Overnight ratings for the four-hour-plus broadcast came averaged a 16.5, the lowest rating for an Opening Ceremony since the 1992 Barcelona games, also broadcast on NBC.
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Rio de Janeiro, Aug 6 (IBNS) With a glittering and grand ceremony, the 31st Olympics officially commenced in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro city on Friday as athletes from across the world geared up to fight and clinch medal and glory for their nations. The highlight of the night – and a part that took up the most time – was the Parade of Nations featuring 208 countries plus, for the first time ever, one refugee team. The Refugee Olympic Team ovation was loud, but no match for the deafening roar as Brazil emerged from the tunnel.
Security concerns jumped last month after Brazilian police, acting on a tip from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, detained 12 people on suspicion of links to the Islamic State militant group.
2016 Rio Olympics – Opening ceremony – Maracana – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 05/08/2016.
Rio’s Olympics are costing almost $12 billion but critics argue even legacy projects like a new metro line, bus highways and massive real estate developments have done little to improve the lives of the city’s marginalized.
NBC began its telecasting of the festivities an hour after they begin in Rio on Friday night.
Temer took over following the suspension in May of President Dilma Rousseff on impeachment charges.
After the grandeur of Beijing’s opening ceremony and the high-tech, cheeky inventiveness of London’s, Rio’s was earthier and less swish but more sobering with its gloomy environmental look at the future and deliberate penny-pinching.
Those participating in the protests criticized the Rio Olympics as being out of touch with local residents and said the Games should not be held, while some burned the Brazilian and Olympic flags.
“The world is very tense and so is Brazil”.
Yet, as the Opening Ceremony threatened to linger in a somber mood, no such hardships could keep the celebration down for long.
Legendary Kenyan distance runner Kip Keino delivered an impassioned speech as the first-ever recipient of the Olympic Laurel and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach also spoke with distinction.
The creative minds behind the opening ceremony were determined to put on a show that would not offend a country in dire economic straits but would showcase the famously upbeat nature of Brazilians.
The Portuguese bobbed to shore in boats, the African slaves rolled in on wheels and together they plowed through the forests and planted the seeds of modern Brazil.
“They’re talking about slavery?”
“This is a conquest”.
Before the entry of a few thousand of the 11,000 athletes that will be competing in the Games, the playful rhythms of the ceremony gave way to a sober message about climate change and rampant deforestation of the Amazon.
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Brazilian marathoner Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima lit the cauldron to cap the ceremony.
