The 1996 Olympic cauldron stood atop a 35-metre tower connected to the stadium by a 55-metre bridge. To accommodate Muhammad Ali and enhance visibility, the flame was sent via a rope system instead of having him climb to light it.
Alt Text:
Muhammad Ali holds a torch with both hands so the flame touches a rope strung across a stadium. Ali wears a white T-shirt, pants, and white sneakers.
Extended Description:
He looks with concentration, brows furrowed and mouth set in a line, at the flame, which lights an object about the size of a skein of yarn on the rope. Ali is spotlit in the dim arena, and people on risers stand to watch in the distance.
