Yes, all those flashes are from people who don't know any better, usually using point and shoots or full auto mode.

Those flashes do not help the resulting image in any way, but today's cameras (thankfully?) manage to get an acceptable image anyway (probably with the same settings it would have used for no flash auto mode), a few years ago each of those flashes would represent a properly exposed but out of focus picture of the top of the head of the person one raw in front of the photographer.

Also, a good telephoto and a tripod are forbidden in most events (including the Olympic games) unless you get special permission in advance from the organizers, in many events (but not this year's Olympic games) they wouldn't even let you bring in a DSLR with the kit lens.

Yes, all those flashes are from people who don't know any better, usually using point and shoots or full auto mode.

Those flashes do not help the resulting image in any way, but today's cameras (thankfully?) manage to get an acceptable image anyway (probably with the same settings it would have used for no flash auto mode), a few years ago each of those flashes would represent a properly exposed but out of focus picture of the top of the head of the person one row in front of the photographer.

Also, a good telephoto and a tripod are forbidden in most events (including the Olympic games) unless you get special permission in advance from the organizers, in many events (but not this year's Olympic games) they wouldn't even let you bring in a DSLR with the kit lens.