The official video of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony has been removed from the Olympics’ YouTube channel after receiving a flood of harsh criticism.
Currently, if you try to access the video, you’ll see a message that it’s unavailable – surprising many as the opening ceremonies of past Olympic Games and current tournament content for a variety of sports are still accessible.
No official explanation was given as to why the video was removed, which led to questions and widespread criticism from the public and media.
Details of the controversial opening ceremony
Last Friday’s ceremony featured several controversial moments, most notably when a group of drag queens re-enacted Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and singer Philip Catlin appeared nude, playing the Greek god Dionysus in the same scene.
Negative reactions
The ceremony drew strong backlash because its depiction of “The Last Supper” was seen as insulting to Christianity. Furthermore, the media criticized the scene, especially the singing head of former Queen Marie Antoinette, as inciting violence. Criticism also intensified over organizational errors, such as flying the Olympic flag upside down and mistakenly calling the South Korean team the North Korean team.
The future of the ceremony and official content
As the controversy continues, questions remain as to how the Olympic organizing committee will respond to these criticisms and whether an official statement will be released explaining why the video was removed from YouTube. Many are also eager to know what steps the committee will take to avoid similar issues in the future and ensure that content is in line with Olympic sports and cultural values.