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SPORTS Diasabra 24 Juli 2021
Tokyo Olympics begin with muted ceremony and empty stadium

(AP) — Belated and be-
leaguered, the virus- How did we get here? A
delayed Tokyo Summer quick review of the past year
Olympics finally opened and a half seems operatic in
Friday night with cascad- its twists and turns.
ing fireworks and made-
for-TV choreography that A once-in-a-century pan-
unfolded in a near-empty demic forces the postpone-
stadium, a colorful but ment of the 2020 version of
strangely subdued cer- the Games. A fusillade of
emony that set a striking scandals (sexism and other
tone to match a unique discrimination and bribery
pandemic Games. claims, overspending, in-
eptitude, bullying) unfolds.
As their opening played out, People in Japan, meanwhile,
devoid of the usual crowd en- watch bewildered as an
ergy, the Olympics convened Olympics considered a bad
amid simmering anger and idea by many scientists actu-
disbelief in much of the host ally takes shape.
country, but with hopes from
organizers that the excite- The Czech Republic entered ing great challenges, some and businesses closed. Japanese athletes, freed from
ment of the sports to follow with other countries even are again questioning the onerous travel rules and able
would offset the widespread though its delegation has had power of sport and the value Inside, the feeling of sani- to train more normally, may
opposition. several positive COVID tests of the Olympic Games,” Sei- tized, locked-down quaran- enjoy a nice boost over their
since arriving. ko Hashimoto, president of tine carries over. Fans, who rivals in some cases, even
“Today is a moment of hope. the Tokyo 2020 Organizing would normally be scream- without fans. Judo, a sport
Yes, it is very different from “You had to face great chal- Committee, said in a speech. ing for their countries and that Japan is traditionally a
what all of us had imagined,” lenges on your Olympic But, she said of the Games’ mixing with people from powerhouse in, will begin
IOC President Thomas Bach journey,” Bach told the ath- possibilities, “This is the around the world, have been Saturday, giving the host na-
said. “But let us cherish this letes. “Today you are making power of sport. … This is its banned, leaving only a care- tion a chance for early gold.
moment because finally we your Olympic dream come essence.” fully screened contingent of
are all here together.” true.” journalists, officials, athletes The reality, for now, is that
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and participants. the delta variant of the virus
“This feeling of togetherness Organizers held a moment of declared the Games open, is still rising, straining the
— this is the light at the end silence for those who had died with fireworks bursting over Olympics often face opposi- Japanese medical system in
of the dark tunnel of the pan- in the pandemic; as it ticked the stadium after he spoke. tion, but there’s also usually places, and raising fears of
demic,” Bach declared. Later, off and the music paused, the a pervasive feeling of national an avalanche of cases. Only a
Japanese tennis star Naomi sounds of the protests echoed Outside, hundreds of curi- pride. Japan’s resentment little over 20% of the popula-
Osaka received the Olym- in the distance. ous Tokyo residents lined a centers on the belief that it tion is fully vaccinated. And
pic flame from a torch relay barricade that separated them was strong-armed into host- there have been near daily
through the stadium and lit Protesters’ shouts gave voice from those entering — but ing — forced to pay billions reports of positive virus cases
the Olympic cauldron. to a fundamental question just barely: Some of those and risk the health of a largely within the so-called Olympic
about these Games as Japan, going in took selfies with the unvaccinated, deeply weary bubble that’s meant to sepa-
Trepidations throughout and large parts of the world, onlookers across the barri- public — so the IOC can col- rate the Olympic participants
Japan have threatened for reel from the continuing gut cades, and there was an ex- lect its billions in media rev- from the worried, skeptical
months to drown out the punch of a pandemic that is cited carnival feeling. Some enue. Japanese population.
usual packaged glitz of the stretching well into its sec- pedestrians waved enthusias-
opening. Inside the stadium ond year, with cases in Tokyo tically to approaching Olym- “Sometimes people ask why For a night, at least, the glam-
after dusk Friday, however, a approaching record highs this pic buses. the Olympics exist, and there or and message of hope of
precisely calibrated ceremo- week: Will the deep, intrin- are at least two answers. One the opening ceremonies may
ny sought to portray that the sic human attachment to the The sports have already be- is they are a peerless global distract many global viewers
Games — and their spirit — spectacle of sporting compe- gun, and some of the focus is showcase of the human spirit from the surrounding an-
are going on. tition at the highest possible turning toward the competi- as it pertains to sport, and guish and anger.
level be enough to salvage tion to come. the other is they are a peer-
Early in the ceremony, an these Olympics? less global showcase of the “After more than half a cen-
ethereal blue light bathed the Can the U.S. women’s soc- human spirit as it pertains to tury, the Olympic Games
empty seats as loud music Time and again, previous cer team, for instance, even aristocrats getting luxurious have returned to Tokyo,”
muted the shouts of scattered opening ceremonies have after an early, shocking loss to hotel rooms and generous Hashimoto said. “Now we
protesters outside calling for pulled off something that Sweden, become the first to per diems,” Bruce Arthur, a will do everything in our
the Games to be canceled. A approaches magic. Scandals win an Olympics following a sports columnist for the To- power to make this Games
single stage held an octagon — bribery in Salt Lake City, World Cup victory? Can Ja- ronto Star, wrote recently. a source of pride for genera-
shape meant to resemble the censorship and pollution in pan’s Hideki Matsuyama win tions to come.”
country’s fabled Mount Fuji. Beijing, doping in Sochi — gold in golf after becoming
Later, an orchestral medley of fade into the background the first Japanese player to
songs from iconic Japanese when the sports begin. win the Masters? Will Italy’s
video games served as the Simona Quadarella chal-
soundtrack for athletes’ en- But with people still falling ill lenge American standout Ka-
trances. and dying each day from the tie Ledecky in the 800- and
coronavirus, there’s a partic- 1,500-meter freestyle swim-
Mostly masked athletes ular urgency to the questions ming races?
waved enthusiastically to about whether the Olympic
thousands of empty seats and flame can burn away the fear For now, however, it’s hard
to a world hungry to watch or provide a measure of ca- to miss how unusual these
them compete but surely tharsis — and even awe — af- Games promise to be. The
wondering what to make of ter a year of suffering and un- lovely national stadium can
it all. Some athletes marched certainty in Japan and around seem like an isolated mili-
socially distanced, while oth- the world. tarized zone, surrounded
ers clustered in ways utterly by huge barricades. Roads
contrary to organizers’ hopes. “Today, with the world fac- around it have been sealed