By Our Correspondent

The 27th Olympic Games began in the Australian capital Friday amidst a sizzling opening ceremony where more than 11,000 athletes from 199 countries marched past with hopes of winning a medal or breaking a world record.

Representing Nepal, five athletes and accompanying officials dressed in the traditional daura suruwal and sari marched into Sydney’s Stadium Australia behind the Nepalese flag, to the cheers of HRH Crown Prince Dipendra and a crowd that packed the arena.

The grand opening ceremony began with the lighting of the Olympic flame by Aboriginal runner Cathy Freeman, 27, Australia’s gold medal hope in the 400m and 200 m.

The Olympic flame had arrived after a 100-day journey across the world and will be lit for the next two weeks. According to the media, the Olympic opening ceremony bonanza set a new standard.

It was a three-hour celebration of Australian culture and history without the stereotypes, no kangaroos or koalas in sight. With a massive 12,694 performers, a symphony orchestra, a huge array of props, horses, not to mention the superstars, it was the biggest ever.

The glitter that awaited the Nepalese team in Sydney was, however, overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the entourage before their departure.

Unlike on previous occasions, there was no warm farewell on Monday for the Nepalese delegates. The officials accompanying the athletes boarded the plane separately, almost in secrecy, should they have to face the press.

It is customary of the Nepalese to bid farewell to those going abroad by garlanding and putting a tika on the forehead. But the officials failed to turn up for the occasion at the airport.

Nepal is fielding just five athletes in three disciplines, but they are accompanied by 16 officials some with their wives.

Just days before leaving, the athletes at a press meet also slammed the officials for the meagre daily allowances. The athletes were to get only US$ 8 a day, while high-ranking officials were pocketing US$ 100 a day. Other officials were to receive US$ 22.50.

The National Sports Council employees were planning to stop the Nepalese delegates from flying to Sydney to press for their salaries which have not been paid for the past three months. But member secretary of the NSC and chef-de-mission of the Nepalese Sydney Olympic team had stopped them from doing so, assuring them that they would receive their salaries for Dasain.

Nepal is fielding the Olympic squad at a cost of Rs. 5 million.

The NOC had never informed the press regarding the training and progress activities of the Nepalese players.

The squad does not include a journalist.

Controversies are nothing new to Nepal’s sporting bodies. But the present controversy where officials and athletes part ways even before boarding the plane to the Games is unpreced