As already reported by Rosbalt, the Winter Olympic Games have officially opened in the capital of China. The ceremony was held at the National Stadium, which received the “folk” name “Bird’s Nest”. The show was staged by the famous film director Zhang Yimou, and about 3,000 people take part in it. 91 delegations took part in the parade of athletes, including the team of the Russian Olympic Committee.
All the news from the Games at Rosbalt is collected here, and this material presents two dozen moments that have already happened and vivid facts of the first day, as it is called in the foreign press, of the strangest Olympics.
It is strange mainly because of the “zero covid” regime that the Chinese authorities have introduced for all competitors and members of delegations. In short, they have organized for them a space separate from the rest of the country, within which unprecedented conditions have been created to stop the spread of the infection.
Another oddity is China itself. The country itself is exotic plus the communist regime. With all the consequences.
Nevertheless, the “sports festival” has begun, and there is already something to see and talk about. Rosbalt Like has collected a hit parade of the most interesting facts, highlights and funny comments about the start of the Winter Olympics.
1. The mascot of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is named, as a description of multiple bruises, Bing Dwen Dwen.
In general, this is a panda in a magical ice suit.
2. Jackie Chan took part in the Olympic torch relay.
3. Putin defiantly “fell asleep” during the passage of the Ukrainian delegation.
The “dream” of the Russian leader did not last long, it was just enough to “oversleep” the passage of Ukrainians through the stadium in Beijing. By the way, this is know-how. No one in the history of the world Olympic movement has come up with just such a way to pry off a delegation from an unfriendly country.
4. Loneliness.
By the way, Putin was all alone at the Olympics, not only because everyone is kept at a social distance from his grandfather.
But also because Russia is still banned because of a doping scandal. According to this ban, for several years, “representatives of the Russian government” pic.twitter.com/Snfl6F3cWR
— Shepelin is here (@ilya_shepelin) February 4, 2022
By the way, Putin was one of the few foreign dignitaries present at the events dedicated to the Games in Beijing. Most Western leaders have boycotted China over human rights abuses and persecution of Uighur Muslims in eastern Xinjiang.
5. Chinese combatants “screwed” the Dutch reporter during a live broadcast.
Onze correspondent @sjoerddendaas werd om 12.00u live in het NOS Journaal door beveiligers voor de camera weggetrokken. Helaas is dit steeds vaker de dagelijkse realiteit voor journalisten in China. Hij is in orde en kon zijn verhaal gelukkig een paar minuten later afmaken pic.twitter.com/GLTZRlZV96
— NOS (@NOS) February 4, 2022
A Dutch reporter covering the Beijing Winter Olympics “lit up” live as Chinese guards (they were vigilantes, not the police) dragged him away without even waiting for the opening ceremony to end. Sjord den Daas, correspondent for NOS Journaal, was covering the opening of the games in China when a man wearing a red armband entered the frame and grabbed the journalist by the shoulders. Daas attempted to continue broadcasting but was carried out of the frame.
The reason for this behavior of the Chinese is not fully known. It has been suggested that the journalist’s report was not photogenic enough given that Mr den Daas was filming on a dimly lit street rather than the glamorous Bird’s Nest Stadium, according to the Daily Beast.
6. Russia again went without a national flag and paraphernalia. The propagandist Solovyov went into a frenzy.
Where is Russia? A crowd of surrendering prisoners under a white flag))
— Equator (@skyline42000) February 4, 2022
And again, for the winners, the anthem will not be played and the flag will not be raised. The country continues to pay the price for the special operation of the authorities during the “urinary Olympics in Sochi” and subsequent revelations of doping programs in Russian sports.
7. And here is the “mind-blowing” one – Russian television has never shown Vladimir Putin in the stands of the “Bird’s Nest”. Never!
Here is how it was explained. Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov: “Our TV channels did not show Putin at the opening of the Olympics, because he is in a special box and is not visible.” Vladimir Putin was perfectly visible to all other world TV channels.
Probably, Russian propagandists did not show the President of the Russian Federation, because he wrapped himself in a blanket.
Or, as mentioned above, because of some obvious loneliness of the Russian leader.
8. From the inside, the Games look like a dystopia come to life.
Athletes are already describing “dystopian” scenes from the Olympic Village, including bartenders in PPE mixing cocktails and robots spraying clouds of disinfectant into the air. China has declared the Games ‘Covid-0’, according to the Daily Mail.
A video filmed Thursday at the Nanshanli condotel shows journalists and Olympic staff wearing light masks mingling with hotel staff in hazmat suits. The Chinese fear that the Games could become a super breeding ground for the COVID-19 virus.
About 20,000 local volunteers helping run the games will also be isolated.
Throughout the Winter Olympics, which began today and will run until February 20, all guests of the event will be in a “closed circuit”, which will almost completely cut them off from the outside world so as not to spread the virus.
Many measures have been taken and a whole infrastructure has been built to separate the Olympians and the people of China. To give just one example, there are dedicated lanes for Games vehicles on the highways connecting the competition areas, and local residents face fines if they use them.
9. Putin was practically alone without a mask at almost all events.
Putin is the coolest in the world. The true president of his people. I now went down to the subway and realized that I was almost alone in the mask. On the day of a new record for the incidence. https://t.co/HIDlfw6UVA
— Plushev (@plushev) February 4, 2022
10. Even before the opening, Guberniev got into the world media.
Guberniev calls names in English to Ukrainians. Says the answer is… pic.twitter.com/RL2P4MSbqO
— vidosyandvidosy (@vidosyandvidosy) February 4, 2022
A video has circulated around the world showing a Russian Olympic official arguing with a Ukrainian official shortly before the opening ceremony, according to foreign media. Foreigners did not quite understand the whole dialogue, but they write that the Russian branded the Ukrainian as a “loser” and a “bastard”. The organizers of the Olympic Games insisted that the Games would symbolize peace and unity in an increasingly divided world.
In fact, it was Dmitry Guberniev and a commentator from Ukraine. As they say, “they came together, water and fire …”. Moreover, Dmitry called the Ukrainian in English. That’s what it means a person feels the audience.
11. The leaders of the Russian Federation and China held talks not only about sports.
????????????????Xi Jinping solemnly presented Vladimir Putin with a label pic.twitter.com/ZC8ujr6ro6
— IA Panorama (@ia_panorama) February 4, 2022
IA “Panorama”, as always, succinctly and accurately reflected their essence.
12. Samoa (such a country) sent the first athlete to the Winter Olympics in 28 years. This is skeletonist Nathan Eacon Crampton. He walked around the stadium with a naked torso …
13. The Brazilian delegation of five made a strong impression.
Come on in Brazil! ???? #OpeningCeremony
Brazil hasn’t missed an Olympic Winter Games since 1992 and they ain’t starting now! #Beijing2022
Jaqueline Mourao and Edson Luques Bindilatti lead the way flying the ???????? flag. #StrongerTogether | @timebrasil pic.twitter.com/SjMO88uO60
— Olympics (@Olympics) February 4, 2022
It’s time to finally introduce winter football into the program of the Games.
14. An even more powerful representation of East Timor…
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste’s fashion game is on point for the #OpeningCeremony.
Welcome to #Beijing2022! pic.twitter.com/vuIvdwwLTS
— Olympics (@Olympics) February 4, 2022
15. But the strangest and smallest delegation is from Kyrgyzstan or, as they call themselves, Kyrgyzstan.
There are three people in there. The only athlete is Maxim Gordeev (who is also the standard-bearer), his coach Igor Borisov and the head of the delegation, an employee of the National Olympic Committee Cholpon Zhumagazieva.
16. And Russia already has its first victory in hockey!
The girls are just beautiful! In a truncated line-up, they left no chance for Switzerland ????????
Catch the best moments of victory for our meeting. Bolgarev – with a hat-trick ???? pic.twitter.com/FvlS9jMEFQ
— Match TV (@MatchTV) February 4, 2022
Our women’s team won its first match.
18. Many people on Twitter yelled at Guberniev, who, as usual, was yelling on TV.
Watch #OpeningCeremony with Guberniev’s comments it is impossible – blood from the ears ????#Olympics #Beijing2022
— Alexander B. (@aaburnashov) February 4, 2022
But there were pauses…
Guberniev lasted only an hour and a half and could not resist advertising his Instagram. #Beijing2022 #Beijing2022 #OpeningCeremony #Olympics #Olympic Games
— Dmitry (@Kyschik) February 4, 2022
Advertising.
19. Some people didn’t like how they lit the fire of the Olympics.
The flame of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games was lit in Beijing.
Well, like fire … a light rather. Olympic torch at minimum wage. pic.twitter.com/dUWkHG6qYU— Vadim Radchenko (@Aeronaut_new) February 4, 2022
The platform with two athletes rose into the middle of a snowflake, on each crystal of which was the name of one of the participating countries – and the fire was lit.
20. Well, the very best moments of the opening of the Games in a five-minute video.
Earlier, Rosbalt Like showed a specific example of how transgender people are killing women’s sports.
Source: Rosbalt
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
