Amid pomp and protest, the limping Olympiad takes off
For three hours the capacity crowd of 103,000 at Moscow's Lenin Stadium gazed in wonder at the gorgeous pageantry: a replica of a Greek chariot circling the track, dance troupes, precision ribbon twirlers, and a torchbearer who reached the top of the stadium by climbing a human staircase formed by some 500 soldiers holding wooden panels above their heads with the aid of sturdy braces. There was even a flash-card crew of 2,000 soldiers spelling out slogans like O SPORT, YOU ARE PEACE, HAPPINESS, JOY....
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