Australian influencers Chloe Szepanowski and Mitchell Orval criticized a segment of the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony, describing it as mocking Jesus and God. Those were their interpretations—not an established description of the performance. Other viewers also saw a religious reference, while Paris 2024 said the scene was intended to celebrate community and tolerance and apologized to people who felt offended.
What Szepanowski and Orval said
In a report published on 28 July 2024, PerthNow’s Taylor Renouf said Szepanowski and her partner, Mitchell Orval, criticized the opening ceremony in Instagram posts. PerthNow quoted Orval asking, “Did anyone else see them mocking Jesus at the Olympic Games?” He also wrote that the reaction could be a reminder to follow Jesus. Szepanowski called the ceremony the worst she had seen and wrote, “This year they are mocking God. This is appalling but all the more reason to follow Jesus.” PerthNow’s report is the source for these remarks; the Instagram posts were not independently authenticated.
Why the segment became controversial
The dispute centered on a banquet tableau in the ceremony. Some viewers believed its arrangement resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and interpreted it as a depiction of the Christian scene. French Catholic bishops criticized what they described as “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity.” That was the bishops’ assessment, not a consensus about what the tableau represented. PerthNow and Reuters reporting carried by ThePrint described the criticism and the competing interpretations.
What Paris 2024 said about its intent
Paris 2024 said the scene was intended to celebrate community and tolerance, not to disrespect Christians. Spokesperson Anne Descamps apologized to those who felt offended, saying, “If people have taken any offense then we are sorry,” as reported by BBC Sport. The IOC reportedly supported Paris 2024’s position that there was no intention to disrespect, according to L’Équipe. These statements address the organizers’ stated intent; they do not erase the offense some viewers said they felt.
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What is known about later fallout
In October 2024, the Associated Press reported that seven people had been charged in connection with online harassment following the controversy and that performers involved in the ceremony had faced abuse. The report described charges at that time; it does not establish the eventual outcome of those proceedings. The AP report provides that later context.
A misleading protest video was also shared
A video circulated online as if it showed Christians protesting the ceremony. AFP identified the footage as the unrelated March for Jesus 2024, not an Olympic-related demonstration. It should not be used as evidence of a protest against the opening ceremony. AFP’s fact-check explains the misidentification.
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