U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) have written a letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, denouncing the depiction presented during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games’ Opening Ceremony as being disrespectful towards the Christian faith.
In a letter addressed to the organizers of the Olympic Games, the senators expressed their apprehension over what they deemed a “vulgar mockery” of the Last Supper, a pivotal moment in the Christian faith. They stressed the importance of promoting unity among individuals of all nationalities, ethnicities, and religions through the Olympics and urged the organizers to avoid including any content that could be perceived as disrespectful to any particular religion.
The Senators have responded to the offensive ridicule of the Christian faith during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. They believe that the Games should bring people of all nations, races, and religions together and that there is no room for discrimination against any faith. The focus should be on celebrating the achievements of athletes, not ridiculing anyone’s beliefs. The Senators call for an immediate amendment to Rule 55 of the Olympic Charter to ensure that no religion is ever subjected to mockery during the opening or closing ceremonies again.
In their letter, the senators have urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to condemn the portrayal and take necessary steps to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. They specifically called for amendments to be made to Rule 55 of the Olympic Charter, which governs the content of the opening and closing ceremonies, to ensure that all religious beliefs are respected.
According to the Senators, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) must publicly denounce the disrespectful behavior that took place in Paris during a significant Christian moment. Moreover, the IOC needs to implement concrete measures to prevent such divisive displays from occurring again, so that the Olympic Games can continue to flourish in line with Coubertin’s vision. The Senators emphasized that the Olympics should be a celebration where all individuals, regardless of their nationality or religion, can enjoy themselves without being ridiculed or demeaned. The Senators concluded by expressing their appreciation for the IOC’s attention to this issue.
A group of Senators has signed a letter that includes Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.).