Notes

Winter Olympics end in controversy, as IOC praises athletes’ ‘solidarity and peace’
The closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics took place on Sunday night in Beijing, bringing the games to an official shut — although the controversy surrounding them is way from over.
Norway completed first overall with a complete of 37 medals, Germany got here in second, raking up 27 medals, followed by the United States with 25 medals in total.
Meanwhile, host nation China gained 9 gold medals, edging out its main rival the US and securing the third spot in official Olympic medal rankings.
Germany came in second with 12 gold medals, and Norway finished first, topping the Olympic podium sixteen times for the rationale that games started on Feb. 4.
The closing ceremony happened at the National Stadium, generally recognized as the Bird’s Nest, residence to so many iconic sporting scenes in 2008’s Beijing Summer Olympics.
The ceremony started with the entrance of the International Olympic Committee members and Chinese chief Xi Jinpin and his entourage.
IOC President Thomas Bach received nearer to Xi than perhaps another Western leader prior to now two years, as the two stopped about 12 feet away from one another and waved awkwardly.
Then there was the triumphant entry of the athletes, followed by a medals award ceremony for the winners from the ultimate day of competitors, and a video montage of highlights from the video games.
Entertainment included a red scarfed children’s choir, and an Italian flag elevating ceremony with an unique efficiency of the national anthem by singer Malika Ayane, accompanied by an enthusiastic violinist.
Then, standing at a white podium beneath an enormous glowing snowflake within the heart of the stadium, Bach began his closing speech with, “Xiexie, Zhongguo” (Thank you, China).
Speaking to the athletes, the IOC president and former Olympian spoke of the Olympic spirit, which has the facility to unite people of all nations, despite ongoing conflicts among countries.
“We are all equal, no matter what we look like, the place we come from or what we imagine. This unifying energy of the Olympic Games is stronger than the forces that wants to divide us. You give peace a chance.
“May the political leaders all over the world be inspired by your instance of solidarity and peace.”

A considerably complicated moment completed, as two kids rolled out a big globe, which they hugged on top of a projection of cracking ice, with the slogan, “DUALITY, TOGETHER” (whatever that means), and the large snowflake hanging above them.
The odd display was adopted by some more (real) Italian leisure — a contemporary dance carried out beneath the glowing snowflake on a projected winter landscape.
As the Olympic torch was solemnly extinguished, the expected fireworks show lit up the stadium, with the pyrotechnic spectacle studying, “ONE WORLD, ONE FAMILY” above the Bird’s Nest and a simulation of purple snowflakes floating out of the stadium and into the night time sky — for TV audiences solely, little doubt.
Although the Olympic flame has been extinguished in Beijing, the controversy surrounding the video games will proceed, as spectators throughout the globe debate who are the actual winners and losers on the world’s largest stage.
The video games drew significant criticism from the international community over China’s human rights document, with a gaggle of Western and Asian-Pacific nations staging a diplomatic boycott, including the US, the UK, Canada, India, Australia and a quantity of other different European nations.
This year’s winter games highlighted the US-China rivalry, whereas also shining the spotlight on Russia’s continued doping offenses, together with of kid athletes.

Notably, ผลไม้อบแห้ง -born freestyle skier Eileen Gu competed for China, successful gold in each the Big Air and Halfpipe events, sparking intense debate about her nationality and allegiance.
Competing for the US, Chinese-American Nathan Chen received gold for within the mens singles occasion.
Meanwhile, Russian teen determine skating prodigy Kamila Valieva was allowed to continue competing after it emerged that a blood pattern examined constructive for at least one banned substance, including a performance enhancing heart treatment.
This year’s winter games additionally saw record low audiences in the US, as tv networks cited strong anti-China sentiment, flamed by two years of pandemic, in addition to the widespread criticism of China’s treatment of the Uyghur folks in Xinjiang.
The Paralympic Winter Games will happen on March 4-13 in Beijing..
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