Beginning of spring dandelion
by Philip Barker
Exactly a year ago, Beijing’s “Birds Nest” became the first stadium to stage the Opening Ceremony for both Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Just as in 2008, the ceremonies were directed by Zhang Yimou although with a fraction of the budget and a fraction of the crowd.
COVID-19 had forced organisers to take many precautions, but Chinese authorities had decreed that these would be “Safe Simple and Splendid” Games.
They opened against a background of protest over human rights in China with particular focus on the treatment of Uyghur minorities.
The selection of female Uyghur cross-country skier Dinigeer Yilamujiang as one of the final lighters of the Flame caused widespread controversy and comment.
Zhang had promised that this would be unprecedented.
In fact it burned throughout the Games in an Olympic Torch placed carefully in a rotating snowflake receptacle made from the name placards of all the participating countries.
In Beijing this was situated adjacent to the medals plaza so that medal winners faced it during the victory ceremonies.
Viewed from a distance, it often appeared to have disappeared altogether.
The Games attracted 2786 participants from 91 countries, but as in Tokyo, Russian athletes took part under the designation Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).
Norwegian biathlete Johannes Tignes Bo was the most successful individual competitor with four gold medals, however his compatriot and fellow biathlete Marte Olsbu Roiseland won three gold medals, an achievement matched by another Norwegian, Therese Johaug in cross-country skiing and Dutch speed skater Irene Schouten. Russian cross-country skier Alexander Bolshunov also came away with three gold medals and his was the last medal of the Games to be presented as an extract of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto was played instead of the Russian national anthem.
The biggest story of the Games proved to be an ongoing saga after the revelation that 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva had returned a positive doping test before the Games.
Despite many proceedings held by anti-doping agencies, the affair is yet to be completely resolved.
This week it prompted the United States skaters in the team event to pose with empty medal cases to express their frustration at the lack of a final decision on the destiny of the medals for the event.
There are no comments published yet.