Jeddah, July 29, 2024: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed deep concerns about recent attempts to use the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games 2024 as a platform to spread controversial messages that mock religious beliefs and symbols and their sanctities, as well as to propagate the LGBTQ propaganda.
The Commission highlighted that the Olympic Games have long promoted the sports as a unifying force that transcends politics and respects cultural diversity. It considers the Olympic Games in high regard as a symbol of global unity, sportsmanship, and the celebration of human excellence. It is a prestigious event that brings together people from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs to promote peace, mutual understanding, and respect. In the same abiding spirit, the Olympic Games should remain a neutral ground that respects the diversity of all participants and viewers ensuring respect for religious and cultural sensitives of all without causing an offence to a large majority of the population under the garb of artistic expression exercise, which under Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is subject to responsibilities and such limitations to protect the public morals.
The Commission expressed deep concerns that, in total disregard to the genuine spirit of the event, the use of drag queens and transvestites to portray religious figures has mocked and derided the religious sensitives across the world. Moreover, the Opening ceremony, knowingly that it will be watched by millions across the world including children and young people, has included obscene LGBTQ performances with an intentional purpose to propagate misguided sexual preferences, which is highly detestable.
The Commission urged the International Olympic Committee to take corrective measures to: (a) prevent any actions or spread of controversial messages that demean or ridicule any religious sensitivities and promote sexual preferences and orientations; (b) ensure that the Olympic Games remain inclusive and respectful of all participants and viewers, in particular, traditional family values of billions of viewers across the globe, without promoting any specific agendas that could alienate or offend others; (c) reinforce the core values of the Olympic Games, emphasizing unity, respect, and excellence in sportsmanship, rather than allowing the event to be overshadowed by controversial messages, which are inimical to the spirit of the noble sportsmanship.