Rio 2016 opening ceremony as it happened: Brazil make carnival from chaos in front of the world
Relive the ceremony as millions around tuned in to watch the opening ceremony in Rio
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Your support makes all the difference.Welcome to The Independent's coverage of Rio 2016 as the sport finally takes over from the simmering political and social unrest to have blighted the organisation of the Olympics this summer.
- Can the carnival overcome the chaos?
- Everything you need to know about Rio 2016 on TV
- Best and bizarre things to look for at opening ceremony
- Now the games have begun, it's time to see the best of Rio
- Pele to miss opening ceremony due to ill health
- Team GB swimming kit 'goes missing'
- Moroccan boxer arrested for rape on eve of Rio
Follow the latest from Rio below...
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The Maracana Stadium hosts the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games as Brazil looks to put the doom and gloom of the past few weeks behind it and raise the curtain on what will be 17 days of the best the South American nation has to offer. But what will it offer?
Any Olympic ceremony often indicates what is to come over the ensuing fortnight of action, with London’s grand opening a sign of things to come as the capital staged a memorable Olympic Games.
While the build-up to Rio has been blighted by fears over the Zika virus, concerns over health and safety and shock at the extreme poverty that the less fortunate experience in Rio de Janeiro, Friday signals a chance to put that all to one side and showcase the city in its finest light.
We already know that the ceremony will not be as flash as London, or even on the same scale as 2012, given that the money spent on it is around a tenth of the £27m spent four years ago.
Film director Fernando Meirelles, famous for his City of God, will coordinate the opening ceremony and explained that he could not justify spending a similar amount to the London showcase given the level of poverty in his home country. But while the ceremony is set to show the best of Brazil, there could be a few bizarre stop-offs along the way.
It's all kicking off in the wrestling arena. Uzbekistan’s Ikhtiyor Navruzov was awarded bronze in the -65kg freelance wrestling in controversial circumstances, after Mongolia’s Mandakhnaran Ganzorig was slapped with a late penalty.
But things took a turn for the worse when Ganzorig's support staff remonstrated. And then stripped. Yes, stripped. Half-naked, they refused to be moved from the ring as they protested the officials' decision. That's a strop on an absolute Olympian scale...Nonetheless, the decision remained the same. Worth a shot.
Gaibnazarov is awarded the light welterweight gold medal match against Lorenzo Sotomayor Collazo on a split decision. Up next, the moment we've all been waiting for. Big Joe Joyce...
Men's super-heavyweight: We've been building up to this all night. Will Joyce be able to overcome the Frenchman? Or will it be gold France? I'm not a betting man, but I reckon Joyce has got this one in the bag.
Men's basketball: The USA (who else?) win the last gold medal of the Rio Olympics, beating Serbia 96-66 in the men's basketball final. They've finished with 45 golds, 37 silvers and 38 bronzes to give an overall total of 120 medals.
Throwback to London 2012 when One Direction ruined/capped off (delete according to preference) our very own closing ceremony at the Olympic stadium:
As it's been for much of the Games, there are yet again a disappointing amount of empty seats at the Maracana. The stadium was packed to the rafters for Brazil's gold medal match against Germany yesterday evening (not surprising) but the lower tiers are looking particularly sparse tonight. It's been a constant source of embarrassment for the officials but it's something that they've lacked any real control over.
It looks like the athletes have finally all made their way into the stadium. Now the real fun can start. Someone get the caipirinhas ready.
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