Tbilisi 2015 Olympic flame sparks controversy

Confusion surrounding the ignition of the main Olympic torch in Tbilisi at the opening ceremony of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) has been clarified by officials, after speculation arose that the flame went out before the main torch was lit.

An ambiguous camera shot caused some to believe the flame had died out when the stadium’s cauldron was lit however officials today said everything went according to plan.

Head of the Tbilisi 2015 Organising Committee Aleksi Akhvlediani said the flame was simultaneously lit at another venue and the technical personnel in charge of live transmission switched the shot to the aerial view "a bit too late”; and this caused some confusion.

Zviad Zviadauri, the first Georgian Olympic champion since the country’s independence, was the final torch bearer at Sunday's opening ceremony. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

The opening ceremony for the 13th EYOF was held at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Vake district on Sunday evening.

Near the end of the multi-million dollar event, the final torch bearer Zviad Zviadauri - the first Georgian Olympic champion since the country’s independence – ran up the stadium stairs then placed the torch inside the cauldron but the flame disappeared.

Seconds later the shot of the live broadcast on Georgia’s Public Broadcaster changed to an aerial view of the stadium; showing the flame being lit at a larger cauldron specifically installed near Turtle Lake at an area overlooking the stadium.

This is where the Olympic flame was lit after Zviadauri placed the torch inside the cauldron at the stadium.

Some thought the Olympic Flame had died out but organisers said this was actually part of the script.

#Tbilisi2015 really outdid themselves. Grand opening worthy of Real Olympics, minus flame pic.twitter.com/Fdr5U2UJYp

— marcel_lucht (@marcel_lucht) July 26, 2015

Akhvlediani said the initial plan was for Zviadauri’s torch to touch the stadium’s cauldron and the flame be lit simultaneously at the separate area outside the stadium. For this purpose, there was water inside the stadium’s cauldron to extinguish the torch.

"Everything went as planned,” Akhvlediani said. "The flame was lit wherever and whenever it was supposed to be lit but the technical personnel in charge of live transmission switched the shot to the aerial view a bit too late so this effect of lighting the flame at the different area was not as good as it was supposed to be.”

European sporting officials praised Tbilisi after the EYOF Opening Ceremony.

"The Opening ceremony was fantastic and well organised from the beginning to the end,” said President of the European Olympic Committee Patrick Hickey.

"I especially enjoyed the dances. We are very happy with the beginning of the competition.”