Rio Olympics opens with colourful ceremony

The 31st Olympics, the first to be held in South America and only the third to take place in the southern hemisphere, formally opened on Friday with a colourful ceremony, dedicated to history and the Earth and depicting Brazil's vibrantly diverse culture, at the Macarana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The huge statue of Christ the Redeemer, that dominates the skyline of the Brazilian capital and where the Olympic torch was lit at dawn, was specially lit up ahead of the opening ceremony starting at 8 p.m. local time (4.30 a.m. IST). However, legendary footballer Pele, who was widely expected to light the Olympic cauldron, pulled out a few hours before due to ill-health.