Exactly on time, three-time Olympic gold medallist, Victor Saneyev, ran into the stadium carrying the Olympic Torch. At the flagpole flying the Olympic Flag he passed it on to Olympic gold medallist Sergei Belov. Before the eyes of the amazed spectators a pathway connecting the field with the Bowl of the Olympic Flame took shape above the heads of athletes in the East Stands. Sergei Belov ran up along it to the Bowl and lit the Olympic Flame. Thousands of pigeons soared skywards, to the strains of the "Ode to Sport", written for the Opening Ceremony by Soviet composer
Eduard Artemyev.(Extracted from The Official Report Games of the XXII Olympiad Volume 2: Organization)

Belov is considered to be one of the best non-American basketball players of all time. He was the first European to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame on May 11, 1992. In 1991 FIBA named him the "Best European Player Ever".