NBC appears to cut crowd’s booing of JD Vance from Winter Olympics broadcast
The US vice-president, JD Vance, was greeted by a chorus of boos when he appeared at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday, although American viewers watching NBC’s coverage would have been unaware of the reception.As speedskater Erin Jackson led Team USA into the San Siro stadium she was greeted by cheers.But when the TV cameras cut to Vance and his wife, Usha, there were boos, jeers and a smattering of applause from the crowd.The reaction was shown on Canadian broadcaster CBC’s feed, with one commentator saying: “There is the vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha – oops, those are not … uh … those are a lot of boos for him.Whistling, jeering, some applause.
”The Guardian’s Sean Ingle was also at the ceremony and noted the boos, as did USA Today’s Christine Brennan,However, on the NBC broadcast the boos were not heard or remarked upon when Vance appeared on screen, with the commentary team simply saying “JD Vance”,That didn’t stop footage of the boos being circulated and shared on social media in the US,The White House posted a clip of Vance applauding on NBC’s broadcast without any boos,Friday was not the first time there have been moves to stop US viewers from witnessing dissent against the Trump administration.
At September’s US Open, tournament organizers asked broadcasters not to show the crowd’s reaction to Donald Trump, who attended the men’s final.Part of the message read: “We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showing any disruptions or reactions in response to the president’s attendance in any capacity.”Earlier on Friday in Milan, hundreds of people protested against the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at this year’s Olympics.The US state department has said that several federal agencies, including ICE, will be at the Games to help protect visiting Americans.The state department said the ICE unit in Italy is separate from those involved in the immigration crackdown in the United States.
Before the ceremony, freestyle skier Hunter Hess said he had mixed emotions about representing the US in the current political climate.“There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of,” he said.“Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US.”IOC spokesman Mark Adams addressed the crowd reaction in a Saturday news conference.“From the IOC’s point of view, the next Games are coming up in Los Angeles.
We are super happy that the US administration is so engaged with the Games.That is a great thing for the Olympic movement.I was in the stadium last night, and seeing the US team being cheered as they were by the audience, fair play, that was fantastic.“I know [Vance and IOC President Kirsty Coventry] met, and it went incredibly well.There was very good chemistry and they had a very good discussion.
She was very pleased about the enthusiasm of the vice-president for the Games.”Vance was not the only person to garner a negative reaction.The four athletes representing Israel were greeted with boos as well as cheers when they appeared for the opening ceremony.“We don’t like to see any booing, regardless of what countries athletes are from.It is important we support our athletes,” Adams said.
“If you want to get philosophical about it, one idea [we have at the IOC] is that athletes shouldn’t be punished for the actions of governments or the countries where they are from.”
Early crash disrupts US favorite Jessie Diggins in race for skiathlon gold
Jessie Diggins’s farewell Olympics began with a crash and a scramble on Saturday, the trailblazing star of American cross-country skiing fighting back to finish eighth in the women’s skiathlon as Sweden delivered a commanding one-two in the first cross-country skiing race of the Milano Cortina Games.Frida Karlsson powered to gold ahead of teammate Ebba Andersson, with Norway’s Heidi Weng taking bronze, as the first Olympic women’s skiathlon contested over the new 20km distance quickly turned into a test of endurance, conditions and survival.For Diggins, the world’s No 1-ranked cross-country skier and widely viewed as one of the pre-race favorites, the race unraveled early. During the opening lap of the classical section, Finland’s Vilma Nissinen fell on a downhill turn, triggering congestion in the pack. In the chaos, Diggins tumbled with Norway’s Karoline Simpson-Larsen and was forced into heavy traffic as the race began to stretch apart
‘My ACL is 100% gone’: Lindsey Vonn’s improbable comeback at 41 is just another risk
It was all going a little too easy for Lindsey Vonn. All the nervous apprehension, the paternalistic concern, the arch skepticism and hushed snickers that had rippled through the sports world when she announced her comeback from a six-year retirement had long since gone silent. A once-unthinkable fairytale ending at the age of 41 on the slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo was practically within touching distance.Back in November 2024, having been chased from the sport in 2019 by a battered right knee worn down by a string of gruesome crashes and multiple surgeries, Vonn proposed a return to a high-risk sport where no woman had ever won a race past the age of 34. There’s a history of comebacks like these going brutally wrong, and even Vonn’s most dedicated fans were bracing themselves for the worst
Bangers and smash: Von Allmen wins first gold of Winter Olympics to fulfil butcher’s dream
When the Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen first broke through in the junior ranks, his village butcher created a special sausage – the Silberblitz-Wurscht or Silver Lightning – in his honour. After his stunning performance in the men’s downhill on Saturday, it is surely time for an upgrade.On a beautiful day in Bornio, the 24-year-old dominated a challenging course to win in 1:min 51.61sec and take the first medal of these Olympic Games. That time was good enough to withstand Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, who finished with the silver medal 0
‘It made me cry’: your favourite moments from past Winter Olympics
With the 2026 Winter Olympics off to a spectacular start with the opening ceremonies in Milan, Cortina, Livigno and Predazzo, the coming weeks promise medals, memories and iconic moments.While history awaits this year’s athletes, we asked readers about their most memorable moments of past Games and the performances that still give them chills.I was living and working in Tignes, France, during the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics. The very first Olympic moguls competition took place on a long, steep slope on the verge of Val Claret, the highest of Tignes’ villages. I was drawn to the fun, irreverent, fast and loose attitude of the bumps skiers and the amazingly acrobatic and dangerous runs they put down
One battle after another: Sam Darnold’s stubborn route to the Super Bowl
For the teams, the reality of the Super Bowl hits like deja vu: a ritual they’ve watched and fantasized about for years suddenly arrives, sucking them into its vast, chaotic center.For Sam Darnold, though, it’s a reality come full circle. San Francisco, after all, was the city that gave him a chance after he crashed and burned in New York and washed out in Carolina, long after most around the NFL had consigned him to history’s pile of first-round draft busts.As part of the 49ers two years ago, Darnold watched from the sideline as the team’s starter, Brock Purdy, fell short of leading San Francisco past Kansas City. But he had done enough in relief appearances to get picked up by Minnesota, where he had an unlikely bounce-back year before joining the Seattle Seahawks
Winter Olympics briefing: opening ceremony delivers a love letter to Italy
The curtain rose on a moment of myth and magic: Cupid’s kiss awakening Psyche, a tender beginning that blossomed into a dazzling tribute to Italy itself. From opera and art to fashion, music and dance, the Milano Cortina opening ceremony unfolded as a vibrant celebration of culture. An explosion of colour, romance and theatrical flair that felt unmistakably Italian.The spectacle then drifted into a dreamlike Fantasia chapter. The Italian actor Matilda De Angelis, wielding an enormous conductor’s baton, guided swirling dancers across San Siro, flanked by the larger-than-life figures of Italy’s operatic greats – Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini – brought to life with towering papier-mache bobble heads
Rich plums and ripe tomatoes: Australia’s best-value fruit and veg for February
How to make moreish cookies from store-cupboard odds and ends – recipe | Waste not
Camilla Wynne’s recipes for blood orange marmalade and no-bake marmalade mousse tart
The dump dinner: spaghetti is now being served straight on to the table – but why?
Australian supermarket coconut water taste test: ‘Smells like an island holiday’
Miso mystery: red, white or yellow – how does each paste change your dish? | Kitchen aide