For the last 17 days, the Rio Olympics has captured the attention of millions around the world and has been at the top of many of the world's headlines. There have been stories that inspired, stunned and confused people around the world. Here is a wrap up of some of the major headlines from the games of the XXXI Olympiad:
Opening Ceremony
The Games started off with a dazzling opening ceremony that entertained billions of people around the world. The ceremony included the traditions like the Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron along with celebrations of the host nation, Brazil. There was also an emphasis on preservation of the environment, and in a show of support for the environment, each athlete was given a seed to be planted in Rio after the Olympics are over. Every Olympics the opening ceremony shows how the world can come together to celebrate.
North and South Korean Gymnasts Take Selfie Together
Lee Eun-ju of South Korea and Hong Un-jong of North Korea made headlines for their smiling selfie together, even though their nations are still technically at war with each other. These gymnasts show how even though your nations may have tension between them, the Olympics are still a time for the world to come together to compete.
Egyptian Athlete Refuses to Shake Israeli's Hand
After losing his judo match, Egyptian Islam El Shehaby refused to shake the hand of his Israeli competitor, Or Sasson. El Shehaby said that he did not want to shake the hand of his competitor and he said that he was not required to by the rules of Judo. El Shabby was sent home by his team for the refusal to shake hands. The International Olympic Committee said that El Shehaby did break the Olympics' rules for fair play by refusing to shake hands. Even though the Olympics are a time for countries to come together in the celebration of sport, tensions can still make their way into the games.
Ryan Lochte Caught in a Lie
The U.S. Olympic swimmer grabbed headlines for a string of lies after a wild night out with his teammates. In an interview with the Today Show, Lochte said that he was robbed by man posing as police officer at a gas station in Rio. Lochte said that the man "cocked his gun" and put the gun to Lochte's forehead demanding money. Police in Rio said that that was not the case and said that the Olympians were being held by security after vandalizing the gas station. Lochte then did an interview with Matt Lauer to clear up the events of that night and apologized for his actions. It will be interesting to see how this will impact the rest of Lochte's teammates and their careers, whereas Lochte himself has less to lose as Rio was his last Olympic run.
The Olympics were an incredible two and a half weeks filled with accomplishment, celebration and a bit of controversy. The Olympics are an amazing time for the world to celebrate the accomplishments of their greatest athletes. Now the waiting begins for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Peyongchang, South Korea and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
