When the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City officially begins with tonight’s opening ceremonies, American patriotism will dominate the atmosphere.

After much debate, the International Olympic Committee agreed to allow the United States to use the American flag recovered from Ground Zero as their official flag of the Games, allowing it to fly next to the Olympic flame.

The IOC was hesitant to allow the very flag that flew Sept. 11 above the World Trade Center into the ceremonies and wanted to limit its appearance to the parade of nations in an attempt to keep politics out of the Olympics.

However, the IOC compromised with the U.S Olympic Committee, and now the WTC flag will be a part of the Olympic ceremonies. When the flag makes its way into the stadium tonight it will be carried in by six American athletes elected by their U.S. teammates.

Also contributing to the opening ceremonies is short-track speed skater Amy Peterson and skeleton racer Jim Shea Jr. Peterson was elected to carry America’s flag into the stadium for the parade of nations, and Shea was voted by the U.S delegation to take the athlete’s oath.

The identity of the athlete chosen to light the Olympic flame is still unknown and won’t be revealed until tonight’s ceremonies.