United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet has labelled the Paris 2024 opening ceremony “satanic” and called for more tradition at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
The Victorian Senator wrote to the Australian Olympic Committee expressing concerns about the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony.
The four-hour ceremony on July 26 included a scene of drag queens and dancers at a table that some believe mocked Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” painting of Jesus Christ and his apostles.
“Like most Australians, I am excited at Brisbane’s invitation to host the 2032 Olympic Games. And like many Australians, I am eager to avoid the mistakes of Paris, where organisers used their opening ceremony to make cheap political and religious points,” he wrote.
He expressed concern about the focus on sexual preferences, radical gender theory, and a rejection of Christianity at the opening ceremony.
“An opening ceremony is a chance to showcase history, tradition, and culture while emphasising everything good about our nation,” he said.
“To that end, I am writing to seek assurances from those planning the Australian Olympic Games that our event will honour tradition, history and culture rather than undermine them, that it will be something that all Australians will be proud of rather than just a niche and fringe few.”
The Senator highlighted Australia’s previous hosting of the Games, which he said are among the proudest moments in the nation’s history, and asked Australian organisers to add to that “wonderful history.”
Liberal Senator for South Australia Alex Antic also wrote to the Australian Olympic Committee on July 30 with similar concerns.
“As has been widely reported, the ceremony featured a reimagining of the Last Supper, which has caused distress to many people of Christian faith across the world,” Antic said.
Antic said the ceremony, meant to celebrate France’s culture and history, was “incredibly concerning” for many millions of viewers to be met by these scenes.
“My hope is that the Australian Olympic Committee has taken note of this reaction and that the AOC will ensure that the upcoming Brisbane Games in 2032 remains focussed on the love of sport and celebration of Australian culture,” he said.
The 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane will be held from July 23 to Aug. 8, 2032. This will be the third time Australia has hosted an Olympic Games, following Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.
He said if he wins the presidential race, “We won’t be having a last supper as portrayed the way they portrayed it the other night” at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher said the opening ceremony left many people disappointed, angry, and offended at the “blasphemous parody” of the Last Supper.
Paris Organisers Intended to Celebrate Tolerance
Paris 2024 Director of Development and Communications Anne Descamps apologised for any offence caused during the opening ceremony on July 28.“If people have taken any offence, we are of course, really sorry.”
Further, the International Olympic Committee welcomed the clarification from the Paris 2024 Organising Committee on the opening ceremony.
The IOC noted that the organising committee said, “There was never any intention to show disrespect towards any religious group or belief.”
They reiterated that the intention of the Opening Ceremony was always to celebrate community and tolerance.
“The organising committee also said that if anyone was offended by certain scenes, this was completely unintentional, and they were sorry,” they said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the opening ceremony made France “extremely proud” on July 27 and said artists and athletes provided a “great spectacle.”
