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East Timor team makes Games history
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- A team of athletes from East Timor took part in the Opening Ceremonies for the first time in Olympic history on Friday, entering Stadium Australia just ahead of the host nation at the Sydney Games. The four team members will compete as independent athletes at the Games, although East Timor gained independence from Indonesia last year, their homeland does not yet have an elected government or a national Olympic committee. The athletes -- two marathon runners, a boxer and a weightlifter -- danced with joy around the athletics track in white track suits, waving to all sides of the stadium. Their appearance marks only the second time that a team of independent athletes has taken part in the Olympic Games. A squad of Yugoslavs was the first in 1992. East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, was invaded by Indonesia in 1975. It was left in ruins by pro-Indonesian militias after voting for independence in August last year.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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