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An opening ceremony like no other as Japan welcomes the world
Performances and pyrotechnics still featured prominently, but these are unusual times and Tokyo staged an opening ceremony like no other as it welcomed the Olympic Games back to Japan after 57 years on Friday night (July 23).
Most conspicuous were the empty seats in the cavernous, 68,000-capacity Tokyo Olympic Stadium, a stark reminder of the invisible enemy the world continues to battle.
The Covid-19 pandemic had already meant the stadium’s big unveiling – refurbishment works were completed in late 2019 – was held back by a year, after the Olympics were postponed for the only time in its history.
A continued struggle against the virus then moved organisers to bar spectators from all events earlier this month. This resulted in the absence of the frenetic energy from the stands that usually accompanies the opening ceremony.
In a nod to gender and racial diversity, tennis star Naomi Osaka lit the cauldron to a muted reception after Emperor Naruhito formally opened the Olympics – as his grandfather Hirohito did in 1964 – with only 15 other global leaders in attendance which included United States First Lady Jill Biden.
It was sobering, but necessary.
On Friday, 19 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the Olympic Village, a daily record rise in cases since organisers began disclosing data this month. A total of 110 cases linked to the Olympics have been recorded since July 2, when the organisers started offering daily updates.
There were protests even on the day of the ceremony, most notably in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building as the Olympic torch reached its final stop before it made its way to the stadium. Tokyo is also in a fourth state of emergency – declared earlier this month – and reported 1,979 new infections on Thursday, which is the highest daily count since mid-January.
But there has also been evidence that other segments of its residents have taken a more welcoming stance.
As buses ferried athletes, officials, journalists and delegates to the opening ceremony, locals were seen lining the barricaded streets leading to the stadium – many with cameras in hand, some with encouraging signs. They also thronged a park next to Japan’s Olympic Museum, with a monument of the Olympic Rings a particularly popular spot.
The city might be a little deflated, but it is not entirely dispirited.
The thousands of unfilled seats inside the stadium, however, remained an unusual, uneasy sight all night.
Despite this, the Team Singapore contingent, who looked snappy in their blazers and Japan-inspired ties and scarfs, were all smiles as they waved around the empty arena along with the approximately 6,000 athletes and team officials.
The Republic will be represented by 23 athletes across 12 sports in Tokyo but only six were in the 12-strong contingent that marched. Some have yet to arrive in the country as they adhere to strict travel schedules tied to their events, while others – like shooter Adele Tan and fencer Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman – preferred to rest in preparation for early battles on Saturday.
Shuttler Loh Kean Yew, who was Singapore’s joint-flag bearer with table tennis player Yu Mengyu, said he was living his “childhood dream” being at the Olympics.
“Being here in Tokyo finally, after one year of postponement and the uncertainties, feels very surreal,” said Mr Loh, 24. “Even though the stadium is empty, being here fills me with plenty of excitement. I’m extremely honoured to carry the Singapore flag tonight, and will do my very best at the Olympic Games.”
Ms Yu, meanwhile, called being a flag bearer a “major landmark” in her life.
Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who is also the Singapore National Olympic Council president, flew into Tokyo on the eve of the ceremony, and wrote in a Facebook post that it was a “pity there is no audience” in a “beautiful stadium”.
“But we are living in extraordinary times and some things can’t be helped,” said Mr Tan. “The organisers are doing what they can to keep us all safe and to keep things moving smoothly. I hope that the sportsmen and women will be able to inspire us through their performances and contests as they have done through the ages.”
Even without spectators, elaborate choreography and large groups of dancers still entertained in performances that showcased Japan’s culture and history.
In one segment, a wooden installation of the Olympic Rings was erected in the middle of the stadium – the rings were crafted with wood grown from trees planted by athletes when the Olympics came to Tokyo in 1964.
History, however, largely took a back seat at Friday night’s ceremony, which is tied to the concept of “Moving Forward”, a reference to recovering from the pandemic.
On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee amended its motto to “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together”, with the last word an addition made to “adapt it to our times”, explained its president Thomas Bach. And what novel times they are.
-The Strait Times
UEFA appears poised for an emergency vote on suspending Israel from European competition next week, with national federations scrambling to position themselves amid mounting political pressure following calls for action.
The brewing crisis intensified this week when United Nations experts called for Israel’s suspension from international football amid the unfolding genocide in occupied Palestinian territory.
A source confirmed that Europe’s soccer body could potentially decide next week to vote on whether to suspend Israel from European competition.
Should UEFA vote to ban Israel, it would put the organisation on a collision course with the government of the United States — co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup — which is vehemently against such a motion.
“We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup,” a spokesperson for the U.S. state department told Sky News.
But even though UEFA has the power to suspend Israel or its clubs from their competitions, it may not be able to stop them from competing in World Cup qualifiers, which fall under the ambit of global soccer body FIFA.
The general secretaries of all UEFA national associations are meeting this week in Marbella, where Israel is not officially on the agenda, but officials expect UEFA to call an emergency vote next week.
FIFA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment while UEFA declined to comment.
Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub said Israelis should not be allowed to participate in any matches, whether they are under UEFA or FIFA.
“Israel has violated the principles, values and FIFA’s statutes. Therefore, I believe that Israel should be sanctioned,” Rajoub told TV2.
“The sanctions should come from UEFA and FIFA.”
WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Israel’s national team are set to face Norway and Italy, the top two teams in their World Cup qualifying group, next month.
“We don’t have any indications that we are facing such an act (UEFA suspension),” a spokesperson for the Israel Football Association told Reuters.
“We are focusing on our international matches against Norway and Italy.”
Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) is one of the member associations that have been the driving force behind calling for a meeting on the Israel situation. The NFF declined to comment.
Lise Klaveness, the president of the NFF and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, has also been vocal about the crisis in Gaza ahead of her country’s home game against Israel on October 11.
“Neither we nor other organisations can remain indifferent to the humanitarian suffering and disproportionate attacks that the civilian population in Gaza has been subjected to for a long time,” Klaveness said in a statement last month.
“We want to donate the proceeds (from the game) to a humanitarian organisation that saves lives in Gaza every day and provides active emergency aid on the ground.”
The Dutch football federation (KNVB) said it knows nothing about a vote to suspend Israel.
“As soon as the football association receives a message about this, it will take a position,” the KNVB told Dutch outlet NOS.
Last week, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Israel should be banned from international sports competitions. However, officials from the Spanish FA (RFEF) have kept a low profile on the matter.
Israel maintains that its war is not against the population of Gaza but against the Hamas militant group whose fighters led the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and precipitated the war.
The subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people, according to local health officials.
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A hat-trick from George Agha and a sublime free-kick goal from David Edeh ensured a comfortable start for five-time world champions Nigeria in the WAFU-B U17 Championship, as the Golden Eaglets routed Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4 -1 in Yamoussoukro on Wednesday.
Agha converted from the spot three minutes into the game after Boluwatife Thompson was hacked inside the box.
Edeh displayed fantastic football artistry to score from a free-kick in the 5th minute of the encounter.
The Eaglets were in cruise control as Agha bagged his brace in the 14th minute. The charges of Manu Garba were very dominant with a three-goal advantage.
Warris Soumanou in goal for Benin Republic was caught napping and his error of judgement gave the Eaglets another goal after a beautiful exchange of passes and dribbles between Thompson and Edeh, which set up Agha for his hat-trick in the 32nd minute.
It was raining goals and it was the turn of the Beninoise in the 45th minute, as a low drive from Jeremy Zannou gave the Baby Cheetahs a consolation goal.
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Mohamed Salah’s dramatic stoppage-time penalty ensured Liverpool maintained their winning start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory at promoted side Burnley on Sunday.
With British record signing Alexander Isak forced to wait for his Liverpool debut having been left out the squad for the trip to Lancashire, the champions struggled to break down a dogged home side in the first half.
After a regroup at the break, the visitors upped the ante in the second half, with Dominik Szoboszlai finally forcing a fine save from Martin Dubravka in the Burnley goal.
Burnley were holding on for a well-earned point with ease, before the ball agonisingly struck substitute Hannibal Mejbri’s arm in the penalty area and Salah slotted the spot kick into the net in the 95th minute to break home hearts.
Liverpool are still to really get going this season, requiring a winner in the last 10 minutes of all four of their league victories so far. The goal that clinched an undeserved success at Turf Moor was certainly the most fortunate.
After one of the longest transfer sagas in Premier League history finally reached its expected conclusion, Liverpool supporters were forced to wait two weeks for their first glimpse of their 125-million-pound ($169.45-million) goal machine due to the international break.
While coach Arne Slot said this week that Isak would have to be utilised carefully due to his previous injuries and lack of action so far this season, the Swede was still expected to at least be on the bench at Turf Moor.
The wait goes on as, without their expensive new forward, Liverpool mustered just one shot on target in the first half, from left-back Andrew Robertson.
Burnley, who conceded the fewest goals in English football league history last term to earn them promotion, otherwise frustrated the champions with ease. Even Lesley Ugochukwu’s red card for two bookings in the 84th minute did not seem to fluster them.
Even without Isak, Liverpool still had much attacking talent on the Turf Moor pitch but they just could not find that killer pass.
Salah was especially below par but he made no mistake in the most pressurised moment after Hannibal had stuck up an arm to block Jeremie Frimpong’s cross
The champions’ impressive Premier League goalscoring streak stretches to 38 games nonetheless, their longest such run in the competition.
-Reuters
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