Bulgaria appeared with a four-member delegation format during the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, becoming the 15th country to enter the parade. The format was unprecedented, as the Games are being staged simultaneously in four different locations, leading most national teams to split and march in parallel from the cities where their athletes are competing.
The Bulgarian team was also divided across the host venues. At the San Siro stadium in Milan, the national flag was carried by figure skater Alexandra Feigin, Bulgaria’s sole representative in the ice sports contested in the Italian city. Feigin waved the tricolor from the center of the stadium, while three additional Bulgarian groups appeared simultaneously in other locations, each represented by its own flag.
In Cortina d’Ampezzo, Bulgaria’s biathlon team took part in the ceremony, with veteran biathlete Vladimir Iliev serving as flag bearer. This marks Iliev’s fourth and final Olympic appearance as an active competitor, and he was followed closely by members of both the men’s and women’s national biathlon squads.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s cross-country skiing delegation paraded in Predazzo, where Kalina Nedyalkova held the sign bearing the country’s name. In Livigno, Bulgarian athletes competing in snowboarding and alpine skiing also took part in the parallel ceremonies.
Bulgaria is represented by a total of 20 athletes at the Games.
Opening ceremony spans four cities
The XXV Winter Olympic Games officially opened in Italy with ceremonies taking place across four venues. The central event was held at Milan’s San Siro stadium, accompanied by parallel celebrations in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno and Predazzo, all of which will host competitions until the Games conclude on February 22.
Among the official guests attending the ceremony in Milan were Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Yotova and Bulgarian Olympic Committee President Vessela Lecheva.
The opening show was conceived and produced by Balich Wonder Studio and featured more than 500 musicians. The official soundtrack of the Games was composed by Dardust, who also created the Olympic anthem titled “Italian Fantasy.”
A celebration of Italian culture and spectacle
The ceremony combined historical, mythological and artistic elements, placing strong emphasis on Italian culture, music and creativity. The spectacle at San Siro was warmly received by spectators and showcased Italian composers, poetry, pop music and visual art in a unified and harmonious presentation.
International stars featured prominently in the program. Mariah Carey performed Domenico Modugno’s classic “Nel blu dipinto di blu” in Italian. Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, rappers Galli and Snoop Dogg also appeared, alongside actors Tom Cruise, Pierfrancesco Favino, Sabrina Impacciatore and Matilda De Angelis. Violinist Giovanni Zanon contributed to the musical program.
A specially produced video showed Italian President Sergio Mattarella arriving at the ceremony by Milan’s iconic tram, driven by MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi. Models presented the Italian tricolor in green, white and red outfits designed by Giorgio Armani during his lifetime. Laura Pausini performed the Italian national anthem, while the flag of Italy was raised simultaneously at the San Siro stadium and in Cortina.
Athletes from 92 participating nations paraded across the four host locations, with Bulgarian athletes at San Siro accompanied by flag bearers Alexandra Feigin and Vladimir Iliev, marking Bulgaria’s presence in the opening of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.