The Olympics are intended to bring humanity together. The Paris games opted instead for a total fiasco, or un fiasco total, in French. After all, fiascos are a French delicacy.
The games opened with a ceremony full of biblical imagery. Generally this would not be a problem, but many took issue with the flamboyant combination of Christian and queer imagery.
Even the famously “virtuous” leader of Iran condemned the ceremony’s portrayal of the Last Supper. What talent the French have! Offending Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by depicting a religion banned in his own country.
Further controversy centered around two female boxers, Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting. Both were banned from the International Boxing Association after failing gender chromosome tests. They are ostensibly female, yet they have XY chromosomes, leading to increased testosterone production and a myriad of physiological changes.
The International Olympic Committee chose to allow them to compete because apparently bone density, muscle mass, reaction time and cardiovascular capacity are unimportant traits in boxing. What a relief it is that the IOC has cleared that up for us.
Less talked about, yet equally unhinged, is the fact one of the world's most powerful nations is absent from these games, Russia. The IOC banned both Russia and Belarus over support for the war in Ukraine.
A petty political gesture, one possibly inspired by the local Parisian spirit. The IOC apparently considers itself the United Nations. Perhaps the IOC needs a chromosome test as well.
Some believe the ban is warranted, as Russia breached its Olympic Truce in February of 2022 by invading Ukraine. However, Israel signed a similar truce this year, yet bombs are falling on Gaza while the flag of Zion flies high in Paris.
The IOC is only selectively interested in condemning violence, or enforcing rules for that matter.
The IOC has prioritized politics over competition, polarizing many around the globe by contradicting its mission to unite, not to propagate. More civility was found among the ancient Greeks millennia ago. This makes sense, considering they invented both civility and the Olympics.
Acknowledgment: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author.
Hi Ryan,
Regarding Imane Khelif, the boxer, I think it's interesting to note that the IBA only tested her after she defeated their supposedly "undefeated boxer." Not to mention that they refuse to reveal the tests that they took, with their source being "trust us." Personally, I chose to trust the boxer herself until given a substantial reason not to, but I can see the worry with letting an actual transgender boxer in a women's category. It is a complex issue, for sure.