Protest mars Turin Olympic finale
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-02-27 10:36

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was greeted by jeers and whistles by the crowd, was joined by former New York major Rudy Giuliani, and motorsport legend Mario Andretti.

More than 2,000 dancers, acrobats and clowns, along with Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli and rock singers Ricky Martin and Avril Lavigne brought the curtain down on the Games.

The 35,000 spectators were also invited to participate as they were given angel and devil masks as the athletes sported red noses.

The 2,500 competitors from 80 countries were welcomed back into the Olympic Stadium after the competition.

Among the flag bears were several Olympic gold medallists including figure skater Yevgeny Plushenko and Han Xiaopeng, China's first skier to win Olympic gold, Canada's Cindy Klassen, who won a Games high five medals.

The biggest cheer was reserved for the Italian team led in by Armin Zoeggeler who claimed the host nation's first gold medal of five at these Games with his second successive luge title.

Italian Giorgio di Centa who won his second gold of the Games in men's 50km cross country ski marathon earlier in the day was presented with his medal by his sister Manuela di Centa herself a two-time former Olympic cross country champion.

Fittingly the final medals ceremony of the 2006 Games heard the anthem of the host nation ringing over the Stadio Olympico.

Tribute was paid to legendary Italian film director Federico Fellini as actors took to the stage in original costumes from the 1971 film The Clowns created by Academy Award winner Danilo Donati.