Paris Olympics Conclude in Spectacular Fashion Bringing Hope and Joy in Dark Time Reflect Ian Herbrt

The stadium illuminated by such brilliance these past weeks was cast into darkness as the Olympics closing ceremony’s theatrical element began last night. There was something very poignant about that.
These Games are over and there is, once again, no counterpoint to the infernal gloom of the daily news narrative. Raids are awaited imminently on Palestinian lands where Hamas fighters are said to be sheltering. Britain, shaken by days of rioting, is holding its breath. No-one pretends that sport shifts that narrative, though for a few weeks there have been a few shards of light.
Even the British Olympic Association’s chief executive Andy Anson – not a man for vague pronouncements - posited the notion here yesterday that the British athletes’ achievements can actually help salve the divides back at home.
The mere process of staging Olympic ceremonies like this one can be treacherous in our divided times. Thomas Jolly, the French theatre director, received death threats after one of the many dance routines in the opening ceremony - which he orchestrated - was not received as he had intended and caused mortal offence.
The bigger challenge last night was clearing Olympic athletes off the stage after they got carried away with instructions to run onto the area in front of it, as a metaphor for them ‘taking possession of the world and its oceans.’ Hundreds gathered around iconic French band Pheonix, who were performing, and it took security guards ten minutes to clear them.