International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has delivered his closing speech at the Sochi Winter Olympics closing ceremony.
Speaking at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in the Black Sea resort, the 60-year-old thanked the host nation and the competing athletes, before calling on everyone involved in the Games to spread the Olympic message of "peace, tolerance and respect".
"Thank you Sochi! Thank you Russia!" Bach told the audience. "Athletes - you have inspired us over this last 17 days. You have excelled in competitions and shared your emotions with us and the whole world. You have celebrated victory and defeat with dignity."
"By living together under one roof in the Olympic village you send a powerful message from Sochi to the world, that of a society of peace, tolerance and respect. I appeal to everybody implicated in confrontation, oppression and violence to act on this Olympic message of dialogue and peace.
"Tonight we can say Russia delivered all that it promised. What took decades in other parts of the world was achieved here in Sochi in just seven years. All the people of Sochi and Russia deserve our deep gratitude."
The Winter Games have officially been handed over to the South Korean city of Pyeongchang.
Giuseppe Labellarte
