IOC and NBC Remove Olympic Opening Ceremony Video from YouTube
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken down a video of the Paris Games opening ceremony following criticism regarding a parody with LGBTQ themes. Read the full article on RT.com.
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has withdrawn a video of the 2024 Summer Games' opening ceremony in Paris from its YouTube channel following widespread backlash. The controversy centered around an alleged LGBTQ-themed parody of ‘The Last Supper,’ which many Christians deemed blasphemous.
As of Sunday, the 26-minute video titled ‘LET THE GAMES BEGIN! | #Paris2024 Opening Ceremony Highlights’ is no longer available on the Olympics YouTube channel, and comments have been disabled. A similar video on the YouTube channel of NBC Sports, the Games' official US broadcaster, has also been taken down. The IOC has not provided an explanation for the removal.
The video featured a controversial scene where drag queens, homosexuals, and transsexuals posed at a table reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper,’ sparking outrage from numerous politicians, social media users, and influencers.
In response to the criticism, Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps issued an apology, stating that “clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group” and that the ceremony “tried to celebrate community tolerance.” She added: “we believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are really sorry.”
With the controversial video removed and comments disabled, fans of the Olympics turned to videos of past opening ceremonies, including those from London 2012 and Sochi 2014, to both reminisce and express their dissatisfaction with the Paris ceremony.
Meanwhile, the official Olympic Games page posted on X (formerly Twitter), asking social media users: “Which moment [of the ceremony] was your favorite?” This prompted a fresh wave of criticism, with many describing the event as “absolutely atrocious,” “shameful,” “disgusting,” “blasphemous,” and a “freak show.”
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
As of Sunday, the 26-minute video titled ‘LET THE GAMES BEGIN! | #Paris2024 Opening Ceremony Highlights’ is no longer available on the Olympics YouTube channel, and comments have been disabled. A similar video on the YouTube channel of NBC Sports, the Games' official US broadcaster, has also been taken down. The IOC has not provided an explanation for the removal.
The video featured a controversial scene where drag queens, homosexuals, and transsexuals posed at a table reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper,’ sparking outrage from numerous politicians, social media users, and influencers.
In response to the criticism, Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps issued an apology, stating that “clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group” and that the ceremony “tried to celebrate community tolerance.” She added: “we believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are really sorry.”
With the controversial video removed and comments disabled, fans of the Olympics turned to videos of past opening ceremonies, including those from London 2012 and Sochi 2014, to both reminisce and express their dissatisfaction with the Paris ceremony.
Meanwhile, the official Olympic Games page posted on X (formerly Twitter), asking social media users: “Which moment [of the ceremony] was your favorite?” This prompted a fresh wave of criticism, with many describing the event as “absolutely atrocious,” “shameful,” “disgusting,” “blasphemous,” and a “freak show.”
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
