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List of people who have opened the Olympic Games

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List of people who have opened the Olympic Games

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, 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". 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 host city] celebrating the [number of the Olympiad] Olympiad of the modern era.

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 host city].

However, this has not always been followed strictly; at the 2010 Winter Olympics the Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean, used the format of a Summer Games declaration to open the Games by saying "I declare open the Games of Vancouver, celebrating the 21st Winter Olympic Games."

  • In 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.

  • In 1980, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev opened the Moscow Summer Olympics with (speaking in Russian):

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

  • In 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.

  • In 1992, King Juan Carlos I of Spain opened the Barcelona Summer Olympics with:

    • (Speaking in Catalan): Welcome all to Barcelona! (Then speaking in Spanish): Today, 25 July of the Year 1992, I declare... (then the standard formula followed).

  • In 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, with:

    • On behalf of a proud, determined and grateful nation..., then the standard opening formula.

  • In 2008, Hu Jintao, the President of the People's Republic of China, formally announced the opening of the 2008 Summer Olympics by speaking in Mandarin:

    • On behalf of the 29th Olympiad, I officially declare these Olympic Games of Beijing ... open.

  • In 2016, Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer, as acting president, opened the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with (speaking in Portuguese):

    • After this wonderful performance..., then the standard opening formula.

    Dignitaries who have opened the Olympic Games

    Notes:

    References

    List of people who have opened the Olympic Games Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA