American TV viewers used social media on Friday to vent their anger at US broadcaster NBC for delaying the screening of the opening ceremony of the Rio Games by an hour and then going to repeated commercial breaks during the show.
Advertisement
Thousands in the stadium and millions more through television saw the South American nation proudly showcase its traditions and environmental wonders before athletes from 205 nations and territories march behind their flags during Opening Ceremony at the Rio Olympics.
NBC will broadcast the ceremony on a one-hour tape delay to the Eastern and Central time zones, with the network aiming to provide context to the events on the ground in Rio.
A military ship makes its way by Olympic rings placed at the Copacabana beach volleyball arena prior to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016.
Temer took over from Dilma Rousseff in May, after she was suspended through a controversial impeachment process. Also participating for the first time is the 10-member Refugee Olympic Team comprising refugees from Syria, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Congo.
Prior to the 11,000-plus athletes parading into the stadium, it was revealed each of them would plant a seed that would form a forest at Radical Park in Deodoro, containing a different species for each of the 207 competing nations. For most people who watch, if they get a taste of that, I think they’ll be happy.
USA swimmer Michael Phelps is the best-known Olympian in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
There will be a large void to fill without Brazil’s most famous athlete.
Organisers have kept light-tipped about the details of the ceremony and had not confirmed whether Pele would take part, repeatedly refusing to comment on who might light the cauldron – the symbol of the Games that remains lit until the closing ceremony.
The Rio Opening Ceremony is being spearheaded by the Brazilian film director Fernando Meirelles, who was Oscar nominated for his astonishing 2002 movie City Of God.
As A-listers and other celebrities swamped the Maracana for the opening ceremony, which celebrated the culture of favelas, slum dwellers looked on less than 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) away at the lights coloring the night sky.
There was no Pele – the Brazilian football legend’s ill health prevented him from lighting the Olympic flame – but the show went on. “It is not a good message for the world”.
Advertisement
This report includes material from the Associated Press.
