The 1984 Winter Olympics: the back story

About The 1984 Winter Olympics: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Sarajevo Editorial Team

For twelve days in February 1984, Sarajevo was the centre of the sporting world. The XIV Olympic Winter Games left the city a mascot it still adores, mountains famous for skiing and memories that every Sarajevan of a certain age will happily share.

The Games

The Games ran from 8 to 19 February 1984, the first Winter Olympics in a socialist country and in Yugoslavia. Britain’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean skated their famous Boléro to perfect scores at Zetra, and Jure Franko won Yugoslavia’s first Winter Olympic medal, a silver in the giant slalom on Bjelašnica.

The mountains

The women’s alpine events were held on Jahorina, the men’s on Bjelašnica, the ski jumping and Nordic events on Igman, and the bobsleigh and luge on Trebević. Jahorina and Bjelašnica are still Bosnia’s leading ski resorts.

Ask anyone over fifty about February 1984, and watch them smile.

Vučko

The mascot, a friendly wolf called Vučko, designed by Jože Trobec, became a symbol of the city. You will see him on souvenirs, café signs and murals.

What to see today

The Olympic Museum in the old town tells the story; the Zetra hall, rebuilt and renamed after Juan Antonio Samaranch, is still used for sport and concerts; the bobsleigh track on Trebević, now painted with graffiti, can be walked from the cable car; and the ski jumps on Igman stand in the forest.

Our advice: ride the cable car up Trebević and walk down along the bobsleigh track, visit the Olympic Museum, and in winter spend a day skiing on Jahorina or Bjelašnica, where you can still ski the Olympic runs.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The 1984 Winter Olympics: the back story before you go.