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FACTSHEET
THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF
THE OLYMPIC GAMES
UPDATE - DECEMBER 2012
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION parade of flags of the countries participating in
the Games. The Greek flag opens the march
The modern Olympic Games encompass more and the host country’s flag brings up the rear.
than just the drama and excitement of a sporting Each flag is generally carried by an athlete
competition. Thanks to the vision of their chosen by his/her National Olympic Committee
founder, Pierre de Coubertin, and the creative (NOC).
efforts of various host city organisers, the
ceremonial aspects of the Olympic Games have
PARADE OF ATHLETES: This is
served to set them apart from other international
immediately followed by the athletes’ parade.
sports competitions. The protocol and splendour
They walk en masse and in no particular order
of the Olympic ceremonies, which go hand-in-
during this parade. For the Games of the
hand with the celebration of the Games as
Olympiad, the athletes enter the stadium after
everyone knows them today, make this event a
the artistic programme and remain in the centre
unique and unforgettable festival. Although
of the field. For the Winter Games, the athletes
there was a Closing Ceremony at the Games of
march is near the beginning of the Ceremony,
the Olympiad in 1896 in Athens, it bore only the
and the athletes take seats reserved for them in
slightest resemblance to today’s ceremonies. In
the audience. The idea of having all the athletes
fact, some of the elements of Olympic protocol
parade in no order comes from a young Chinese
that have become a part of today’s traditions
man, John Ian Wing, an apprentice carpenter in
were only gradually established over time
Australia for the 1956 Games in Melbourne.
through a series of adaptations to the
Before these Games, the athletes marched
ceremonies of early editions of the Games.
behind their flag-bearer, as at the Opening
Ceremony.
PROTOCOL ELEMENTS
A Closing Ceremony must be organised on the VICTORY CEREMONY: After the athletes’
last day of the Games. It must be held in the parade, a medals ceremony is held. The IOC,
Olympic stadium, normally after all the events. with the help of the OCOG, decides which event
Here are the protocol elements which are now will have its medals ceremony during the
an integral part of the Closing Ceremony: Closing Ceremony (it is generally the marathon
for the Summer Games). For the first editions of
ENTRY BY THE HEAD OF STATE: The the Games, all the medals were presented on
first element is the entrance of the head of state the last day.
of the host country (or his/her representative)
accompanied by the President of the INTRODUCTION OF THE ATHLETES’
International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the COMMISSION’S NEWLY ELECTED
President of the Organising Committee for the MEMBERS AND RECOGNITION OF
Olympic Games (OCOG). THE VOLUNTEERS: The next protocol
element is the presentation of the athletes
PLAYING OF THE NATIONAL elected by their peers to the IOC Athletes’
ANTHEM: Then the national anthem of the Commission. On behalf of the athletes, one of
host country is played and its flag hoisted in the these new members then presents a bouquet of
Olympic stadium. flowers to a representative of the volunteers as
a tribute and mark of gratitude for their work
ENTRY OF NATIONS’ FLAGS: One of carried out during the Games.
the key moments of a Closing Ceremony is the
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PLAYING OF THE GREEK NATIONAL last element, this time it is certain: the Games
ANTHEM: The seventh protocol element is are over.
the Greek flag being raised to the left of the
Olympic flag. The Greek national anthem is then LIST OF MAYORS WHO HAVE
played. This is a symbol of the link between the HANDED OVER AND RECEIVED THE
Games of Antiquity and those of the modern OLYMPIC FLAG
era. The flag of the next host country is then Olympic From To
raised to the right of the flag of the current host Games
country to the sound of its anthem. Seoul 1988 Kim Yong-nae Pasqual Maragall
(Barcelona)
Barcelona Pasqual Maragall Maynard
LOWERING THE OLYMPIC FLAG 1992 Jackson (Atlanta)
AND FLAG HANDOVER CEREMONY: Atlanta 1996 Bill Campbell Frank Sartor
Then comes a solemn moment as the Olympic (Sydney)
Sydney 2000 Frank Sartor Dimitris L.
flag is lowered to the sound of the Olympic
Avammopoulos
anthem. The mayors of the current host city and (Athens)
next host city join the IOC President. The mayor Athens 2004 Dora Bakoyannis Wang Qishan
of the host city hands the flag to the IOC (Beijing)
President, who hands it to the mayor of the next Beijing 2008 Guo Jinlong Boris Johnson
(London)
host city. This handover is a symbolic highlight. London 2012 Boris Johnson Eduardo Paes
The flag will usually be displayed in the town (Rio de Janeiro)
hall of the host city over the next four years.
Calgary 1988 Ralph Klein Henri Dujol
NEXT HOST CITY ARTISTIC (Albertville)
Albertville 1992 Henri Dujol Audun Tron
SEGMENT: To further mark this transition (Lillehammer)
from one city to another, an artistic segment of Lillehammer Audun Tron Tasuku Tsukada
1994 (Nagano)
the Closing Ceremony, lasting eight minutes, is
Nagano 1998 Tasuku Tsukada Deedee Corradini
devoted to the next host city. This segment is an (Salt Lake City)
invitation to the youth of the world to attend the Salt Lake City Rocky Anderson Sergio
next Games. 2002 Chiamparino
(Turin)
Turin 2006 Sergio Sam Sullivan
OCOG PRESIDENT’S SPEECH AND Chiamparino (Vancouver)
IOC PRESIDENT’S SPEECH: After this Vancouver 2010 Gregor Anatoliy
Robertson Pakhomov
segment of the Ceremony, which projects us
(Sochi)
into the future, the OCOG President delivers a
speech thanking the athletes and volunteers,
before giving the floor to the IOC President, who IMPRINT
declares the Games closed and invites the
THE CLOSING CEREMONY 19 December 2012
youth of the world to come together for the next OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES
edition of the Olympic Games four years later.
A publication of the For further information, please contact
EXTINGUISHING OF THE OLYMPIC
Olympic Studies Centre
FLAME: The last protocol element is Château de Vidy, Tel. +41 21 621 63 18
undoubtedly the most moving: the Olympic 1007 Lausanne, Fax +41 21 621 67 18
Switzerland studies_centre@olympic.org
flame is extinguished in the stadium. With this
The Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games / 19 December 2012 Page 2/2
