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Last Friday, millions of viewers worldwide indulged in the pageantry that is the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. This year's ceremony in Rio de Janiero featured an array of performances with the traditional parade of nations. As each country made their way into the stadium, one would assume that the commentators entrusted with the responsibility of introducing each country to the viewers at home had taken their time to thoroughly research.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
Not only was the country introduced as "Macedonia" (despite being recognized by the IOC as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, but those of us who are familiar with history were shocked to hear the erroneous introduction provided by NBC commentators Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Bob Costas, and Hoda Kotb, that connected Philip II and Alexander the Great to the country, and stated that Alexander the Great had taken represented this country in the Ancient Olympic Games.
We can't let this mistake go uncorrected.
Please take a second to send a targetted letter to officials at NBC, asking them to the IOC-recognized "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" title, and to rectify the misinformation provided on the opening night of the Olympic Games.
"For the sake of historical accuracy, it must be understood that Macedonia was and is Greek."
- Professor Stephen Miller, Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, UC Berkeley