What will the 2024 Olympics be remembered for?

How will you remember the Paris Olympics 2024? Perhaps it will be for the logo that bears a striking resemblance to RnB singer Mary J Blige? Or possibly Tom Daley’s latest knitting project? Or it could be the Clark Kent credentials of ‘Pommel Horse Guy’? It might even be the sporting prowess and Olympic achievements of top athletes from all over the world. But I would hazard a guess that near the top of your list is the Olympic opening ceremony.

If it wasn’t the 4-hour spectacle itself - staged in the heart of Paris along the River Seine on 26th July, and featuring a panoply of luminaries from France and beyond; then it will be the furore that followed.

As rain flooded the city, we watched, intrigued; by a mysterious torchbearer traversing Paris’s rooftops,

As rain flooded the city, we watched, intrigued; by a mysterious torchbearer traversing Paris’s rooftops, Moulin Rouge can-can dancers kicking up a storm (literally), and a holographic horse cantering down the river. In amongst these segments, a group of drag artists formed a ‘tableau vivant’ - a living picture, which for many Christians closely resembled a familiar biblical scene depicted in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Last Supper.

But any sense of light-hearted parody or satire was lost - it felt to many like a cruel mockery of the Christian faith. And if you weren’t outraged by this - perceiving less reason to feel offended; you might have found yourself looking on from the opposite bank, outraged by the outrage itself.

And so it was that this static moment upstaged near-everything at the opening ceremony. 

And so it was that this static moment upstaged near-everything at the opening ceremony. Online, the reaction was immediate: ‘It’s offensive to Christians,’ people insisted, ‘it wasn’t even the last supper’ some retorted, ‘drag queens would be welcomed by Jesus’ others reasoned. And guess what? Everyone made a valid point. But it’s hard to remember the common ground we share as Christians when we find ourselves so polarised. Entrenching these positions, people took to Facebook to give their ‘two pennies’ worth’, had animated discussions with likeminded friends, and narrowly avoided full blown arguments with their nearest and dearest. The outrage was palpable and much like Friday’s torrential downpour, it came from all sides.

Stepping outside the Christian response for a minute - Creative Director and advertising veteran Sir John Hegarty had this to say about it: “Outrage is a good sign”. From his perspective the opening ceremony was a “masterclass in branding”, as well as being “mad, chaotic, explosive, irreverent” and “the most French thing I’ve ever seen”. In short; if you were provoked, you were meant to be: “Love it or loathe it - you’ll remember it”, he said. If that’s what artistic director, Thomas Jolly was going for, he certainly met the brief. This was no lukewarm extravaganza.

But if the opening ceremony sought to celebrate the City of Light’s darker side; this has already been eclipsed by several shining moments during the Olympics themselves, as Christian athletes bear bold witness to Jesus:

When British swimmer Adam Peaty missed out on a third consecutive gold medal by 0.02 seconds in the men’s breaststroke final, he told BBC Sport in an interview afterwards that: “I’m a very religious man, and I asked God to show my heart, and this is my heart. I couldn’t have done more”. The cross tattoo he wears proudly across his chest speaks further of his faith in Christ.

Australian water polo player, Tilly Kearns posted two videos on Instagram marvelling at the beautiful sound of the Fijian athletes worshipping God. First of all, hearing the sound from inside her accommodation, and then outside seeing the team gathered in worship, their singing filling the Olympic Village every morning, as they dedicated themselves to God ahead of competing.

Nineteen-year-old British diver, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix (daughter of First Dates’ Fred Sirieix) said on her Instagram post celebrating the moment she won bronze that: “God was with us from round 1 to round 5” and that, “This is more than just sport. I am proud to represent my country, my family and glorify the name of Jesus”. She thanked God for her dive partner Lois Toulson and quoted Joshua 1v9 in full, which ends, “…for the Lord will be with you wherever you go”.

And off the coast of Tahiti where the Olympic surf events are held; French photographer Jerome Brouillet captured a one-in-a-million moment of Brazilian surfer, Gabriel Medina popping out of his wave, eyes closed, hand pointing to heaven, his upright body and surfboard perfectly aligned above the water. The extraordinary picture went viral, published by every major platform. On his Instagram, Medina captioned the image: ‘“I can do everything through him who strengthens” Philippians 4:13’. It’s been named the photo of the Olympics.

It was the Scottish sprinter and Olympic gold medallist, Eric Liddell who famously said: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure”. At the Paris Olympics 2024, the abilities of thousands of athletes have the potential to elicit the pleasure of God, and the Christians among them are shining witnesses to this, as they share moments of raw faith, glorifying God for their talents, and success.

Sometimes contrast is so vital. The principle of chiaroscuro, a technique used in painting - often employed by Leonardo da Vinci himself, emphasises light against dark to create depth, definition, and to draw attention. When we feel assaulted by darkness we can remember the words of John 1v5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” And so as we step back, although there is still darkness, the picture we see is overwhelmingly one of light.