The vice-president led the US delegation and was pictured on screen as the US team entered the San Siro. Cheers for the athletes turned to boos in an awkward moment in Italy.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams was asked about the booing of Vance at a press conference on Saturday. He said: “What I would say from the IOC point of view is with the next Games coming up in Los Angeles we are super happy that the US administration is so engaged with the Games here and going forward. That’s a great thing for the Olympic movement.

“We are largely a sports organisation and seeing the US team cheered as they were by the audience, fair play, that was fantastic, so very happy.

“In general at sporting events we like to see fair play, but in terms of having a good relationship with the administration, that’s good news for us.”

Milano-Cortina 2026 chief executive Andrea Varnier avoided a further question on how Italians view the US administration.

He said: “I was there, I heard an incredible cheering when the US team entered the stadium, that’s what I heard. I didn’t hear anything else, I just read in the papers. The cheering was amazing."

The IOC additionally issued a plea for sportsmanlike behaviour from all spectators when asked about the reaction to the booing of Israeli athletes. Adams said: “In terms of the athletes and the teams, whatever background, whatever country they’re from, I don’t think we like to see booing, we want to see sportsperson-like behaviour from everyone. It’s important that we support our athletes.

“The whole idea, or one of the ideas of the Olympic Movement is that the athletes shouldn’t be punished for whatever their governments have done, and I think that’s really important, that we see the athletes and athletic performance for what that says about humanity.

“I know the Italian supporters love their sport, I think when they start seeing amazing performances, whatever nationality, they will cheer those performances.”

Vance arrived in Milan on Thursday to meet American athletes and was spotted in attendance at the US women’s ice hockey clash against Czechia. The vice president also met IOC president Kirsty Coventry before the Opening Ceremony.

Adams gave some insight into that meeting. “I know it went incredibly well, there was very good chemistry, they had a very good discussion," he said.

"I know speaking to the president this morning she was very pleased [with the conversation] and very pleased about the enthusiasm from the president and the whole administration for the Games.”