Firstly, there was the fact that [settler] athletes were allowed to compete in the midst of a horrific genocide being carried out by [a] fascistic occupying force against the people of Gaza since October 7. Pro-Palestine activists raised the question of why [a neocolony] was not banned from the Olympics, while athletes from Russia and Belarus were not allowed to represent their countries in the midst of the U.S.-NATO proxy war in Ukraine. Athletes from Russia and Belarus could only compete in the Olympics as “Independent Neutral Athletes.” Why the double standard?

During the opening ceremony, 88 [settler] athletes were rightfully booed by the audience as their delegation sailed down the Seine River while a small group of 12 Palestinian athletes were cheered as they flew their flag. Over 250 Palestinian athletes have been murdered by [neocolonialists] since October 7.

Algerian boxer comes under gender attack

Imane Khelif wins the gold medal, Aug. 9, 2024. Credit: Al-Jazeera

Secondly, there was the unfounded controversy around the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. This talented athlete, who was assigned female at birth, was heavily scrutinized and questioned about her gender by bigots as she earned the gold medal for boxing in the welterweight category. Before her victory, she stated, “I have been boxing for years in the International Boxing Association, which has committed injustice towards me. But I have Allah with me, Allahu Akbar.” (@ShaykhSulaiman, Aug. 3) She draped the Palestinian flag on her shoulders following her win.

After she became an Olympic champion, Khelif publicly stated: “I was born a girl, I grew up a girl, I studied as a girl, and I fought like a girl. Those who attacked me? Of course, they were enemies of glory. But, without them, my victory would not have been so satisfying.”

When a journalist asked her to answer a question in French, Khelif refused and instead answered the question in Arabic. France was the brutal colonizer of Algeria for 132 years until a heroic struggle liberated the country on July 5, 1962. Khelif filed a legal complaint Aug. 2 in France saying she has been a victim of online harassment.

Boxer Lin Yu-ting, representing Taiwan, faced similar scrutiny regarding her gender when she won the gold medal in the featherweight category.

Other political issues

Thirdly, track and field officials allowed the U.S. runner Noah Lyles to participate in the final of the 200 meters race knowing that he had tested positive for COVID-19 before the race. He should have been immediately disqualified and quarantined as a risk to the other competitors.

Fourthly, according to The Guardian, more than 12,000 houseless people in Paris were removed from pre-Olympic areas as early as April 2023. This “social cleansing” targeted people, including migrants, drug addicts and sex workers. (June 3, 2024) The removal of houseless people is nothing new when it comes to host cities of the Olympics wanting to put forth a positive face to the world.

Fifthly, swimmers were allowed to participate in the triathlon relay in the highly polluted Seine River. High levels of two types of E. coli, a hazardous bacteria that can lead to illnesses including intestinal infections, were found. Multiple swimmers fell ill.

“They didn’t think about the athletes at all,” Spanish triathlete Miriam Casillas, who took part in both the mixed relay and women’s triathlon, told Spanish sports daily MARCA. “They thought more about the scenery, the image, to make it look nice and marketable with the Seine.” (Politico, Aug. 9)

Sixthly, the French government banned Muslim women athletes competing for France from wearing the hijab during their competition in the games, a clear violation of their religious and cultural beliefs.

(Emphasis original.)