Chasing Gold: Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony is nearly here but not without controversy, COVID-19
Let the 2022 Olympic Winter Games begin!
It may seem like we just experienced the Olympics. Less than six months after the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics concluded, we are again ready to rep Team USA in Beijing. And what's more patriotic than the opening ceremony, where athletes will march into Beijing's National Stadium during the "Parade of Nations" in red, white and blue?
If you want to tune in, I got you covered with everything you'll need to know. (I'm Cydney, by the way. Nice to meet you!) Coverage of the opening ceremony begins Friday at 6:30 a.m. ET on NBC.
For anyone who isn't an early bird, catch a primetime rerun on NBC, Friday at 8 p.m. ET. As for cord cutters? You can stream the opening ceremony on NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Sports app, Peacock and FuboTV. The options are limitless.
2022 WINTER OLYMPICS: How to watch opening ceremony of the Beijing Games
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The action begins: Although Friday's opening ceremony marks the ceremonial start of the Beijing Games, competition is already underway. The U.S. women's hockey team won its opener against Finland, 5-2, despite losing assistant captain Brianna Decker within the first 10 minutes.
Beijing Games are not without controversy: IOC president Thomas Bach dismissed China's treatment of its Uyghur population, which led the Biden administration to a "diplomatic boycott" over China's human rights abuses. Bach also said he plans to meet Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who disappeared from public view after accusing a high-ranking official in the Communist Party of sexual assault.
Then there's COVID-19. Paste BN Sports columnist Dan Wolken described the so-called "Closed Loop" system at the Winter Olympics as "weird."
Team USA flag bearers: Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor and curler John Shuster were chosen by their U.S. teammates to be flag bearers during the opening ceremony, but speed skater Brittany Bowe will walk for Meyers Taylor, who's in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.
Meyers Taylor, a three-time Olympic medalist, needs to produce consecutive negative tests within a 24-hour span in order to be released from isolation and compete. She told Paste BN Sports on Thursday night that she has had one negative COVID test so far.
GET TO KNOW: Elana Meyers Taylor, Team USA bobsled star at Beijing Games
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