# List of people who have kept the Olympic flag

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 closing ceremonies, the sitting president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) hands the flag from the current mayor of the current host city to the current mayor of the next host city. The current Olympic Charter requires this person to be the mayor of the next host city, although this has not always been the case. This article lists the people who have had the ceremonial duty to pass the Olympic flag from one to another for them to keep until the closing ceremony of each games.

## Closing ceremony

The IOC factsheet on the closing ceremony states: "The mayors of the current host city and next host city join the IOC President. The mayor of the host city hands the flag to the IOC President, who hands it on to the mayor of the next host city." The Olympic Charter sets out the exact drill that the flag are to be handed by the mayor of the current host city to another of the next host city. Three flags were used at the Summer Olympics, the first called the Antwerp flag that was used from 1920 to 1984 when it showed signs of wear. The second is called the Seoul flag that was used from 1988 to 2012. In 2016, the Seoul flag was replaced by the Rio flag, which symbolizes the first edition of the Games that was held in South America. In the Winter Games, the flag used is the PyeongChang flag, which was first used in 2018 to symbolize the first edition of the Winter Games held in mainland Asia. It replaced the Oslo flag that was used from 1952 to 2014. In some editions, a replica of it was used for conservation reasons. In the Summer Youth Olympic Games, the Singapore flag has been used since 2010, while in the Winter Youth Olympic Games, the Innsbruck flag is used. Also for conservation reasons, replicas are used.
With nearly five years of keeping the Olympic flag for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, governor Yuriko Koike is the longest keeper of the flag. With two years of keeping the Olympic flag for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, mayor Audun Tron is the shortest keeper of the flag.

### Keeper of the Summer Olympic flag

| Year | Games | Host city | Keeper of the Olympic flag | Office of keeper | Date |
| 1920 | VII Olympiad | Antwerp, Belgium | Jan De Vos | Mayor (Burgomaster) of Antwerp | 14 August 1920 – 12 September 1920 |
| 1924 | VIII Olympiad | Paris, France | Auguste Autrand [fr] | Prefect of Seine | 12 September 1920 – 22 October 1922 |
| 1924 | VIII Olympiad | Paris, France | Hippolyte Juillard [fr] | Prefect of Seine | 22 October 1922 – 27 July 1924 |
| 1928 | IX Olympiad | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Willem de Vlugt [nl] | Mayor (Burgomaster) of Amsterdam | 27 July 1924 – 12 August 1928 |
| 1932 | X Olympiad | Los Angeles, United States | George E. Cryer | Mayor of Los Angeles | 12 August 1928 – 1 July 1929 |
| 1932 | X Olympiad | Los Angeles, United States | John Clinton Porter | Mayor of Los Angeles | 1 July 1929 – 14 August 1932 |
| 1936 | XI Olympiad | Berlin, Germany | Heinrich Sahm | Governing Mayor of Berlin | 14 August 1932 – 19 December 1935 |
| 1936 | XI Olympiad | Berlin, Germany | Oskar Maretzky [fr] | Governing Mayor of Berlin | 19 December 1935 – 16 August 1936 |
| 1940 | XII Olympiad (cancelled) | Tokyo, Japan | Ushizaka Toratan [ja] | Mayor of Tokyo | 16 August 1936 – 9 May 1937 |
| 1940 | XII Olympiad (cancelled) | Tokyo, Japan | Ichita Kobashi | Mayor of Tokyo | 9 May 1937 – 16 July 1938 |
| 1940 | XII Olympiad (cancelled) | Helsinki, Finland | Antti Tulenheimo | City Manager of Helsinki | 16 July 1938 – 25 November 1939 |
| Olympic programs were suspended from 1939 to 1946 due to World War II ||||||
| 1948 | XIV Olympiad | London, Great Britain | Lord Latham | Leader of the London County Council | September 1946 – 1947 |
| 1948 | XIV Olympiad | London, Great Britain | Isaac Hayward | Leader of the London County Council | 1947 – 14 August 1948 |
| 1952 | XV Olympiad | Helsinki, Finland | Eero Rydman | City Manager of Helsinki | 14 August 1948 – 3 August 1952 |
| 1956 | XVI Olympiad | Melbourne, Australia | William John Brens | Lord Mayor of Melbourne | 3 August 1952 – 1953 |
| 1956 | XVI Olympiad | Melbourne, Australia | Robert Henry Solly | Lord Mayor of Melbourne | 1953 – 1954 |
| 1956 | XVI Olympiad | Melbourne, Australia | Francis Palmer Selleck | Lord Mayor of Melbourne | 1954 – 9 December 1956 |
| 1960 | XVII Olympiad | Rome, Italy | Umberto Tupini | Mayor of Rome | 9 December 1956 – 10 January 1958 |
| 1960 | XVII Olympiad | Rome, Italy | Urbano Cioccetti | Mayor of Rome | 10 January 1958 – 11 September 1960 |
| 1964 | XVIII Olympiad | Tokyo, Japan | Ryotaro Azuma | Governor of Tokyo | 11 September 1960 – 24 October 1964 |
| 1968 | XIX Olympiad | Mexico City, Mexico | Ernesto P. Uruchurtu [es] | Head of the Federal District Department | 24 October 1964 – 14 September 1966 |
| 1968 | XIX Olympiad | Mexico City, Mexico | Alfonso Corona del Rosal [es] | Head of the Federal District Department | 14 September 1966 – 27 October 1968 |
| 1972 | XX Olympiad | Munich, West Germany | Hans-Jochen Vogel | Mayor of Munich | 27 October 1968 – 11 June 1972 |
| 1972 | XX Olympiad | Munich, West Germany | Georg Kronawitter | Mayor of Munich | 11 June 1972 – 10 September 1972 |
| 1976 | XXI Olympiad | Montreal, Canada | Jean Drapeau | Mayor of Montreal | 10 September 1972 – 1 August 1976 |
| 1980 | XXII Olympiad | Moscow, Soviet Union | Vladimir Promyslov | Mayor of Moscow | 1 August 1976 – 3 August 1980 |
| 1984 | XXIII Olympiad | Los Angeles, United States | Tom Bradley | Mayor of Los Angeles | 3 August 1980 – 12 August 1984 |
| 1988 | XXIV Olympiad | Seoul, South Korea | Yeom Bo-hyeon [ko] | Mayor of Seoul | 12 August 1984 – 30 February 1987 |
| 1988 | XXIV Olympiad | Seoul, South Korea | Kim Yong-rae [ko] | Mayor of Seoul | 30 February 1987 – 2 October 1988 |
| 1992 | XXV Olympiad | Barcelona, Spain | Pasqual Maragall | Mayor of Barcelona | 2 October 1988 – 9 August 1992 |
| 1996 | XXVI Olympiad | Atlanta, United States | Maynard Jackson | Mayor of Atlanta | 9 August 1992 – January 1994 |
| 1996 | XXVI Olympiad | Atlanta, United States | Bill Campbell | Mayor of Atlanta | January 1994 - 4 August 1996 |
| 2000 | XXVII Olympiad | Sydney, Australia | Frank Sartor | Lord Mayor of Sydney | 4 August 1996 – 1 October 2000 |
| 2004 | XXVIII Olympiad | Athens, Greece | Dimitris Avramopoulos | Mayor of Athens | 1 October 2000 – 31 December 2002 |
| 2004 | XXVIII Olympiad | Athens, Greece | Dora Bakoyannis | Mayor of Athens | 1 January 2003 – 29 August 2004 |
| 2008 | XXIX Olympiad | Beijing, China | Wang Qishan | Mayor of Beijing | 29 August 2004 – 30 November 2007 |
| 2008 | XXIX Olympiad | Beijing, China | Guo Jinlong | Mayor of Beijing | 30 November 2007 – 24 August 2008 |
| 2012 | XXX Olympiad | London, Great Britain | Boris Johnson | Mayor of London | 24 August 2008 – 12 August 2012 |
| 2016 | XXXI Olympiad | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Eduardo Paes | Mayor of Rio de Janeiro | 12 August 2012 – 21 August 2016 |
| 2020 | XXXII Olympiad | Tokyo, Japan | Yuriko Koike | Governor of Tokyo | 21 August 2016 – 8 August 2021 |
| 2024 | XXXIII Olympiad | Paris, France | Anne Hidalgo | Mayor of Paris | 8 August 2021 – 11 August 2024 |
| 2028 | XXXIV Olympiad | Los Angeles, United States | Karen Bass | Mayor of Los Angeles | 11 August 2024 – present |
| 2032 | XXXV Olympiad | Brisbane, Australia | TBD (Adrian Schrinner incumbent; election due 25 March 2028) | Lord Mayor of Brisbane | To start 30 July 2028 |

### Keepers of the Winter Olympic flag

| Year | Games | Host city | Keeper of the Olympic flag | Office of keeper | Date |
| 1952 | VI Winter Olympiad | Oslo, Norway | Brynjulf Bull | Mayor of Oslo | 14 February 1952 – 25 February 1952 |
| 1956 | VII Winter Olympiad | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Mario Rimoldi | Mayor of Cortina d'Ampezzo | 25 February 1952 – 5 February 1956 |
| 1960 | VIII Winter Olympiad | Squaw Valley, United States | Roy Mikkelsen | Mayor of Auburn | 5 February 1956 – 28 February 1960 |
| 1964 | VIX Winter Olympiad | Innsbruck, Austria | Alois Lugger | Mayor of Innsbruck | 28 February 1960 – 9 February 1964 |
| 1968 | X Winter Olympiad | Grenoble, France | Léon Martin | Mayor of Grenoble | 9 February 1964 – March 1965 |
| 1968 | X Winter Olympiad | Grenoble, France | Hubert Dubedout | Mayor of Grenoble | March 1965 – 18 February 1968 |
| 1972 | XI Winter Olympiad | Sapporo, Japan | Yosaku Harada | Mayor of Saporro | 18 February 1968 – April 1971 |
| 1972 | XI Winter Olympiad | Sapporo, Japan | Takeshi Itagaki | Mayor of Saporro | April 1971 – 13 February 1972 |
| 1976 | XII Winter Olympiad | Denver, United States | William H. McNichols Jr. | Mayor of Denver | 13 February 1972 – 15 November 1972 |
| 1976 | XII Winter Olympiad | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | 15 November 1972 – 5 February 1973 |
| 1976 | XII Winter Olympiad | Innsbruck, Austria | Alois Lugger | Mayor of Innsbruck | 5 February 1973 – 9 February 1976 |
| 1980 | XIII Winter Olympiad | Lake Placid, United States | Robert Peacock | Mayor of Lake Placid | 9 February 1976 – 23 February 1980 |
| 1984 | XIV Winter Olympiad | Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia | Anto Sučić | Mayor of Sarajevo | 23 February 1980 – 1981 |
| 1984 | XIV Winter Olympiad | Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia | Emerik Blum | Mayor of Sarajevo | 1981 – 1983 |
| 1984 | XIV Winter Olympiad | Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia | Uglješa Uzelac | Mayor of Sarajevo | 1983 – 19 February 1984 |
| 1988 | XV Winter Olympiad | Calgary, Canada | Ralph Klein | Mayor of Calgary | 19 February 1984 – 28 February 1988 |
| 1992 | XVI Winter Olympiad | Albertville, France | Henri Dujol | Mayor of Albertville | 28 February 1988 – 23 February 1992 |
| 1994 | XVII Winter Olympiad | Lillehammer, Norway | Audun Tron | Mayor of Lillehammer | 23 February 1992 – 27 February 1994 |
| 1998 | XVIII Winter Olympiad | Nagano, Japan | Tasuku Tsukada | Mayor of Nagano | 27 February 1994 – 22 February 1998 |
| 2002 | XIX Winter Olympiad | Salt Lake City, United States | Deedee Corradini | Mayor of Salt Lake City | 22 February 1998 – 3 January 2000 |
| 2002 | XIX Winter Olympiad | Salt Lake City, United States | Rocky Anderson | Mayor of Salt Lake City | 3 January 2000 – 24 February 2002 |
| 2006 | XX Winter Olympiad | Turin, Italy | Sergio Chiamparino | Mayor of Turin | 24 February 2002 – 26 February 2006 |
| 2010 | XXI Winter Olympiad | Vancouver, Canada | Sam Sullivan | Mayor of Vancouver | 26 February 2006 – 8 December 2008 |
| 2010 | XXI Winter Olympiad | Vancouver, Canada | Gregor Robertson | Mayor of Vancouver | 8 December 2008 – 28 February 2010 |
| 2014 | XXII Winter Olympiad | Sochi, Russia | Anatoly Pakhomov | Mayor of Sochi | 28 February 2010 – 23 February 2014 |
| 2018 | XXIII Winter Olympiad | Pyeongchang, South Korea | Lee Seok-rae | Mayor of Pyeongchang | 23 February 2014 – 30 June 2014 |
| 2018 | XXIII Winter Olympiad | Pyeongchang, South Korea | Sim Jae-guk | Mayor of Pyeongchang | 1 July 2014 – 25 February 2018 |
| 2022 | XXIV Winter Olympiad | Beijing, China | Chen Jining | Mayor of Beijing | 25 February 2018 – 20 February 2022 |
| 2026 | XXV Winter Olympiad | Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Giuseppe Sala | Mayor of Milan | 20 February 2022 – present |
| 2026 | XXV Winter Olympiad | Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Gianpietro Ghedina | Mayor of Cortina d'Ampezzo | 20 February 2022 – 13 June 2022 |
| 2026 | XXV Winter Olympiad | Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Gianluca Lorenzi | Mayor of Cortina d'Ampezzo | 13 June 2022 – present |
| 2030 | XXVI Winter Olympiad | French Alps, France | TBA | TBA | To start 22 February 2026 |
| 2034 | XXVII Winter Olympiad | Salt Lake City, United States | Erin Mendenhall or her successor (expected) | Mayor of Salt Lake City | To start 17 February 2030 |

### Keepers of the Summer Youth Olympic flag

| Year | Games | Host city | Keeper of the Olympic flag | Office of keeper | Date |
| 2010 | I Youth Olympiad | Singapore | Teo Ser Luck | Mayor of the Northeast District | 14 August 2010 – 26 August 2010 |
| 2014 | II Youth Olympiad | Nanjing, China | Ji Jianye | Mayor of Nanjing | 26 August 2010 – 16 October 2013 |
| 2014 | II Youth Olympiad | Nanjing, China | Miao Ruilin | Mayor of Nanjing | 16 October 2013 – 28 August 2014 |
| 2018 | III Youth Olympiad | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Mauricio Macri | Chief of Government of Buenos Aires | 28 August 2014 – 9 December 2015 |
| 2018 | III Youth Olympiad | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Horacio Rodríguez Larreta | Chief of Government of Buenos Aires | 9 December 2015 – 18 October 2018 |
| 2026 | IV Youth Olympiad | Dakar, Senegal | Soham El Wardini | Mayor of Dakar | 18 October 2018 – 23 January 2022 |
| 2026 | IV Youth Olympiad | Dakar, Senegal | Barthélemy Dias | Mayor of Dakar | 23 January 2022 – present |

### Keepers of the Winter Youth Olympic flag

| Year | Games | Host city | Keeper of the Olympic flag | Office of keeper | Date |
| 2012 | I Winter Youth Olympiad | Innsbruck, Austria | Christine Oppitz-Plörer | Mayor of Innsbruck | 13 January 2012 – 22 January 2012 |
| 2016 | II Winter Youth Olympiad | Lillehammer, Norway | Espen Johnsen | Mayor of Lillehammer | 22 January 2012 – 21 February 2016 |
| 2020 | III Winter Youth Olympiad | Lausanne, Switzerland | Daniel Brélaz | Mayor of Lausanne | 21 February 2016 – 30 June 2016 |
| 2020 | III Winter Youth Olympiad | Lausanne, Switzerland | Grégoire Junod | Mayor of Lausanne | 30 June 2016 – 22 January 2020 |
| 2024 | IV Winter Youth Olympiad | Gangwon Province, South Korea | Choi Moon-soon | Governor of Gangwon Province | 22 January 2020 – 30 June 2022 |
| 2024 | IV Winter Youth Olympiad | Gangwon Province, South Korea | Kim Jin-tae | Governor of Gangwon Province | 1 July 2022 – TBD |
| 2028 | V Winter Youth Olympiad | TBD | | | TBD |