geographical dispersion reflects an innovative approach to hosting the Winter Olympics, utilizing existing infrastructure across diverse regions of the Italian Alps.
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremonies served as a powerful reminder that major international events, while celebrating unity and athletic achievement, increasingly become platforms reflecting complex global politics and public sentiment. The mixed reception for U.S. officials signals a broader discontent among international allies concerning contemporary foreign policy.