• Dancers performing during the Closing Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games at the Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia on February 23, 2014. EPA/Daniel Karmann
    Dancers performing during the Closing Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games at the Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia on February 23, 2014. EPA/Daniel Karmann
  • Athletes compete in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
    Athletes compete in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
  • Pilot Thibault Alexis Godefroy, Jeremy Baillard, Vincent Daniel Jean-Paul Ricard and Jeremie Boutherin of France team 2 make a run during the Men’s Four Man Bobsleigh on Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Sliding Center Sanki on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Lars Baron/Getty Images
    Pilot Thibault Alexis Godefroy, Jeremy Baillard, Vincent Daniel Jean-Paul Ricard and Jeremie Boutherin of France team 2 make a run during the Men’s Four Man Bobsleigh on Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Sliding Center Sanki on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Lars Baron/Getty Images
  • Players of Canada celebrate after the Men’s Gold Medal match between Sweden and Canada at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in the Men’s Ice Hockey tournament at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, Sochi, Russia, on February 23, 2014. Canada won 3-0. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH
    Players of Canada celebrate after the Men’s Gold Medal match between Sweden and Canada at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in the Men’s Ice Hockey tournament at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, Sochi, Russia, on February 23, 2014. Canada won 3-0. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH
  • A man takes a photograph of fireworks during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics on February 23, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. AP Photo/Petr David Josek
    A man takes a photograph of fireworks during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics on February 23, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. AP Photo/Petr David Josek
  • Skiers lie on the snow after fininshing the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
    Skiers lie on the snow after fininshing the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
  • An athlete competes in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
    An athlete competes in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
  • Petter Northug Jr. of Norway, Alexander Legkov of Russia, Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway, Chris Andre Jespersen of Norway and Alex Harvey of Canada compete in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
    Petter Northug Jr. of Norway, Alexander Legkov of Russia, Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway, Chris Andre Jespersen of Norway and Alex Harvey of Canada compete in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
  • Athletes compete in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
    Athletes compete in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
  • A Canada fan with his face painted with a maple leaf symbol gestures before the men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Sweden and Canada at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games February 23, 2014. Mark Blinch / Reuters
    A Canada fan with his face painted with a maple leaf symbol gestures before the men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Sweden and Canada at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games February 23, 2014. Mark Blinch / Reuters
  • An athlete competes in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Julian Finney/Getty Images
    An athlete competes in the Men’s 50 km Mass Start Free during Day 16 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Julian Finney/Getty Images

In pictures: Best images from Day 16 of Winter Olympic Games in Sochi


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After a few final events finished up Sunday, the Sochi Winter Olympics closed on Sunday night. The Games, which had been plagued by controversy in its build-up, was widely praised for its execution. With Russin President Vladimir Putin watching from the stands at the Fisht Stadium on the Black Sea coast, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach declared the Games closed. “I declare the 22nd Olympic Winter Games closed. In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in PyeongChang to celebrate with us the 23rd Olympic Winter Games,” he said.