President Niinistö attended the Winter Olympics in Sochi

Presidentparet hejar på finländska idrottare i Sotji. Bild: Republikens presidents kansli

Silver! President Niinistö congratulating Ladies’ Slopestyle silver medallist Enni Rukajärvi. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic 

President of the Republic Saul Niinistö and Mrs Jenni Haukio watched the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi from 6 to 12 February.

The President followed the fortunes of Finnish athletes in various events such as snowboarding, ice hockey, skiing, the biathlon and speed skating. In addition, the presidential couple met athletes at the Olympic Village to give them their support.

On Monday, 10 February the Finnish Embassy and the Finnish Olympic Committee organised a joint reception in Sochi. In his speech at the event President Niinistö commended Team Finland for their great spirit and their supportive attitude towards their competitors. Snowboarder Enni Rukajärvi’s silver medal was celebrated with coffee and cake at the reception. Rukajärvi won the silver medal in Ladies’ Slopestyle on Sunday. The President was at the venue to congratulate the medallist.

The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games was in the programme of Friday, 7 February. During his stay in Sochi, President Niinistö also took part in the reception of the International Olympic Committee with numerous heads of state and sportspeople.

Pictures

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (second from left) and spouse greeting President Sauli Niinistö, Mrs Jenni Haukio and Finnish Olympic Committee President Risto Nieminen on Thursday, 6 February. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Talking to Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (right). Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic
 Former President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  The presidential couple talking to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  President Niinistö and Mrs Haukio with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and spouse Yoo Soon-taek at the International Olympic Committee reception in Sochi. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic
 The official Olympic Games mittens are comfortably warm. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  President Niinistö and Mrs Haukio watching the Flower Ceremony for Slopestyle from the bleachers. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Silver! President Niinistö congratulating Ladies' Slopestyle silver medallist Enni Rukajärvi. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic
 Finland's first medallist Enni Rukajärvi with President Niinistö. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  The silver medallist returned to the Olympic Village. Enni Rukajärvi (left) , coach Antti Koskinen, snowboarding head coach Pekka Koskela and Olympic Committee Secretary General Mika Sulin with the presidential couple. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Eetu Vähäsöyrinki of the Nordic Combined team teaching President Niinistö how to knit. The scarves knitted by the athletes in the three Olympic Villages will be combined and given to the athletes of the Rio Summer Olympics. Team psychologist Hannaleena Ronkainen was also present to witness the President's knitting skills.  Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic
 Mrs Jenni Haukio, President Sauli Niinistö, Olympic Committee Secretary General Mika Sulin, Olympic Committee President Risto Nieminen and Finnish Biathlon Association President Olli Nepponen cheering for biathlete Kaisa Mäkäräinen. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Ski jumper Janne Ahonen after his second round jump in the Normal Hill competition. Before the competition Ahonen gave the President his biography, Kuningaskotka (‘The King Eagle‘). Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev was also watching the ski jumping competition. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic
 Coffee and cake for Finland's first medallist in Sochi was the high point of the Finnish reception: silver medallist Enni Rukajärvi and President Niinistö cutting the cake. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Skier Aino-Kaisa Saarinen received a Sisu knife at the reception organised by the Finnish Olympic Committee and the Finnish Embassy on Monday, 10 February. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Cross-country skiers Sami Jauhojärvi, Matti Heikkinen and Lari Lehtonen with the presidential couple. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic
 Visiting the Coastal Olympic Village. The presidential couple was greeted by Olympic Village mayor, pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, and Mikaela Ingberg from the support corps for Team Finland. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  Having breakfast with the men's and women's ice hockey teams. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic  For cross-country skier Mona-Liisa Malvalehto the Sochi Games are the first Olympic Games. Malvalehto is also an accomplished accordion player. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic
 President Niinistö watching the cross-country sprint with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. Bach won the Olympic gold medal in fencing in 1976. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic