Paris ‘Sorry’ for any offence over opening Olympic ceremony
Organisers of the Paris Olympics expressed regret on Sunday for any offence caused by the opening ceremony, while denying any intent to show disrespect to any religious group.
Some Catholic groups and French bishops criticized scenes they perceived as mocking Christianity, particularly a segment featuring dancers, drag queens, and a DJ in poses reminiscent of the Last Supper.
Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps addressed the issue, stating, “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. If people have taken any offence, we are of course really, really sorry.”
The ceremony, directed by theatre director Thomas Jolly, aimed to promote tolerance of different sexual and gender identities. Jolly denied drawing inspiration from the Last Supper, explaining that the scene intended to depict a “big pagan party linked to the gods of Olympus.”
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“You’ll never find in my work any desire to mock or denigrate anyone. I wanted a ceremony that brings people together, that reconciles, but also a ceremony that affirms our Republican values of liberty, equality, and fraternity,” Jolly told BFM channel.
The nearly four-hour production, which took place under driving rain along the River Seine, also featured French actor Philippe Katerine appearing nearly naked and painted blue as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and pleasure.
Another notable moment involved a depiction of executed French queen Marie-Antoinette holding a bloodied severed head, a scene intended to recall her imprisonment and subsequent execution during the 1789 French Revolution.
“Certainly we were not glorifying this instrument of death which is the guillotine,” Jolly clarified.
Descamps mentioned a poll conducted by survey group Harris, showing that French people were overwhelmingly positive about the opening ceremony.
American broadcaster NBC reported the event as the most-watched Olympics opening since London 2012, and German broadcaster ARD noted it as the most-watched in 20 years, according to International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams.
As the Games continue, around 700,000 spectators are expected to watch events around Paris on Sunday, the second full day of competitions.
Proofreading, editing by Sakinat Musa Abubakar and Maryam Sulaiman, Editor and Journalist at Neptune Prime.
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