The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris didn’t get through the opening ceremony without generating controversy.
On Sunday, an Olympics spokesperson seemingly apologized to the Catholic Church and other Christian groups offended by a “Last Supper” skit that featured “drag queens, a transgender model and a naked singer made up as the Greek god of wine Dionysus,” according to Reuters.
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. (The opening ceremony) tried to celebrate community tolerance,” Anne Descamps told a press conference.
However, Deschamps doubled down on the ceremony by claiming that its ambition of tolerance had been achieved.
“We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are really sorry.”
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director being the “flamboyant” opening ceremony, said “The Last Supper” didn’t inspire the scene. He claims the skit depicted a “pagan feast linked to the gods of Olympus,” according to Reuters.
“You will never find in my work a desire to denigrate anyone or anything,” Jolly told broadcaster BFMTV.
Hugo Bardin, whose drag queen character Paloma appeared in the skit, sent a clear message of disappointment in the seeming apology.
“An apology means recognising a mistake, recognising that you deliberately did something to harm, which was not the case,” Bardin said.
“What bothers people isn’t that we’re reproducing this painting,” Bardin continued, “what bothers people is that queer people are reproducing it.”
[Reuters]
