Russian President Vladimir Putin carried off  Olympic Torch  his sexy girlfriend  Alina Kabayeva moreover, despite being a lot champion Russian winter athletes.

The Sochi Winter Olympics are due to open on Friday with a lavish ceremony at the Fisht Stadium by the Black Sea, expected to be laden with symbols of how Russia sees itself as a world power over two decades after the fall of the USSR.

The key element of the ceremony will be the lighting of the Olympic flame but the identity of the person chosen for the iconic role has been kept tightly under wraps.

Speculation has gripped the Russian internet in the last weeks that the flame-lighter would be 2004 Olympic rhythmic gymnastics champion Alina Kabayeva who has long been rumoured to be Putin’s lover.

“I’m aware of this (the speculation), I was told of this by (Kremlin spokesman) Dmitry Peskov. These are the usual red herrings,” Mr Putin said while touring a nature reserve above Sochi.

“We have many outstanding sportspeople who are significant and known in the whole world and I am not going to interfere in this process,” he said in comments broadcast on state television.

The person – to be chosen by the Sochi organising committee – is widely expected to be a successful Russian sports star of international fame.

With the Sochi Winter Olympics opening Friday, the person chosen for a key element in the opening ceremony has not been revealed.

But a new report is stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rumored girlfriend may be lighting the Olympic flame at the Fisht Stadium near the Black Sea.

“I’m aware of this (the speculation), I was told of this by (Kremlin spokesman) Dmitry Peskov. These are the usual red herrings,” Putin said according to News.com.au.

Alina Kabayeva, a 2004 Olympic rhythmic gymnastics champion, is rumored to be Putin’s lover.

Mr Putin added that there was also no chance that he would be lighting the flame himself. “I do not represent winter sports, I am just a fan.”

The rumours of Mr Putin’s alleged relationship with Kabayeva have never been confirmed officially.

Mr Putin is now officially single after he and his wife Lyudmila divorced last year.

“We have many outstanding sportspeople who are significant and known in the whole world and I am not going to interfere in this process,” he said in comments broadcast on state television.

The Sochi organzing committe is expected to chose a successful Russian sports star.

Putin also added that he would not be lighting the flame.

“I do not represent winter sports, I am just a fan,” Putin said.

The rumors between Putin and Kabayeva have never been confirmed officially but Putin is single since divorcing his wife, Lyudmila, last year.

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