Japan anti-Olympics protesters march against closing ceremony

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Anti-Olympic protestors during the Tokyo 2020 closing ceremony. (ANJ)
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Anti-Olympics protestor holds a placard during the fireworks displayed at the closing ceremony. The placard says: “I don't like medals that lack fairness. Not happy to beat a person under bad conditions.” (ANJ photo)
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Anti-Olympic protestors during the Tokyo 2020 closing ceremony. (ANJ)
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Anti-Olympic protestors during the Tokyo 2020 closing ceremony. (ANJ)
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Anti-Olympic protestors are blocked by Japanese police from approaching the stadium when the Tokyo 2020 closing ceremony is being held. (ANJ / Pierre Boutier)
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Updated 08 August 2021
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Japan anti-Olympics protesters march against closing ceremony

TOKYO: Hundreds of anti-Olympics activists gathered near the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo to express their opposition to the games even during the closing ceremony attended by Japan’s crown prince, prime minister and IOC president.

The protesters flocked to the stadium even before the ceremony began at 8 p.m. They also approached the nearby Japan Olympic Committee building holding placards demanding the cancellation of Japan’s Olympics.

Anti-riot police were dispatched to the area to keep the demonstrators at bay.

Some demonstrators blamed the Olympics for the recent surge of coronavirus cases in Japan and Tokyo, with numbers surpassing the 10,000 per day mark. Some Tokyo hospitals have announced that they are at maximum capacity due to critical COVID-19 cases.

However, the Japanese government, IOC and some experts have said that there was “no evidence” that the Olympics led to the surge.

Buses taking the athletes and Olympic teams to the closing ceremony passed the streets near the stadium through cheers and protests.


Dubai Basketball with statement win in Paris

Updated 23 January 2026
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Dubai Basketball with statement win in Paris

  • A dominant 99-79 win sealed a strong 3-match stint on the road

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball capped off a demanding three-game road stretch in emphatic fashion, delivering a dominant 99-79 victory over Paris Basketball in Round 24 of the EuroLeague last night. The win marked Dubai’s second victory from three away fixtures across EuroLeague and ABA League play, while also preserving the club’s unbeaten record in the ABA League.

Facing Paris at Adidas Arena, Dubai produced one of its most complete performances of the season. From the opening minutes, the visitors imposed their authority at both ends of the floor, controlling tempo, disrupting Paris offensively, and steadily extending their advantage as the game progressed. The victory improved Dubai Basketball’s EuroLeague record to 11–13.

The Paris result followed a narrow EuroLeague defeat just days earlier in Barcelona, where Dubai pushed one of Europe’s elite sides to the final seconds in a thrilling 91:89 loss at Palau Blaugrana. Despite trailing entering the fourth quarter, Dubai mounted a remarkable comeback to level the game late, showcasing resilience in a hostile environment. McKinley Wright IV delivered a career-high 29 points in that contest, while the game also marked the EuroLeague return of Dzanan Musa following injury.

Dubai’s road trip began on Jan. 17 with a commanding 110-93 win over U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Round 15 of the ABA League. In front of a packed arena, Dubai pulled away late to secure the victory and maintain a perfect league record. Kabengele and Wright led the scoring with 24 points apiece, while Musa made a timely impact in the fourth quarter during his return from a three-month absence.

Across three challenging away fixtures in six days, Dubai Basketball claimed two road victories, remained unbeaten in ABA League competition, and reinforced its ability to compete consistently across multiple fronts, closing the stretch with a statement performance in Paris that highlighted the team’s growing presence on the European stage.

On Jan. 26, the team will take on Serbian side FMP in front of home fans at Coca-Cola Arena as their “invincible” attempt continues with a 13-0 run.