Organizers of the Paris Olympics expressed regret on Sunday for any offence caused by their bold and unconventional opening ceremony, but denied any intent to disrespect religious groups.
“We are really sorry for any offence,” said Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps. “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group.”
The controversy arose after some Catholic groups and French bishops condemned scenes in the ceremony, particularly one involving dancers, drag queens, and a DJ, which they felt mocked Christianity by recalling depictions of the Last Supper.
Jolly, who choreographed the nearly four-hour ceremony, denied any connection to the Last Supper. “The idea was to do a big pagan party linked to the gods of Olympus,” he said, emphasizing the promotion of tolerance for different sexual and gender identities.
The ceremony also featured French actor Philippe Katerine, nearly naked and painted blue as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and pleasure. “You’ll never find in my work any desire to mock or denigrate anyone,” Jolly added.
Another striking moment included a depiction of a bloodied, severed head meant to represent French queen Marie-Antoinette, imprisoned and later guillotined after the 1789 French Revolution. “Certainly we were not glorifying this instrument of death,” Jolly clarified.
Despite the controversy, Descamps noted that a survey by Harris showed overwhelming positive reception from the French public. NBC reported the ceremony as the most-watched Olympic opening since London 2012, with German broadcaster ARD noting it was the most-watched in 20 years.
Around 700,000 spectators are set to watch events around Paris on Sunday, the second full day of the Games.
