The 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games did not start off without a hitch. Most tragically, a Georgian Olympian luger died on a training run on the day of the opening ceremonies, but steroid disqualifications and opening ceremony mishaps also made headlines.
Still, as tens of thousands gathered in Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium for the first-ever indoor opening ceremony to the games on Friday, Canada strived to turn the focus to the athletes and the country of Canada itself. The ceremony emphasized the aboriginal peoples of Canada and the country’s culture and geography.
Canadian musical artists Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan and K.D. Lang all performed at the opening, the latter singing Canadian native Leonard Cohen’s beloved “Hallelujah.”
Above all, performers emphasized that Canada is a country where “we do more than sit around and say “eh?'” as slam poet Shane Koyczan put it in his opening ceremony piece.
The ceremony was dedicated to the memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian luger who had perished earlier that day. He was 21.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Kumaritashvili received a long moment of silence, and when the Georgian flag-bearer came around in the parade of athletes, there was a standing ovation in the fallen Georgian’s honor.
Some students wondered if this tragedy would cast a pall over the rest of the games.
“For any of those types of events, especially in the commentary, the talk is going to be about how dangerous they are,” said School of Management sophomore Drew Egan.
Egan predicted that the focus of the Olympics would remain on these risks rather than the competitions.
Others disagreed.
“I think it sets a melancholy tone,” said SMG freshman Lauren Hom. “However, overall it won’t damper the celebration,” she added, mentioning the positive contribution the Winter Games may have to the Canadian economy.
Other events also threatened to overshadow the games. Svetlana Terenteva, a female Russian hockey player tested positive for a stimulant in the first doping violation of the game. She said that it was from a cold medication she took the month prior, and though she was reprimanded, she escaped an outright ban.
Officials at the International Olympics Committee said it will be conducting around 2,000 drug tests this year, more than ever before.
“Back in the old days &- when I was a kid &- the Olympics were about bringing together all countries for the sake of competition,” said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Matthew Ng. “Steroids kind of overshadow the original spirit of the Olympics.”
The opening ceremony was not without technical difficulties. In the traditional torch-lighting ceremony, the torches themselves were supposed to rise up from the floor to meet the four Canadian athletes &- Steve Nash, Wayne Gretzky, Catriona Le May Doan and Nancy Greene &- who would together light the main Olympic cauldron.
However, the torches didn’t rise from the floor for several minutes, and when they finally emerged only three were released. Still, the athletes continued, the show went on, and the cauldron was lit.
Most students said they didn’t consider this a huge mishap.
“It happens,” said CAS sophomore J.D. Roger. “I work in theater and I’m sure people were scrambling to find out what was wrong. But s— happens, you know.”
“I don’t think it’s embarrassing,” said Egan. “If the rest of the Olympics are good, people will forget about it.”
But despite mishaps minor and disastrous, many students said they are looking forward to the games.
Ng for example said he is most excited about seeing former Boston University hockey player Chris Drury compete for Team U.S.A. Roger said he will be watching the biathlon, men’s ice hockey, downhill skiing and ski jumping.
