By Amy Tennery
MILAN, Feb 5 (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President JD Vance stood and clapped as the United States women’s team scored against the Czech Republic on Thursday in their opening game of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
The vice president and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived at the Milano Rho venue to no fanfare at the 5,800-capacity arena, where the top-ranked United States began their campaign for a third Olympic gold in front of plenty of U.S. fans who did not appear to notice the presence of the politicians.
Vance quietly chanted along to “USA! USA! USA!” with the crowd after Joy Dunne sent the U.S. 2-0 up and cheered again as the team made it 3-0 in the second period.
Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha, had arrived at Milan’s Malpensa Airport earlier on Thursday and said he would be “rooting for” Team USA across all sports.
The vice president and Rubio are expected to attend the Opening Ceremony in the San Siro soccer stadium on Friday evening.
The International Olympic Committee is hoping the ceremony will not be marred by jeers against Americans, and will be a show of respect for athletes from around the world.
There are concerns spectators could boo the American team or politicians after news of the presence of analysts from a department that falls under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sparked anger in Italy.
Vance will meet with the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday, according to the vice president’s office.
Wearing a blue zip-up jacket with a U.S. flag on his arm, Vance had been greeted by Tilman Fertitta, the ambassador to Italy, on the tarmac at Malpensa Airport.
Usha Vance was also dressed casually in a white fleece with the Stars and Stripes on the back, as well as the five-ring Olympic logo.
TV footage showed the couple being welcomed at the airport with a round of applause from a few dozen athletes.
“The whole country — Democrat, Republican, Independent — we’re all rooting for you, we’re cheering for you, and we know you’re going to make us proud,” Vance said.
He joked that although his wife, the Second Lady, is not usually a sports fan, she becomes completely absorbed in the Olympics every two years and insists they watch together.
Vance said she had been that way since they first started dating, noting that the Games’ ability to captivate someone not usually interested in sports shows how unifying they are for the country.
(Writing by Keith Weir and Giselda Vagoni,Editing by Ed Osmond)
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