Organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympics have issued an apology for the controversy surrounding a tableau of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” featuring drag queens during the opening ceremony. The scene, which included a child, ignited widespread outrage on social media and drew backlash from political and religious leaders across the globe.
While defending the concept as a celebration of community tolerance, the organizers expressed regret for any offense caused. Anne Descamps, a spokesperson for Paris 2024, stated in a conversation with the Associated Press that the intention was not to disrespect any religious groups. “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly, we really did try to celebrate community tolerance,” Descamps told AP. “Looking at the result of the polls that we shared, we believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense, we are, of course, really, really sorry,” Descamps added.
Thomas Jolly, the ceremony’s artistic director, distanced his scene from any direct parallels to the “Last Supper” and emphasized that the motive was to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to feasting and French gastronomy.
The tableau, depicting Da Vinci’s iconic painting of Jesus Christ sharing his final meal with his apostles before his crucifixion, has drawn significant criticism from various groups worldwide, including the French Catholic Church’s conference, Russia, and Egypt.
The Anglican Communion in Egypt expressed “deep regret” on Sunday, stating that the opening ceremony could cause the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to lose its distinct sporting identity and its humanitarian message. The ceremony also faced backlash from Elon Musk and several conservative leaders in America.
