The Reason For Not Attending The Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony, Badminton Player Anthony Ginting: I Have To Focus On Sunday's Match

Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Photo: PBSI)

JAKARTA - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which have been delayed for a year, are finally officially rolling. This was marked by the opening ceremony which was held on Friday, July 23 evening at the Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan.

Carrying the theme United by Emotion, the opening ceremony was held without an audience with restrictions on invited guests due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the Indonesian men's singles badminton player, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting only watched the opening ceremony from his mobile phone screen. Why?

"Participating in the Indonesian team parade there will be a pleasant experience. But I have to focus on the game the day after tomorrow (Sunday)," said Ginting as quoted from the official PBSI website.

Ginting is scheduled to compete at Musashino Forest Sport Plaza today at 11.20 WIB. Ginting is in Group J against Gergely Krausz of Hungary.

The Indonesian badminton team at the opening ceremony was represented by the Head of the Development and Achievement Division of PP PBSI, Rionny Mainaky. Apart from the limitation on the number of defile members, they also have to compete on Saturday and Sunday.

Nevertheless, Ginting expressed his opinion about the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.

"The opening ceremony was cool even though it was packaged in a simple way. Maybe if not the pandemic would have been more grand. It's a shame, but right now, everyone should be grateful." Ginting said.

"It can be held, the Olympics is already good. Now hopefully everything will be smooth and healthy until the end," he continued.

The other Indonesian contingent badminton schedules that will be held today are Gregoria Mariska Tunjung vs Thet Htar Thuzar at 08.00 and Praveen Jordan/Melati Daeva Oktavianti vs Mathias Christiansen/Alexandra Boje at 11.20.