Here are five controversial issues that have overshadowed 2024 Olympic Games

The 2024 Olympic Games have been eclipsed by controversies that have taken some life out of the Games.

The competition has faced criticisms towards the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Paris Olympic Committee, with some labelling the competition as one of the worst in history.

The Games have not been free from controversies since they commenced on Friday, July 26, 2024.

The competition will come to a close on Sunday, August 11, 2024, with many anticipating the closing ceremony after it kicked off with a controversial opening ceremony.

Blasphemous opening ceremony

The glitz of the opening ceremony went under the radar as a 'blasphemous scene' became the main conversation.

The blasphemous biblical parody scene referenced Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper painting. The scene featured drag queens, a transgender model, and a singer made up as the Greek god of wine.

The blasphemous biblical parody scene caused rage from Christian groups around the world, led by Catholics and Archbishops, who described it as mocking God.

Transgender issues

The women's boxing competition at the Games was slapped with accusations of the IOC approving transgender women to fight.

The criticism escalated after one alleged transgender Imane Khelif's Italian opponent Angela Carini quit the bout after receiving the first punch.

However, subsequent reports clarified that the accused transgender boxers Khelif and Lin Yu Ting are biologically female with strong masculine features.

Shelly-Ann Fraiser-Pryce withdrawal from 100m

The Women's 100m semi-final was overshadowed by news about Jamaican sprinting superstar, Shelly-Ann Fraiser-Pryce's withdrawal from the race.

Shelly-Ann, who was gunning for her fourth consecutive medal in the Women's 100m, withdrew from the semi-final after she was barred from warm-up.

A video of her stranded at the entrance after being denied entry along with USA sprinter Scharri Richardson became topical.

It was later revealed that the Jamaican was prevented from using the usual entry for athletes because she and Richardson did not arrive from the Olympic Village on the team bus.

"They've changed the rules. We came through this gate before but now they're saying athletes who have left can't use this gate," Shelly-Ann complained in the video that surfaced online.

She subsequently pulled out from the sem-final as her last-ever Olympic Games took an unwanted turn.

Journalists arrested

It appears journalists have become victims of unfair treatment by security officials at the games.

Saint-Denis police reportedly arrested two freelance journalists in Paris after they covered a protest in Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, against the 2024 Olympic Games.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a French outlet, the journalists, Patricia Huchot-Boissier and Arnaud Villette, were detained for 10 hours following the arrest. They were later released without charges.

Athletes banned for 'indecent' dressing

Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso has been sacked from the Athletes Games village for creating an inappropriate atmosphere in the Village with her dressing.

In a statement by the officials, they cited that she wore clothes that exposed her body indecently.

Reports indicated that an e-mail sent to the swimmer noted that she was "distracting the other competitors with her skimpy choices and socialising."

However, Luana denied the report that he had been expelled from the Village.

"I just wanted to clarify that I was never kicked out or expelled from anywhere, please stop spreading false information. I don't want to make any statement but I'm not going to let lies affect me either," Luana said

Her Olympic journey ended quickly, as she finished sixth in her 100m butterfly heat on the first day of competition.

EE