Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan launched a strong criticism against the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics in a fiery speech delivered to members of his AK Party in Ankara on Tuesday. Erdogan described the event as a “disgusting” affront to sacred values, accusing it of being an attack on humanity and Christian morals.
“Can you imagine? An international sporting event that is meant to unite people opened with animosity towards humanity, creation, and the values that make humans human,” Erdogan said. He expressed his disappointment that what was intended as a celebration of human unity had instead become a platform for what he perceived as a moral degradation.
Erdogan’s comments followed a controversial segment in the Paris Olympics ceremony, which many interpreted as an allusion to the Bible’s ‘Last Supper.’ The scene featured dancers, drag queens, and a DJ striking poses reminiscent of the iconic painting, sparking widespread criticism from different religious communities.
Erdogan further criticized the ceremony for what he described as an attempt to bring humans, whom he considers the “most noble of creatures,” down to a level even “below that of animals.” He pledged to contact the Pope to share his concerns about what he views as an affront to Christian and moral values.
“The Olympics have been used as a vessel for the deviance that ruins human nature, spoils the family, and threatens the security and survival of generations,” Erdogan continued. He condemned the use of the Olympics’ international platform to target children, whom he referred to as “our most innocent beings,” and labeled the scene in Paris as “disgraceful.”
Additionally, Erdogan took aim at the portrayal of LGBT themes in the ceremony, contrasting it with the treatment of athletes wearing headscarves. “The fact that those who portray the LGBT deviance as freedom cannot tolerate athletes with headscarves reveals the definition of freedom in their minds,” he asserted.