Athletes from 207 countries will be present for the Parade of Nations, with the most prominent being those who bear the flag for each country and other contingent. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen will also be on hand.
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Although Rio 2016 is free of global political rancour – of the sorts that saw a boycott of the Moscow Olympics in 1980 – the spectre of a doping scandal haunts these Games.
Just hours ahead of the opening of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the leaders of three key organisations that will be at the Maracanã this evening met to celebrate the Olympic spirit on the host city’s iconic Ipanema beach. He joined the show by Skype to talk about what might transpire at Maracanã Stadium.
“The world is very tense and so is Brazil. The world is watching so we are here to denounce the coup”, said one demonstrator, Iraci Franca, 57.
Brazil football legend Pele will not light the Olympic cauldron at Friday’s opening ceremony in Rio.
The opening ceremony will be significantly cheaper than historically has been the case-the entire budget for the opening and closing ceremonies for both the Olympics and Paralympics is $55.9 million, less than half of what it had been originally.
The cauldron was designed by American sculptor Anthony Howe, who told The Associated Press he was inspired by life in the tropics.
Brazilian media are tipping sailing great Torben Grael and three-time French Open victor Gustavo Kuerten as potential candidates to light the cauldron in Pele’s absence.
In all, 4,800 performers and volunteers will be involved in the show created to showcase Brazil as a garden of the world.
She is charged with breaking budgetary laws and looks certain to be thrown out of office by the Senate in the next few weeks at the end of an impeachment process that she says has been manipulated by Brazil’s right, calling Temer the chief “conspirator”. “Brazil is not a grand nation”. Athletes who have matches tomorrow, we have allowed them rest.
Efimova’s name is now missing from the starting list for the 100 metres breaststroke, whose heats take place on Sunday, and Wednesday’s 200m, the event in which she won an Olympic bronze medal in London in 2012. NBC will air the ceremonies at staggered times: East Coast starting at 7:30 p.m., Central at 6:30 p.m. then 6:30 p.m. Mountain time and 7:30 p.m.
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The honor of declaring the games open will fall to Michel Temer, Brazil’s unpopular interim president, standing in for suspended President Dilma Rousseff. Rio is one hour later than Eastern time. Rousseff’s impeachment trial is expected to end after the Olympics ends on August 21, which leaves the country with two presidents until then.
