Week 10

Russia Banned From Winter Olympics by I.O.C.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Russia’s Olympic team has been barred from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The country’s government officials are forbidden to attend, its flag will not be displayed at the opening ceremony and its anthem will not sound.

 

This is the beginning of a New York Times article. I enjoyed the whole article, but I think this was a good beginning to the article because it gets straight to the point, it gives all of the most important information within the first paragraph or the lead, and it does a good job of catching your eye. For me, it caught my eye because I’m really into sports, but even more so because it has to do with something international that effects a lot of people around the world. Russia being banned from the Olympics is a big deal. I’m not sure if it has ever happened before, but getting banned from something like that would have to have been caused from something big.

The lead is great though because it leaves you on a cliffhanger, it leaves you wanting for more and wanting to read the rest of the story. Which I did. And it sets the scene for the rest of the article.

The last part is a great transition as well, because it leaves in such a cliff hanger that you feel that you need an explanation. Why are they banned? The lead hits all the points necessary for a great read, and I really did enjoy it.