Thirty-seven years ago, the Olympic flame was lit at Sarajevo's Kosevo stadium, marking the beginning of the 14th Winter Olympic Games - the ceremony performed in front of more than 60,000 spectators on the site and two more billions who watched it on TV across the world.

The Olympic cauldron was lit by figure skater Sanda Dubravcic.

The Bosnian capital hosted for ten days 49 national teams with over 2,500 athletes and their team members, who contested in six sports – ten disciplines.

Thirty-nine sports events were held from February 8 through February 19 at four city venues, five venues on the mountains surrounding the city and other facilities including the Olympic village and press village.

By that time, it was the record number of National Olympic Committees (49) to enter the Olympics.

Then Yugoslavia was not among the top ten nations that won the medals but the nation was nevertheless happy to have Slovenian Alpine skier Jure Franko win the silver giant slalom competition – the first medal Yugoslavia ever won in the Olympic.

Sarajevans cheered for Franko with slogans like “We love Jurek more than burek” (a local pie).

Readers of then Yugoslav press were asked to pick the mascot for the 1984 Olympics from the list of six finalists and their choice was the little wolf Vucko, designed by Slovenian illustrator Joze Trobec.

Youtube

It was the first Olympics to take place in the Balkans after the first Olympic Games in Athens.