Tokyo2020 Olympic starts tomorrow and people are still wondering if there will be an opening ceremony due to the serious threats posed by the coronavirus. Concerns were even heightened as cases in the host city, Tokyo, climbed to an all-time high.
What to Expect From the Olympic Opening Ceremony
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There will be a ceremony but this time it will be unusual from the ones you remember because the organizers and the host city have been taking measures in other to deliver the historic commemoration but still adhere to safety rules in these troublesome times. So here are some notable things you are going to see at tomorrow’s celebration:
- The Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony starts on Friday, July 23rd at 12 pm WAT.
- The traditional lighting of the Olympic torch will take place in front of a vacant stadium. This is because the International fans were prohibited from the tournament months ago, and just before the opening ceremony, the country saw a troubling rise in covid-19 cases, so local fans were banned as well.
- The usual athletes’ parade will still hold but with very small groups to march around the stadium, with the largest nations assigning only a handful of representatives.
The traditional lighting of the Olympic torch will take place in front of a vacant stadium
- Countries are now allowed to name two flag bearers. The decision to approve one male and one female flag bearer was made by the International Olympic Committee in a bid to emphasize its statement of equality. In an announcement, the IOC said it was sending “an extremely strong message to the world that gender balance is a reality at the Olympic Games”.
- It is unlikely that any big-name musician will be performing on the occasion, Japanese media say the ceremony will be “solemn”.
