2024 Paris Games a success, but not without controversies

The Paris Olympics were a stunning success that captivated the world. China delivered its best Summer Games since 2008, winning the joint most gold medals with the United States and only missing out on topping the standings on the silver medal count.

That being said, 2024 Paris was not without controversies. Before the Games officially began, organizers were dealing with the fallout over the scandalous "Last Supper." A gender eligibility row took the shine off the ring, while speculation arose about whether the Seine was safe enough to host the triathlons.

The gymnastics scoring shocker followed, and athletes complained about the excessively eco-friendly Olympic Village.

Here we list some of the controversies that dogged the 2024 Games.

Opening ceremony backlash

Drag queens and transgender dancers reenacting Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on July 26 outraged religious conservatives worldwide.

Critics called it "blasphemous." Regional sponsors like C Spire pulled their Olympic commercials. The Paris Olympics committee apologized, saying they wanted to promote tolerance, not contempt.

Gender issues

Boxers Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from Chinese Taipei, both involved in gender disputes, won gold in the women's 66kg and 57kg finals on August 10 and 11, respectively. Their successes revived debates about transgender athletes' eligibility for the Olympics.

The IOC upheld their participation based on their gender identity in their passports, with IOC President Thomas Bach affirming their right to compete as women despite objections raised by the International Boxing Association.

Waning interest in hosting Games

The Paris Games, dubbed the most eco-friendly and sustainable Olympics, cost 11.8 billion euros (US$12.9 billion), nearly double the initial 6.6-billion-euro budget. The French economic research group Asterès claimed in a report that a financial imbalance was discouraging countries from bidding for the Olympics. The IOC is worried about future bids, with only Paris and Los Angeles vying for the 2024 and 2028 Games.

Discontentment over facilities

The athletes criticized the cost-cutting in the Olympic Village that resulted from the Paris Olympics' focus on the environment. Complaints arose due to a lack of air-conditioning, cardboard beds, and an inadequate food supply. Six South Korean competitors opted to stay in hotels due to transportation issues and a lack of air-conditioned buses.

Double standards

China's anti-doping authorities accused the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of double standards in processing Erriyon Knighton's positive doping case on August 6. The next day WADA condemned USADA's actions as infractions of global anti-doping standards, compromising competitive fairness. At a press conference on August 9, IOC President Thomas Bach affirmed WADA's doping authority.

Medal controversy

Following an appeal, American gymnast Jordan Chiles won the bronze medal over Romania's Ana Bărbosu in the women's floor exercise final, sparking controversy. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu protested on social media and abstained from the Olympics' closing ceremony. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld Romania's appeal on August 10, potentially reinstating Bărbosu's bronze medal.

Concerns over the Seine's quality

After competing in the women's triathlon on July 31, Claire Michel of Belgium felt unwell. The Belgian Olympic Committee withdrew from the August 5 mixed relay event, citing dissatisfaction with the event's organization and the Seine River's water quality.

Norwegian and Canadian triathletes also fell sick after the race. The Olympic Committee did not directly link the health issues to the river, but the occurrence spurred discussions concerning the Seine's Olympic suitability.

Dutch athlete jeered, applauded

Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, convicted in 2016 of raping a 12-year-old British girl, was both booed and applauded at the Games. The Dutch Olympic Committee defended his participation, stating that van de Velde had served his sentence and met all the qualifications to compete. However, the UK-based charity Rape Crisis England & Wales called his inclusion "shocking." Van de Velde played four matches, with each serve being jeered and whistled by the crowd.

Athletes turn to adult platforms for financial support

Olympic athletes like women's pole vault bronze medalist Alysha Newman, men's 10m platform diving bronze medalist Noah Williams, and men's synchronized 3m springboard bronze medalist Jack Laugher raised money by selling explicit content on the adult platform OnlyFans. This highlighted the financial struggles faced by many athletes.

The Associated Press said in a report that most athletes have to fend for themselves. To keep their Olympic dreams alive, some of the athletes turned to monetizing their photographs on adult content portals. The International Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Adams remarked: "I would assume that athletes, like all citizens, are allowed to do what they can."

(The authors are undergraduate students at the School of Journalism and Communication and the School of French and Francophone Studies, Shanghai International Studies University.)