A Winter Olympics that was farcical, disturbing and often exceptional

The soul-destroying story of the young Russian skater Kamila Valieva will stick in the memory for all the wrong reasons

At the end of a Winter Olympics like no other, moments before a furious barrage of fireworks tattooed the Beijing skyline, the president of the International Olympic Committee gave an extraordinarily upbeat assessment of these Games.

“The Olympic spirit could only shine so brightly, because the Chinese people set the stage in such an excellent way – and in a safe way,” Thomas Bach said. “The Olympic Villages were outstanding. The venues – magnificent. The organisation – extraordinary. On behalf of the best winter sport athletes of the world, I say: Thank you, our Chinese friends!”

Continue reading...

from The Guardian https://ift.tt/c4THprd
via
0 Comments