Riley Gaines, a former All-American collegiate swimmer and a 12-time champion, has publicly criticized the 2024 Paris Olympics for its contentious "Last Supper" scene showcased during the Opening Ceremony.
According to The New York Post, Gaines expressed her disappointment on Twitter, stating, "I feel heartbroken for the Olympic athletes (many of which are friends) who trained their entire lives to compete on that stage but will now have significantly fewer eyes watching and admiring because of the satanic, blasphemous display put on by the Olympic organizers."
Gaines, a 2022 Kentucky graduate and current writer for Outkick, is known for her advocacy for women's single-sex spaces, equality, fairness, and women's safety, privacy, and equal opportunities. She has been vocal in her opposition to trans swimmer Lia Thomas, even participating in a lawsuit against the NCAA for allegedly infringing Title IX by permitting Thomas to compete in the 2022 national championships.
The controversial "Last Supper" performance, which included drag queens and dancers satirizing the iconic religious scene, has sparked outrage among many, including Gaines. The performance featured eighteen individuals positioned behind a long table with the Seine River and Eiffel Tower as a backdrop. One woman wore a halo, which some interpreted as a depiction of Jesus Christ.
The Olympic's X account portrayed the scene as an interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus, intended to highlight the absurdity of violence among humans. However, the organizers have since apologized for the performance. "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," spokesperson Anne Descamps stated during a press conference. She added, "If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry."
Thomas Jolly, the ceremony's artistic director, denied that "The Last Supper" was his inspiration. He explained to France's BFM-TV, "The idea was to have a pagan celebration connected to the gods of Olympus. You will never find in me a desire to mock and denigrate anyone." Jolly expressed his intention to create a ceremony that "repairs, that reconciles. And also that reaffirms the values of our Republic, liberty-equality-fraternity." He expressed regret if the performance led to division and hatred.
In the wake of the controversy, C Spire, a telecommunications and technology company based in Mississippi, withdrew its advertising from the Olympics. Despite the controversy, those interested in watching the 2024 Olympics can do so via Peacock for $7.99/month, which includes live streaming of every event from Paris. Free trials of DIRECTV Stream (5 days) and Hulu + Live TV (3 days) are also available for those who wish to stream the Paris Olympics at no cost.
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