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Olympic flame ignition ceremony for Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in ancient Olympia
Photo:
Giannis Spyrounis / Ilialive / imago images / ANE Edition
The Olympic flame was solemnly lit 109 days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (February 4 to 20, 2022).
The traditional ceremony in ancient Olympia took place in camera due to the corona restrictions - but was not free from disturbances: Protestants displayed a Tibetan flag on the sidelines of the ceremony.
As photos further show, other activists held a banner that read "No Genocide Games" ("no genocide games").
Law enforcement officers suppressed the protest, which was not shown on the TV cameras of the International Olympic Committee.
In the presence of IOC President Thomas Bach, the Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and a small delegation from China, Greece and the IOC, a priestess embodied by the actress Xanthi Georgiou lit the flame according to the old custom in the Temple of Hera using a parabolic mirror at 11.09 a.m. CEST .
The first bearer of the 82 centimeter high torch was ski racer Giannis Antoniou, who participated in the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.
The design of the torch is deliberately based on that of the 2008 Summer Games, which also took place in Beijing.
The Chinese capital is the first to host summer and winter games.
"In this world, which is drifting further and further apart, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the whole world together in peaceful competition," said Bach in his speech and thanked the organizers in Beijing in advance "for the excellent preparation of these games .
We can be sure that our partners and friends will offer outstanding winter games «.
China is accused of numerous human rights abuses
The torch will spend the night on the Acropolis before being flown to China on Tuesday after a brief delivery ceremony.
On Sunday, Tibetan activists protested the controversial games in Beijing on the Acropolis, and three of them were arrested.
More protests are likely to follow: China is accused of numerous human rights violations.
Traditionally, the flame travels hundreds of kilometers in Greece, passing around 50 cities and archaeological sites.
This is no longer applicable this year after numerous people lined the route at the Tokyo 2020 torch relay, contrary to warnings.
ara / sid
