Dr. Mahfoud Amara
May 8th 2024 in France, with the arrival of the Olympic flame for Paris 2024 from Olympia—the birthplace of the ancient Olympics and the final resting place of French Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s heart—to the Mediterranean port of Marseille, the countdown to the Olympics began.
The torch’s arrival was broadcast live on French National TV, attended by French officials including President Emmanuel Macron, his wife, the Minister of Sport, the Mayor of Paris, and the head of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, himself three-time Olympic champion.
Thousands of spectators gathered in the port of Marseille to witness the flame being carried by Olympic champion Florent Manaudou, who had the honour of being the first torchbearer on French soil.
Marseille, one of France’s largest and most multicultural cities, with a population originating from Italy, Spain, and North Africa, is the birthplace of legendary French footballer Zinedine Zidane. It epitomizes France’s cultural diversity and thus reflects the Olympic values of tolerance and mutual respect.
It also represents the diversity of French sport at its finest, featuring elite athletes and champions from French overseas territories and various cultural backgrounds including North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the South Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, and East Asia—a legacy of French colonialism, contributing to the glory of French sports across different disciplines.
However, sports present a contrasting image to the current climate and media discourse of the French establishment, which is increasingly fearful of visible diversity in French society, labeling it as a threat and leading to discussions of “the great replacement”—the alleged replacement of the autochthonous French white, Judeo-Christian population by communities with different cultural and religious backgrounds.
This debate is also evident in discussions about the protection of French national identity, particularly concerning the ban on veils and hijabs for French athletes by the French National Olympic Committee and National Federations, in defense of secular norms, contrary to international federations’ decisions to lift the hijab ban in sports.
This opposition undermines the universal values of sport and the Olympic Spirit.
The debate surrounding the celebration of cultural diversity at the Olympic Games and the internal discussions within France regarding national preferences is exemplified by the question of whether the current French pop music star, Aya Nakamura, of Franco-Malian descent, should perform at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, singing from the French repertoire, including works by Edith Piaf, whose mother by the way was of North African Berber descent.
The hosting of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games occurs amidst global agitation and tensions, including the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, resulting in thousands of civilian casualties.
Although the international community has imposed sanctions against Russia, with Russian athletes participating in the Games under a neutral Olympic flag, there is growing pressure to apply similar measures to Israeli athletes, akin to past actions against the apartheid regime that contributed to its downfall and Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, leading to a new democratic era in South Africa.
While the host and the IOC may celebrate the symbolic moment of having both the Palestinian and Israeli flags at the Opening Ceremony as a demonstration of global unity, the reality remains harsh.
The Palestinian Authority joined the IOC following the Oslo Accords in 1993, but no progress has been made toward the recognition of the Palestinian state.
Everyone is weary of the cycle of violence, and it is time to end the illegal and inhuman occupation, the ongoing atrocities, and for Palestinians to be recognized not just as a flag at the Olympics but as an independent nation-state. To enjoy and celebrate the Olympics as a free nation.
Dr. Mahfoud Amara is an Associate Professor in Sport Social Sciences and Management at Qatar University.
