The chief executive of the 2014 Sochi Games, Dmitry Chernyshenko, has defended the selection of Irina Rodnina to light the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony on Friday.
The former Soviet Union figure skater, who is currently involved in Russian politics, came under criticism last year when she posted an allegedly doctored racist image of US President Barack Obama on Twitter.
"Any political talks or discussions are not appropriate for the Olympic Games," Chernyshenko told reporters. "Irina Rodnina is one of the most respected Olympic athletes in the world and I want to stress the Olympics is not about politics."
Mark Adams, a spokesman for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), added: "It's clearly not the IOC that chooses torch bearers but, as Dmitry said, she was chosen for what she's done in sport and she's a triple gold medallist in skating.
"She's done a great deal of work in sport and that's what she was chosen for, but it was a decision that Sochi took, as they did all with of the torch bearers."
Rodnina refused to apologise for her action at the time, claiming that "freedom of speech is freedom of speech, and you should answer for your own hang-ups."
The 64-year-old won gold at the 1972, 1976 and 1980 Olympics.
Subhankar Mondal
