Slimmed-down opening ceremony reflects pandemic-hit Tokyo Games

The Tokyo Olympics opened on Friday afternoon with a ceremony reflecting a Games like no other, walking a fine line between celebrating the feats of the world’s best athletes while acknowledging the global hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reported.

Postponed for a year, organisers were forced to take the unprecedented step of holding the Games without fans as the pandemic continues to take lives around the world.

Even the opening ceremony, normally a star-studded display teeming with celebrities, was attended by fewer than 1,000 people.

Regardless, it marks a coming together of the world, with an audience of hundreds of millions around the globe and at various stages of the pandemic expected to tune into together to watch the start of the greatest show in sport.

When Tokyo was picked as Games host in 2013, crowds screamed themselves hoarse with joy but in 2020 the coronavirus struck, with lockdowns forcing the unprecedented postponement only four months before the Games were supposed to open, while scandals and problems plagued preparations.

The opening took place without the usual mass choreography, huge props and the cornucopia of dancers, actors and lights associated with past celebrations.

A vastly smaller number of athletes also marched in the teams’ parade, with many planning to fly in just before their competitions and leave shortly after to avoid infections.

Only 15 global leaders are in attendance, along with Japanese Emperor Naruhito, who will formally open the Games as his grandfather Hirohito did in 1964, and U.S. First Lady Jill Biden.

The Games run until August 8.

About 11,000 athletes from 204 national Olympic committees are expected, including a team of refugee athletes. Afghanistan is represented by five athletes and another three Afghans are part of the refugee team.

Meanwhile, Dr Ehsanullah Bayat, Chairman of Afghan Wireless Communication Company, Ariana Television Network, Ariana News and Bayat Power, attended the opening ceremony in Tokyo as a special guest.