Turkish President Erdogan Criticizes Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sharply criticized the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, calling it “immoral” and offensive to Christians. He announced plans to discuss the issue with Pope Francis.
The controversy stems from a segment of the ceremony that featured dancers and drag queens in a scene reminiscent of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his apostles. The event organizers clarified that their intention was to depict a pagan feast, not to offend. Despite this, the performance faced backlash from Catholic groups and even U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, who condemned it as a disrespectful parody.
Erdogan expressed his discontent during a meeting with his conservative AKP party, stating, “I will call the pope to discuss the immorality directed at the Christian world and all Christians. The Olympic Games have been misused as a platform for perversion that corrupts human nature.”
Erdogan, who has been vocal against Turkey’s LGBTQ community, had initially planned to attend the ceremony but decided against it after his granddaughter advised him otherwise. “I considered attending after French President Emmanuel Macron extended an invitation. However, my 13-year-old granddaughter showed me images on Instagram and warned me about the event’s LGBT themes,” he explained.
Erdogan criticized the ceremony’s opening, saying, “A sporting event meant to unite people was marred by hostility towards fundamental human values. What happened in Paris was an attempt to degrade humanity to a level lower than animals.”
