By Zeenath Ayub
The Paris Olympics, which concluded on August 12, could be argued to have been one of the most controversial sporting events in recent history. The event, which began amid a series of contentious issues, spanned 19 days and concluded under the critical gaze of the entire world, putting its success into question.
The Olympics, as a global sporting event that brings together people from different parts of the world—representing diverse cultures, religions, and other differences on a single global stage—can undeniably be defined as a promoter of global unity. However, the 2024 Summer Olympics, held in Paris, France, despite its supposed intention of promoting global unity, ended up becoming a platform for complex global tensions, social issues, and controversies.
The 2024 Paris Olympics highlighted numerous contradictions between the games’ unifying intentions and the realities of social, cultural, political, and religious challenges.
The most criticized aspect of the 2024 Olympics worldwide was that the event took place against the backdrop of various global tensions, especially the genocide in Palestine. Like other major global events, such as the Oscars earlier this year, which were criticized for distracting the world from the ongoing brutalities in Palestine, the Olympics too received massive criticism for occurring in such a context.
While people were glued to their televisions throughout the 19-day period of the Olympics, for Palestinians, the event was just another proof of the world’s blatant indifference to their suffering. The Palestinian people, including children, likely wouldn’t have even known that a global sporting event intended to promote “global peace and unity” was taking place, as they were preoccupied with finding food, water, and shelter for their survival.
On the other hand, this global event also sparked controversy by offending religious sentiments. The Paris Olympics began with heavy backlash from around the world, as the opening ceremony included a performance that was said to resemble Leonardo da Vinci’s depiction of the Biblical scene “The Last Supper.” Although the event’s organizers denied that the performance was inspired by this artwork, church leaders and conservative politicians globally identified it as a mockery of Christianity.
The Paris Olympics faced not only accusations of mocking Christianity but also incidents that targeted Muslim religious sentiments. The most prominent example was the hijab ban imposed on Muslim French athletes participating in the Olympics. Despite numerous campaigns by sporting organizations, France did not reconsider its decision to ban the hijab. This ban was a blatant violation of many principles upheld by a global sporting event, particularly inclusivity, and it contradicted the event’s mission to promote excellence, friendship, and respect by engaging in outright discrimination.
According to Amnesty International, this hijab ban breaches international human rights laws and also highlights the weakness of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
However, Dutch athlete Sifan Hassan, who won Gold in the Women’s marathon at the 2024 Olympics, was praised worldwide for donning a hijab during the final medal ceremony. Her act of wearing a hijab was seen as an extremely powerful statement at an event where a hijab ban was imposed on athletes from the host country. Her gesture served as a symbol of solidarity with those who were unfairly excluded from the Olympics due to their faith.
In addition to religious controversies, this Olympics witnessed gender-based issues. The most prominent incident involved Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who gained global attention after her match against Italian opponent Angela Carini in the Women’s boxing event. Carini withdrew seconds after the match began, citing severe pain from Khelif’s opening punches. This incident sparked false rumors on social media that Khelif was transgender or a “biological man,” leading to a wave of cyberbullying and online harassment targeting the Algerian boxer.
Online harassment and cyberbullying can significantly impact an athlete’s mental stability, potentially affecting their performance and violating basic human dignity. However, Imane Khelif went on to win the gold medal in the Women’s boxing event and subsequently filed a legal complaint in France for online harassment.
The 2024 Paris Olympics were also marred by numerous ethical and human rights concerns. Israel’s participation in this year’s Olympics, despite ongoing war crimes in its war against Gaza, provoked widespread criticism of the event’s organizers. Israel’s inclusion highlighted the double standards of the Olympic organizers, as in past years, countries have been banned from participating due to actions deemed contrary to the spirit of the games.
This year, Russia and Belarus were banned from participating in the Olympics due to the war in Ukraine. However, despite numerous calls to ban Israel from the event, the Olympic organizers ignored these concerns.
These issues extended beyond the participation of entire countries to include individuals, such as the public outcry over allowing Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde to compete, despite his conviction for raping a 12-year-old girl in 2014. Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 and was released in 2017. His inclusion in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris was heavily criticized, especially on social media, as a violation of the values and principles of the Olympics.
There are also reports indicating that he was booed on several occasions during his matches. Several organizations have called for van de Velde to withdraw from the Olympics, urging the IOC to take a more active role in the selection of athletes. The participation of individuals and countries with long histories of criminal records and human rights violations starkly contradicts the values and principles of a global event of this nature.
Adding to the ethical concerns that surfaced during this year’s Olympics was the disqualification of Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the finals of her event due to being slightly over the weight limit by just over 100 grams during the weigh-in. Her weight was reportedly within the permissible limit before her first-round bout.
Phogat’s disqualification sparked criticism from many quarters, particularly regarding the ambiguous rules and their interpretation at the Olympics. The total disqualification of an athlete for such a minor weight infraction within just two days was seen as questionable. This situation again raises concerns about how standardized the rules of the Olympics are, as a global event that claims to promote equality and inclusivity should be more consistent and precise in its rules and regulations.
The 2024 Paris Olympics also had a significant impact on the environment, living conditions, and the health and hygiene of the athletes. The Seine River in Paris, which had been off-limits for swimming for over a century, was used for some of the swimming events this year. However, even before these events were announced, there were numerous concerns about the pollution levels in the Seine and how they could affect the athletes’ health. Several athletes reportedly fell ill after participating in swimming events held in the Seine.
Besides, numerous athletes complained about the extremely poor living conditions in the Olympic Village. Concerns were raised about the sanitary conditions provided to the athletes. These unfavorable conditions, combined with the extreme heat that prevailed in Paris during the event, likely had a significant impact on the athletes’ performances.
Hosting a global event like the Olympics is a tremendous responsibility. Neglecting the living conditions and health of the athletes reflects poor management and a failure to uphold the values and principles of the event. Such negligence can also damage the reputation of the host nation. It is vital for the organizers of an event of this caliber to adhere to these principles and values and to comply with the laws, rules, and regulations governing a global event.
The numerous controversies that arose during this year’s Olympics could arguably have been avoided if not for the breaches of rules and regulations, human rights violations, and double standards exhibited by the organizers. As a result, the event’s success remains highly questionable. At a time of significant global tensions, discrimination, and conflicts, sports have the potential to serve as a unifying force. However, the 2024 Paris Olympics appeared to deepen these divides rather than act as a bridge to overcome them.
Zeenath Ayub is a student researcher who can be reached at zeenathayub20@gmail.com.
Factum is an Asia-Pacific focused think tank on International Relations, Tech Cooperation, Strategic Communications, and Climate Outreach accessible via www.factum.lk.
The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the organization’s.
