Finally, the day has arrived after a year’s delay in Tokyo, Japan, where the Olympics opening ceremony is all set to kick start today. Due to the global pandemic Tokyo Olympics which was scheduled for last year has been scheduled now following all the required COVID protocols. The opening ceremony of this mega sporting extravaganza will be broadcasted today on 23 July 2021. With billions of people around the world expecting to tune in to watch the proceedings at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium, this time it will be different, as there won’t be any spectators in the stands, all the scheduled games for the Tokyo Olympics will be held without any crowd participation.
Indian fans can watch the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony on TV and live streaming from 4:30 PM IST. The telecast will be live on the Sony TEN 2, Sony TEN 2 HD, Sony Six and Sony SIX HD TV channels in India. Sony TEN 3, Sony TEN 3 HD, Sony TEN 4 and Sony TEN 4 HD will broadcast Tokyo Olympics in regional languages. National broadcasters Doordarshan (DD Sports and DD National) will also simulcast the same.
Alongside cultural performances paying homage to the host nation, the Olympic Parade of Nations or march past, where contingents of every participating nation proudly display their flag, are highlights of the opening ceremony celebrations. This time India has two flag bearers for the opening ceremony. London Olympics bronze medallist MC Mary Kom and men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh will be the ones who will unfurl the tricolour at the opening ceremony of the much-awaited sporting competition. However, as confirmed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia has been chosen as the flag-bearer for the closing ceremony.
The Indian contingent for Tokyo Olympics will feature around 120 athletes, who will be competing for 85 medal positions. The competitors will be accompanied by 75 officials to Japan.
This time in the Tokyo Olympics the oath has been significantly adapted in order to highlight the importance of solidarity, inclusion, non-discrimination and equality. The number of oath-takers has also been extended from three to six – two athletes, two coaches and two judges. This is in line with the International Olympic Committee (IOC’s) and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee’s drive towards gender equality.
According to the Olympic channel, Tokyo Olympics has designed the opening ceremony around several themes, but they are all underpinned by the idea of the Games, thus bringing fresh hope and encouragement to people around the world both through the active appearance of athletes and through the power of sport.
Unlike the history of any other Olympic games, this time the games will take place in the phase of the global pandemic, which has ruined the world beyond anything we have ever faced. According to the Olympic channel, the Opening Ceremony, Tokyo 2020 hopes to reaffirm the role of sport and the value of the Olympic Games, to express gratitude and admiration for the efforts we all made together over the past year, and also to bring a sense of hope for the future.
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