The opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is to go ahead amid spiraling COVID-19 infections in Japan and a cascade of controversies involving the organizers. A subdued ceremony will take place at 8pm local time (7am ET) without its creative director, who was fired on Thursday over a joke about the Holocaust he made in 1998 that was captured on camera. The event will be held mostly without spectators to prevent the spread of infections, although some officials, guests, and media will be allowed to attend. It will be replayed in the U.S. at 7.30pm ET.
Meanwhile, Team USA has had a mixed start to their Olympic Games, with a loss in the opening women’s football match against Sweden but confident wins in women’s softball against Italy and Canada. A video posted online by the group shows Simone Biles practicing her stunning gymnastic skills before her first performance on Sunday. Today, equestrian events, archery, rowing, and shooting feature before their medal events from Saturday.
Follow the Newsweek live blog for the latest Tokyo 2020 news.
What happens at the Olympic Games opening ceremony?
According to the official Olympics website, the ceremony will take place as follows:
- Entrance of host country head of state
- National anthem of host country
- Parade by the participants
- Symbolic release of doves
- Opening of the Games by host country head of state
- Olympic anthem played as Olympic flag brought into stadium and hoisted
- Olympic oath taken by athlete
- Olympic oath taken by official
- Olympic oath taken by coach
- Final leg of the Olympic torch relay and lighting of cauldron
- Artistic program
The artistic pieces are set to be reflective and sobering this year, according to organizers, with the ceremony’s creative team focused on a theme of “Moving Forward”. It is expected to heavily feature references to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Final preparations are underway hours before the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony.
Taking place from 7.55pm-12am local time (6.55-11am ET), it will be a subdued event with no spectators except officials, a select few guests and the media.
Stick with Newsweek’s live blog for all the latest.
