Opening Ceremony

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Russians Excluded From Olympic Opening Ceremony

Belarusian athletes also barred from July ceremony in Paris

(Newser) - Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to take part in the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics, the IOC said Tuesday. The opening ceremony on July 26 will see thousands of athletes travel on boats down the River Seine for several miles toward the Eiffel Tower, instead of...

At Suggestion She'll Perform at Olympics, She's Bombarded

French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura accused by France's far right of butchering the language

(Newser) - Aya Nakamura is "the most listened-to French artist in the world," according to the organizing committee of the Paris Olympics, so it makes sense that she might perform at the opening ceremony in July. There's been much speculation that she will. Local media reported Nakamura had discussed...

Romania's Olympians Were Welcomed With a Dracula Pic
Broadcaster Says Sorry for
'Inexcusable' Gaffe at Olympics
in case you missed it

Broadcaster Says Sorry for 'Inexcusable' Gaffe at Olympics

Among stereotypical pics used in opening ceremonies: Chernobyl for Ukraine, pizza for Italy

(Newser) - Ukrainians tuning in to the opening ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday were likely looking forward to catching a glimpse of the athletes representing their country, not a photo of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster that wreaked havoc within its borders in 1986. If they happened to watch the sporting...

Opening Ceremony Kicks Off in Near-Empty Tokyo Stadium

Jill Biden is among the few VIPs present

(Newser) - After a yearlong delay caused by COVID-19, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are finally underway—but with the pandemic still raging, the opening ceremony is being held in a near-empty stadium. The $1.5 billion stadium built for the Games can hold up to 70,000, but only 950 VIPs were...

Composer Who Made Kid Eat Feces Quits Olympics

Keigo Oyamada resigns from Opening Ceremony

(Newser) - A Japanese composer will no longer be participating in the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, an event for which he wrote music. Keigo Oyamada, who performs as Cornelius and has been likened to American musician Beck, resigned after apologizing for bullying classmates years ago, the Washington Post reports....

Winter Olympics Sites Should Be Cold—But Not This Cold

S. Korea officials worry roofless arena will leave spectators for 2018 Games freezing and miserable

(Newser) - What may soon become the next Olympic sport: extreme spectating. At least, that's what organizers for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in South Korea are worried about during the opening and closing ceremonies in February, each expected to last between four and five hours. Reuters has glimpsed an internal document...

'Estados Unidos' Kicks NBC's Ratings When They're (Way) Down

Like, really down from 4 years ago

(Newser) - An estimated 26.5 million people watched NBC's coverage of the Olympic opening ceremony, a sharp 35% drop from the record-setting viewership of the curtain-lifter in London four years ago, reports the AP . The opening ceremony of the London Games was seen by 40.7 million people in the...

One Big Star of Opening Ceremony: Gisele Bundchen

 Rio Opens the Games 
olympics

Rio Opens the Games

Michael Phelps carries in US flag

(Newser) - With fireworks forming the word "Rio" in the sky, hip-wiggling dancers, and supermodel Gisele Bundchen shimmering to the tune of the "Girl from Ipanema," Rio de Janiero welcomed the world to the first Olympic Games in South America with a serious message: Let's take better care...

London Cops Bust 182, Charge 4 in Olympic Protests

Activists on bicycles tried to get through security cordon

(Newser) - London police arrested 182 activists on bicycles who tried to breach the Olympic Park's security cordon during the Opening Ceremony, officials said today. Four people were charged with various offenses during Friday night's protest, while the rest were released pending further questioning, Scotland Yard said. Police said that...

NBC Defends Move Not to Cover Opening Live
NBC Defends Tape Delay
as Critics Pile On
olympics

NBC Defends Tape Delay as Critics Pile On

Opening ceremony needed 'context' of prime-time coverage

(Newser) - London put on quite the spectacle to open the Olympics, though TV viewers in the US had to watch on tape delay. For that, NBC took loads of criticism on Twitter, notes AP television writer David Bauder. So why didn't the network at least live-stream it online? Because it...

Opening Ceremony Begins
 Let the Games Begin 
olympics

Let the Games Begin

London hosts lavish opening ceremony

(Newser) - Britain opened its Olympics with a royal entrance like no other. London greeted the world in a celebration of Old England that was stunning, imaginative, whimsical, and dramatic. Cheeky, too, with a stand-in for Queen Elizabeth II parachuting into Olympic Stadium, accompanied by James Bond, no less. Brit director Danny...

Caster Semenya Will Carry Olympic Flag

South African runner had to undergo gender test three years ago

(Newser) - At the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, the flag of South Africa will be carried by Caster Semenya, that nation's 21-year-old champion runner. Semenya receives the honor three years after the track and field governing body subjected her to a gender test, igniting a major controversy . Semnya said...

London 2012 Olympics: Athletes Barred from 'Slumdog Millionaire' Director's Opening Ceremony
In Slumdog Director's Olympic Opener, No Athletes?
2012 games

In Slumdog Director's Olympic Opener, No Athletes?

Coaches fear participation will detract from Olympians' success

(Newser) - The director of Slumdog Millionaire wants to feature athletes in the 2012 Olympics' opening ceremony, which he happens to be directing—but their coaches aren’t so keen on the idea. British track and field coaches have barred their athletes from participating over fears that doing so could tire them...

Luge Death Can't Dim Opening Bash
 Luge Death Can't 
 Dim Opening Bash 
VANCOUVER OLYMPICS

Luge Death Can't Dim Opening Bash

50K pack indoor arena to kick off Vancouver Olympics

(Newser) - Despite the training-run death earlier in the day of a luger from the country of Georgia, the Olympics' opening ceremonies went on tonight in Vancouver, with a jubilant countdown by the crowd filling BC Place Stadium. The festive mood, and the opening rain of confetti, contrasted sharply with the grief...

DVR-Worthy Olympic Moments
 DVR-Worthy Olympic Moments 
VANCOUVER OLYMPICS

DVR-Worthy Olympic Moments

Speed skating, hockey and Tanith Belbin makes Esquire list

(Newser) - If, like many, your interest in the Vancouver Games is lukewarm (kinda like the weather keeping the ski slopes snow-free), Esquire provides a list of the don’t-miss Olympic moments. Some highlights:
  • Friday: Opening ceremonies. Vancouver’s spending less than half the $100 million Beijing did in 2008. Or you
...

How China Rewrote Tiananmen History
 How China Rewrote 
 Tiananmen History 
OPINION

How China Rewrote Tiananmen History

Recalling Tiananmen 20 years later

(Newser) - The Tiananmen Square massacre isn’t something the Chinese government wants the world to remember, and it's doing a good job keeping the matter quiet, writes Terrence Cheng in the Chronicle of Higher Education. In China, “those who dare to speak about it are swiftly silenced,” he writes....

2 Chinese 'Songbirds' May Close Games Together

Dual-billing with counterpart Lin Maioke expected

(Newser) - Yang Peiyi, the 7-year-old songstress whom Chinese officials deemed better heard than seen during the Olympic opening ceremonies, may appear alongside her lip-syncing counterpart during Sunday’s closing ceremonies, the Hong Kong Standard reports. Organizers who claimed that the decision to replace Yang with a cuter girl was “in...

China Defends 'Olympic Karaoke'
 China Defends
 'Olympic Karaoke'
OLYMPICS

China Defends 'Olympic Karaoke'

Bucktoothed girl not 'flawless' enough for Olympic image

(Newser) - Chinese officials are defending Friday’s lip-synched performance of its national anthem, reports the AP. "There were a number of candidates to sing that song and at the end of the day the artistic directors picked the best voice and the best performer," a spokesman said. The actual...

Chinese Dancer Paralyzed in Fall
 Chinese Dancer Paralyzed in Fall
OLYMPICS

Chinese Dancer Paralyzed in Fall

Liu Yan was rehearsing for opening ceremonies; may never walk again

(Newser) - One of China’s top classical dancers may have been paralyzed for life during rehearsals for the Olympics' opening ceremonies, the New York Times reports. Liu Yan was to perform the show’s only solo number, until she missed a jump to a malfunctioning platform 12 days ago, falling 10...

China's Anthem Star a Fake
 China's Anthem Star a Fake

China's Anthem Star a Fake

China replaces buck-toothed girl to craft 'perfect image'

(Newser) - Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke became a sensation after performing the Chinese anthem at the Olympics opening ceremony, and has been busily doing interviews and accepting praise ever since. There’s just one problem: The voice billions around the world actually heard was a 7-year-old with crooked teeth who was replaced after...

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