At 4 p.m., strictly according to the scenario, dozens of powerful loudspeakers carried the Kremlin chimes across the stadium. The spectators greeted with applause the appearance of Leonid Brezhnev, Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet, in the central box. He was accompanied by Lord Killanin, President of the IOC, Ignati Novikov, President of the OCOG-80, and Juan Antonio Samaranch, the IOC Chief of Protocol.

The theme song of the Games, a festive overture by Dmitry Shostakovich, announced the beginning of the Opening Ceremony. The parade was preceded by a colourful procession in which youths and girls in ancient Greek costumes rode around the arena in three chariots, symbolising continuity of the Olympic ideals of antiquity with those of the modern Games. In keeping with tradition, the Greek delegation opened the parade. The delegation from the Soviet Union
brought up the rear.

Extracted from The Official Report of Games of the XXII Olympiad - Volume 2: Organization