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Tokyo Olympics fires ceremony director over 1998 Holocaust Joke

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The Tokyo Olympics faced the latest in a series of PR disasters when they were forced to fire the director of the opening ceremony a day before it takes place, after a decades-old video emerged of him joking about the Holocaust.

The scandal is the latest blow in the run-up to the games, which are taking place under unprecedented circumstances, mostly without spectators and against the wishes of much of the Japanese public as virus cases rise in the capital.

“We have discovered that Kentaro Kobayashi in the past made fun of a painful part of history, so he has today been removed from his post,” Olympics chief Seiko Hashimoto told reporters Thursday. “We apologize deeply for the trouble and worry caused.”

A video shared on social media showed Kobayashi, when he was working as a comedian years ago, joking about the Holocaust as part of a skit. The Mainichi newspaper said the video dated to 1998. The Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a statement condemning his remarks as “malicious.”

“Any association of this person to the Tokyo Olympics would insult the memory of six million Jews,” it cited the center’s Associate Dean, Rabbi Abraham Cooper as saying.

Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu also condemned Kobayashi’s comments, calling them “deeply offensive and unacceptable,” in a statement. “Such remarks also go completely against the value of unity that the Olympic and Paralympic Games strive for, and against our goal of realizing a society where everyone can live in harmony.”

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With the director out at the last moment, Hashimoto said it was unclear how the opening ceremony would be handled on Friday. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is scheduled to be at the event, alongside U.S. First Lady Jill Biden, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The latest debacle comes just days after a composer whose music was set to be used at the opening ceremony resigned following the emergence of past interviews in which he had talked about tormenting disabled classmates while at school.

Tokyo 2020’s branding as the “diversity” Olympics has been called into question several times. Hashimoto herself was appointed as head of the organizing committee after her predecessor, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, stepped down after making discriminatory remarks about women earlier this year.

A public opinion survey by Japanese broadcaster JNN on July 3-4 found 35% of respondents were in favor of a spectator-less Olympics, while 26% wanted to allow some fans, and 34% wanted to cancel the games or postpone them again.

The event is being held as Tokyo braces for what experts say may be the worst wave of Covid-19 infections so far.

Published : July 23, 2021

By : Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Isabel Reynolds

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Miyagi stadium welcomes Olympic spectators with restraints

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“It doesnt matter whether China or Brazil would win. I just want to feel the atmosphere of the Olympic Games,” said the 58-year-old Masayuki Hobo after making a two-hour drive from Fukushima to Miyagi to watch a womens football match of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Masayuki Hobo had to take a leave from work and made a two-hour drive from Fukushima to Miyagi to watch a women’s football match of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

What’s more, the match between China and Brazil did not involve his home team Japan. Still, the 58-year-old found it all worthy for the simple reason that the Miyagi Stadium, where the match took place, is one of the remaining few venues in the Tokyo Olympic Games that allow spectators while they are barred elsewhere.

“I am a lucky guy to be able to watch Olympics in a stadium. It’s really amazing,” he said as he was busy taking photos of the stadium, of the staff and of himself.

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Hobo admitted that the outcome of the match does not concern him. “It doesn’t matter whether China or Brazil would win. I just want to feel the atmosphere of the Olympic Games. Besides, I am confident that Japan will make the final four.”

However, the “lucky” few like Hobo could not fully enjoy their privileges as they are bound by the restrictions set by the organizers to contain potential infections.

More than one hour away from kick-off, the large screen display of the stadium started playing reminders asking the fans always to wear a mask, clap but not sing and chant, keep physical distance, sanitize hands, among others.

As fans are not allowed to unleash their passions fully, the organizers tried to compensate with some technology elements like video animations and visual interactions.

When Chinese and Brazilian players entered the pitch for their pre-game warm-up, all the spectators rose and clapped. That came with chanting too – despite being pre-recorded sound effects – which brought back some recollection of how an Olympic match used to be.

Brazilian striker Marta said before the match that the presence of fans would be an extra motivation for her and her team. She made good use of that motivation in the match by scoring two goals to lead Brazil for the 5-0 victory over China and added a new record to her incredible career by becoming the first-ever footballer to score in five consecutive Olympic Games.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : xinhua

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Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony director steps down over past comments on Holocaust

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Tokyo 2020 Opening ceremony director Kentaro Kobayashi has been dismissed from his role after his past comments on the Holocaust resurfaced online.

Kentaro Kobayashi, the director of the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games, has been dismissed from his role after his past comments on the Holocaust resurfaced online.

The move was made by Tokyo 2020 organizers just one day ahead of the Games opening ceremony scheduled for Friday night.

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“We deeply apologize for any inconvenience brought to relevant stakeholders, Tokyo and Japanese people, as this incident took place prior to the opening ceremony,” read a statement from Tokyo Games organizers.

Kobayashi was found to have made a joke concerning the Holocaust in a comedy skit in 1998. As for corresponding adjustments toward the opening ceremony following Kobayashi’s dismissal, Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto told a press conference here on Thursday, “How we’re going to handle the ceremony is currently being discussed.”
 

Published : July 22, 2021

By : xinhua

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Thailand’s boxing team planning last-minute Olympic dash

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Thailand’s national boxing team have opted to train in Bangkok rather than Tokyo ahead of their bouts at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games.

Thitisan Panmode (men’s 52kg), Chatchai Butdee (men’s 57kg), Baison Maneekon (women’s 69kg) and Sudaporn Seesorndee (women 60kg) are honing their skills at the Athletes Village in the Thai capital before launching their medal campaigns from Saturday.

Somchai Poonsawat, technical chairman of the Thailand Boxing Association (TBA) many other countries had made the same arrangements for their boxing teams.

“We decided to organise training for our boxers at Athletes Village because the training area prepared by the country host is small, while we are worried about transportation there,” he said.

The Tokyo Games are taking place inside a bio-bubble of strict Covid-19 controls, with sealed accommodation and transport to venues in the Japanese capital.

Somchai is also concerned his boxers may be affected by fatigue after the long flight from Thailand to Japan.

The boxing competition will be a lottery for athletes, he added.

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Thailand’s boxing team planning last-minute Olympic dashHowever, two Thai boxers were handed a morale booster before jetting off for the Games. Sudaporn has been accepted by the Royal Thai Navy, while Chatchai will be promoted to the rank of commissioned officer in the Army.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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Thailand launches 3-pronged mission for gold at Tokyo Olympics

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Thailand is targeting at least one gold medal from taekwondo, badminton or golf as 41 Thai athletes carry the nation’s hopes into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which start on Friday under a COVID-19 “bubble”.

The Thai delegation of 15 male and 26 female athletes will maximise their efforts to bag the Bt12 million offered as incentive for a gold medal at the Games, postponed from last year due to the outbreak. But of all 15 disciplines that Thai athletes have qualified for this year, only three offer a potential gold medal for Thailand, according to Sports Authority of Thailand and Thai Chef de Mission Than Chaiprasit. The Kingdom’s heavy favourite for a podium-topping performance is world No 1 taekwondo exponent Panipak Wongpattanakit in the women’s 49kg. The 23-year-old from Surat Thani has won every other major event, including the 2015 and 2019 World Championships and two straight Grand Slam titles in 2018-19. After settling for bronze in the 2016 Games, she is determined to grab the elusive Olympic gold medal to fill the only gap in her trophy cabinet. The Sports Authority of Thailand is also eyeing glory in the badminton golf and competitions. After their hat-trick of wins in the Thailand Open I and II and the World Tour Finals in January, badminton mixed duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai are going for gold in Tokyo. The world No 2 pair have vowed publicly to achieve a breakthrough for Thai badminton at the Olympics after Boonsak Polsana came closest by finishing fourth at the 2004 Games. Meanwhile, women’s golf stars Ariya Jutanugarn and Patty Tavatanakit stand as Thailand’s other realistic hopes of a gold medal following their outstanding results this season. Former world No 1 Ariya triumphed twice, becoming the first Thai to win her home LPGA tournament in May before tasting victory alongside her sister Moriya at the LPGA Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Michigan last Saturday. Other potential Thai medallists are 2015 Asian Championship winner Chatchai Butdee in the men’s 57kg boxing, two-time women’s skeet World Cup winner Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit and Naphaswan Yangpaiboon, women’s 25m air pistol champion at the 2017 World Cup in Delhi. Dangled in front of Thai athletes as incentive bonuses of Bt12 million for gold, Bt7.2 million for silver and Bt4.8 for bronze. More than 11,000 athletes from over 200 countries will take part in the Games, with a total of 339 gold medals up for grabs. The USA, which topped the medal table in 2016, is sending the highest number of athletes, at 613, followed by Japan (552), Australia (476) and China (431). Friday’s opening ceremony will feature a march-past by only small groups of athletes from each country, in line with COVID-19 protocols. The Thai delegation in the Parade of Nations will be led by two flagbearers – sharpshooter Naphaswan and Savate Sresthaporn, men’s trap silver medallist at the 2019 World Cup. In an Olympic first, the Tokyo Games will be staged under strict COVID-19 controls. Athletes will be required to take a test every morning and remain in their bubbles, which include designated vehicles. They will have to wear face masks at all times and can be sent back to their country if they breach the rules. Information for Media The Media Press Centre for the Olympic Games Tokyo, located on the fourth floor of Sports Authority of Thailand headquarters, will provide information and news daily from 9.30am-5pm. Journalists who wish to use the centre must show proof at the door of a negative COVID-19 test result and vaccination with at least one dose of AstraZeneca or two dozes of Sinovac. The Media Press Centre can be contacted at 064-645-7629 or 084-2225-6642.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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IOC awards Brisbane the 2032 Summer Olympics under new selection process

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TOKYO – In a vote that formalized what had been known since February, the International Olympic Committee named Brisbane the host of the 2032 Summer Games, the third Olympics for Australia.

The next three Summer Games are now set: Paris will stage the Olympics in 2024 and Los Angeles will follow in 2028.

In a break from convention, the IOC targeted Brisbane as its “preferred choice” of host in February, affording the city exclusive negotiating rights. The traditional process was overhauled in 2019 in large part because of how costly and bloated it had become, alienating some cities from bidding.

In February, the IOC also said it identified Brisbane so far ahead of time “given the uncertainty the world is facing right now” amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“The legacy for our city is immense, the opportunity for our city is immense, but also the opportunity for the Olympic movement is significant,” Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner said in a news conference after the vote Wednesday. “We have a new model, which downsizes the budget for hosting the Olympics but supersizes the benefits. And this is very exciting, not just for Brisbane, but for other cities that hope in the future to host the Olympics and Paralympics.”

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Cities in Germany, Qatar and India, among others, also had expressed interest in hosting.

The capital of the northeastern state of Queensland, Brisbane has qualities that made it an early favorite: many existing venues, experience in hosting large-scale, international events, a favorable summer climate and strong backing from both the government and private sector.

While most events are expected to take place in Brisbane, some will be staged across Queensland including along the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, which hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“It’s something that our state and our city has always aspired to but we never thought that it was possible,” Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk said. “But under the Olympics’ new norm, we have over 80 percent of our venues, we have cooperation with all three levels of government and we have got agreements to do the infrastructure that is already needed for our city, which will compliment the Games. We’re a sports loving state, and this will give us, I believe, our golden age in Queensland.”

Australia will be the second country after the United States to host the Summer Games in three different cities.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : The Washington Post · Ava Wallace

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What to know about the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Tokyo

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The Tokyo Olympics get underway Friday with the Opening Ceremonies, the once-every-two-years display of pomp, circumstance, parades, oath-taking, flame-lighting and various cultural oddities.

While the International Olympic Committee sets a pretty strict format for these type of events, a few things will differentiate this year’s proceedings in Tokyo, most conspicuously that they will take place in an empty stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic and will begin three years after the previous Opening Ceremonies, at the PyeongChang Games.

Here’s what you can expect as the Tokyo Games finally get going.

– When are the Opening Ceremonies?

The Opening Ceremonies will take place at 7 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, July 23. Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast.

– How can I watch the Opening Ceremonies on television?

NBC will air the Opening Ceremonies live beginning at 6:55 a.m. Eastern on July 23. NBC also will air the Opening Ceremonies on tape delay in prime time starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, with a focus on Team USA, the parade of nations and the performances at the event.

– How can I watch the Opening Ceremonies on a streaming service?

The Opening Ceremonies will be streamed on the NBC Sports app and at NBCOlympics.com.

– How long are the Opening Ceremonies?

The event is scheduled to last four hours.

– Where are the Opening Ceremonies taking place?

The Opening Ceremonies will take place at Olympic Stadium, which opened last year and also will host the track and field competition and some soccer events.

– Will fans be allowed at the Opening Ceremonies?

No. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, fans will not be allowed at most Olympic events this year.

– What is included in the event?

The Opening Ceremonies’ contents are strictly laid out in the Olympic charter and annually include the entry of the host nation’s head of state and the playing of that country’s national anthem, the parade of athletes, the symbolic release of doves (real doves have not been released since an unfortunate incident at the 1988 Seoul Games involving the Olympic torch), the opening of the Games by the head of state (this year, it’s Japanese Emperor Naruhito), the taking of various oaths, and an artistic program.

– Who is performing at the Opening Ceremonies?

The exact list of performers has not been revealed.

“We’re hoping that there will still be that energy and excitement, but of course it will be different, just like everything post-pandemic has changed. But they still plan to put on a really big, beautiful, patriotic show,” said NBC personality Savannah Guthrie, who added that she has been “sworn to secrecy” about the performers involved.

On Tuesday, Japanese Olympic officials announced they are pulling a composition by composer Keigo Oyamada after 1990s interviews surfaced in which he admitted to bullying classmates. The composition by Oyamada, whose stage name is Cornelius, was to be used in both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

– How does the parade of nations work?

As is tradition, the Greek Olympic team will be the first to enter the stadium in the parade of nations, and host Japan will enter last. The order of countries will be based on the names of the nations in the Japanese language, going in alphabetical order.

This year, the Refugee Olympic Team – comprising refugees from several countries – will enter the stadium second, behind Greece.

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– When will the U.S. athletes enter?

The U.S. Olympic team will be the third-to-last group to enter the stadium, two spots ahead of Japan. This reflects the United States’ status as a future Olympic host (Los Angeles in 2028). France, host of the 2024 Games, will enter behind the United States, followed by Japan.

– Who are the U.S. flag bearers?

Starting this year, the IOC is allowing each nation to have two flag bearers, one man and one woman. The U.S. flag bearers will be Sue Bird (women’s basketball) and Eddy Alvarez (baseball, though he also won a silver medal in short-track speedskating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics).

Bird and Alvarez will be wearing a self-regulating cooling system that’s designed by Ralph Lauren and integrated into their Opening Ceremonies outfits. July temperatures in Tokyo regularly soar into the 90s.

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– Who are some notable international flag bearers?

Australia: Cate Campbell (women’s swimming) and Patty Mills (men’s basketball).

Brazil: Ketleyn Quadros (women’s judo) and Bruno Rezende (men’s volleyball).

Canada: Miranda Ayim (women’s basketball) and Nathan Hirayama (men’s rugby sevens).

India: Mary Kom (women’s boxing) and Mandeep Singh (men’s field hockey).

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Ireland: Kellie Harrington (women’s boxing) and Brendan Irvine (men’s boxing)

Japan: Yui Susaki (women’s wrestling) and Rui Hachimura (men’s basketball).

New Zealand: Sarah Hirini (women’s rugby sevens) Hamish Bond (men’s rowing).

Romania: Mădălina Bereș (women’s rowing) and Robert Glință (men’s swimming).

Russia: Sofya Velikaya (women’s fencing) and Maxim Mikhailov (men’s volleyball).

South Korea: Kim Yeon-Koung (women’s volleyball) and Hwang Sun-woo (men’s swimming)

– Who will light the Olympic cauldron?

Like many other details of the Opening Ceremonies, the identity of the person to light the Olympic flame has yet to be revealed. The duty traditionally has been performed by a person from the host nation, either an athlete or someone who personifies the Olympic ideal.

There will be two Olympic cauldrons this year, one at the Olympic Stadium that will be lit only during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and one in Japan’s waterfront district that will be lit for the entirety of the Games.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : The Washington Post · Matt Bonesteel

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Thailand MotoGP race cancelled for 2nd year in a row

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The Thailand MotoGP Grand Prix became the latest victim of Covid-19 on Wednesday when organisers cancelled the race for the second year running.

Round 16 of the world’s top motorcycle racing competition had been scheduled for Buri Ram’s Chang International Circuit on October 15-17. “Despite the best efforts of all parties involved, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions have obliged the cancellation of the event,” MotoGP said in a statement. Plans are in the pipeline for a replacement race, it added. This year’s Australian and Japanese MotoGP races were cancelled earlier.

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Published : July 21, 2021

By : The Nation

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Australian city of Brisbane wins right to host 2032 Summer Olympics

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The Olympics will return to Australia for the first time since 2000 after the Australian city of Brisbane won the right in a vote at the 138th session of the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday.

The Australian city of Brisbane won the right to host the 2032 Summer Olympics in a vote at the 138th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) here on Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremony of Tokyo 2020.

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Australia has already hosted the Olympics twice, in Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.

In 2017, the IOC awarded the 2024 Games to Paris and the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles.

In February 2021, the IOC said that Brisbane was the preferred candidate to host the 2032 Games.

However, Qatar reiterated its desire to host the 2032 Games despite the IOC handling the preferred tag to Brisbane.

On June 10, the IOC’s 15-strong executive board approved Brisbane as the single candidate for election.

Published : July 21, 2021

By : xinhua

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Sam-A Gaiyanghadao Breaks Down Upcoming Title Defense Against Prajanchai

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Reigning ONE Strawweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao is ready to put his Muay Thai belt on the line when he returns to the ONE Circle.

Sam-A is scheduled to face Thai phenom Prajanchai PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym in the main event of ONE: BATTLEGROUND, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on Friday, 30 July.

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Taking on a rising young star, Sam-A shared his thoughts on his next challenger.
 
“Prajanchai is the most dangerous contender in the strawweight [division] He is a well-rounded fighter. He is smart. He is skilled and experienced. This makes him the most dangerous contender in this weight class,” Sam-A told ONE Championship.
 
“His performance reminds me of Saenchai with the way he throws a weapon, his tricks, and so on. And Saenchai recently had trained with Prajanchai as well. Prajanchai learned and absorbed a lot from him.”
 
 
Sam-A is a living legend of the ‘art of eight limbs.’ One of the most dominant world champions in ONE Super Series, the Thai megastar exudes confidence ahead of another tough test.

One Championship

Analyzing the challenge that lies ahead, Sam-A broke down Prajanchai’s style and what makes him a legitimate threat to the strawweight Muay Thai throne. While Sam-A acknowledges Prajanchai’s skills, he doesn’t believe the 26-year-old has enough firepower to score an upset.
 
“As far as I see, his weapons are not that heavy, but he has combination attacks and he has speed. He is tricky, and he has many tactics. His strong points are his speed and his combination attacks, but speaking of his power, I will not count it in. His weapons are not heavy,” Sam-A said.
 
“The thing that I can use to defeat him are my weapons from the left side – the left punch and left kick – which brings me to success. Fighting with Thais, it’s not easy to knock them out because he is fast and he is skilled. It might be hard to do that. But if I have a chance, I will grab it.”
 
ONE: BATTLEGROUND marks ONE Championship’s much-anticipated return in the second half of 2021. In the co-main event, former two-division ONE World Champion Aung La N Sang takes on Leandro Ataides in a pivotal middleweight clash. Also seeing action are female atomweights Ritu Phogat and Victoria Lee who compete in separate bouts.
 

Sam A

Published : July 21, 2021

By : The Nation