As the ceremony came to a close, the Olympic flag was lowered and Athens Mayor Dora Bakoayanni handed it over to Wang Qishan, the mayor of Beijing, which will host the next Summer Olympics in 2008.
Na kraju ceremonije, Olimpijski stijeg je spušten i gradonačelnica Atene Dora Bakoayanni predala ga je Wang Qishanu gradonačelniku Pekinga, koji će biti domaćin sljedeće Ljetnje olimpijade 2008 godine.