Leaked Photo Spoils Winter Olympics Opening Surprise

The Reuters news agency has found itself in hot water after leaking a photo that accidentally spoils the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony surprise.

See The Photo Here

In the photo, a large torch-esque cauldron can be seen at the Olympic Main Stadium in PyeongChang, China, and the big surprise is that it is to be lit up during the event.

The photo, which was shared by The Daily Mail, was taken on Jan. 28 during the opening ceremony rehearsals. Reuters quickly pulled the photo after receiving complaints but the damage was already done.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) responded to the leak by withdrawing permission for Reuters photographers and reporters to attend the Feb. 9 opening ceremony.

Reuters isn't the only group to be banned from the winter Olympics this year, as it was previously reported that the entirety of Russia's team has been banned from competing.

According to reports, the International Olympic Committee handed down this punishment to the Russian team as a result of discovering "systematic doping" that they believe to be state-backed.

Russian officials are barred from attending the games, the Russian flag will not be flown or displayed, and the Russian anthem will not be played, per a New York Times story.

However, Russian athletes are not completely prohibited from competing, as some could receive special dispensation. In the event they do, they will compete while wearing a neutral uniform and if they win any medals the official Olympic records will not reflect as Russian state wins.

Additionally, Thomas Bach, the president of International Olympic Committee, revealed that there will actually be a special ceremony to re-distribute the medals that were awarded at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

This is due to the Russian athletes being stripped of their medals from those games after the mass doping discovery.

Officials from Russia have argued that the country has been trying to reverse the doping issue and they deserve a second chance, as well as help from the Olympic Committee to solve the problem.

Vitaly Stepanov, one of the chief whistle-blowers in Russia's alleged doping scheme, disagreed with the claims that Russia was trying to resolve the situation.

"The world knows that hundreds of Olympic dreams have been stolen by the doping system in the country where I was born," Mr. Stepanov wrote. "The evidence is clear, that the doping system in Russia has not yet been truly reformed."