Arrival of the presidential guard.
By Philip Barker
The Olympic Flame has been lit for Beijing 2022 amid human rights protests at the archaeological site in Olympia during the kindling ceremony.
Three protesters were arrested after unveiling a Tibetan flag and a banner criticising the Chinese government policy towards minorities.
Beijing 2022 Vice President Yu Zaiqing pledged “safe and splendid” Winter Olympic Games.
“Under the robust leadership of the Chinese government, with the support of the people around the world, we can and will deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic Games to the world,” Yu said.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach was joined by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou for the ceremony held at the site of the Olympic Games of antiquity.
“In these difficult times we are still living through, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 will be an important moment to bring the world together in a spirit of peace, friendship and solidarity,” Bach said.
“The best winter sport athletes of the world will compete with each other for Olympic glory, while living peacefully together under one roof in the Olympic Village,” Bach told a gathering which included Beijing 2022 officials and members of the IOC Executive Board which celebrated its 100th anniversary this week.
“The Olympic Games cannot address all the challenges in our world. But they set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another. They inspire us to solve problems in friendship and solidarity. They build bridges leading to better understanding among people and cultures.”
Organisers cited COVID-19 precautions for the decision to allow only invited guests to attend the Ceremony.
Skier Ioannis Antoniou, who had also been the first torchbearer for Sochi 2014, received the Flame from High Priestess Xanthi Georgiou after the ritual procession of the 26 priestesses through the precincts of the ancient site.
On the hillside above the ancient stadium they performed a dance sequence which in the words of artistic director Artemis Ignatiou was designed to “Flood the hill with ethereal and dynamic motion in percussion sounds.”
They had been accompanied by 12 young men or Kouroi who “created motion based on images from vases, frescoes and statues.”
An enhanced police presence guarded the route as Antoniou took the Torch from the stadium towards the monument commemorating Olympic renovator Baron Pierre de Coubertin. After a short pause in silent homage, he passed the Flame to short track speed skater Li Jiajun who became the first Chinese athlete to carry the 2022 Torch.
The Relay was restricted to a symbolic run from the ancient Olympic stadium to a bridge above the river on the outskirts of the village of Olympia. It is the first time since 1984 that there has been no passage of the Torch around Greece, although the journey of the Tokyo 2020 Flame was curtailed after larger than expected numbers turned up to greet the Torch in Sparta.
The Flame has been taken to Athens where it is burning on the Acropolis. There have already been protests against China’s record on human rights in the Greek capital.
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