Paris 2024 Olympics double standards
If there is one thing the organizers of the Olympics want you to know, it's that politics has no place in the international sporting event, however, beyond the razzmatazz, the reality is stark.
In the streets of Paris and online, ahead of the opening of the games, protesters called out the International Olympic Committee's double standards in its handling of Russia and Israel.
Last year, the IOC fully suspended Russia over the Ukraine war, but this year, Israel, which has killed more than 400 Palestinian athletes in Gaza, has been allowed to compete.
It sends a very wrong message to the world, especially to the young generation, the young athletes, the young Olympians, the future Olympic champions.
However, these young athletes through the use of social media, the platforms that they're using right now, they are witnessing for themselves that the IOC has got no credibility.
Mounir Azizshalizi, Taekwondo Coach
Aside from genocide in the war on Gaza, Israel has also been accused of apartheid by the International Court of Justice.
Nevertheless, all 88 Israeli athletes, of whom 30 have publicly supported the Gaza genocide, are competing in the games.
One of the principles of the Olympic Charter says the practice of sport is a human right. But the Paris Olympics have applied a different principle to Muslim women.
Ahead of the opening ceremony, French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla was almost banned for wearing a headscarf, and was only allowed to join after she agreed to cover her hair with a cap.
It does seem to focus, and they try to pretend that it's just a general thing, but it's not.
It's quite hypocritical, again, because they try to say they're trying to liberate women, yet when you choose to wear something, they're banning you from it.
So if it's liberation, if it's freedom of choice, it should be allowed one way or the other.
Amina Al-Mossawi, Retired Taekwondo Medalist
The way the IOC handled these issues has led many to believe it is unwilling to uphold Olympic values and do the right thing.
Critics are also saying that the Olympics are all about politics, religion and the like, and that it is very sad that the games have become so political, because the original idea of the Olympics was to create peace.
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