Lighting the Torch, Fueling the Debate: The Political Battleground of the 2024 Olympic Games 

The Olympic Games, far from being just a sporting event, have always been a political battleground and a mirror reflecting the geopolitical tensions of their time. The 2024 Olympic Games unfolded in a deeply polarized world, marked by an unprecedented number of elections and two major conflicts that captured the attention of global leaders and public opinion. 

This year, however, the Games became the stage for a different kind of political struggle, with several leaders using the event to advance their domestic agendas and fuel a global culture war over seemingly minor controversies. 

This trend was noticeable worldwide, prompting us to seek insights from APCO colleagues in countries where the debate surrounding the Games became highly politicized. These perspectives shed light on how the domestic dynamics around the Olympics fit into a broader cultural debate and the political maneuvering that shaped this edition of the Games. 

France: A Unifying Force in a Divided Host Nation

In France, the Olympic Games have served as a remarkable unifying force, rejuvenating the national spirit following a period of political unrest and two highly contentious elections. President Emmanuel Macron seized the opportunity presented by the Games to delay the appointment of the Prime Minister. He even advocated for a “political truce,” interpreting the event as a manifestation of the French public’s longing for political stability.  

While the far-right party elected officials remained relatively subdued during this period, they capitalized on the enhanced security measures to propagate their vision of public tranquility through an augmented police presence. Moreover, the Games have not only amplified France’s international allure but also bequeathed a lasting legacy to Paris. This includes new residential areas, sports infrastructure and the now-iconic Olympic cauldron. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is expected to leverage the success of the Olympics to fortify her influence within the left-wing faction, strategically positioning herself for the impending 2026 local elections. to Paris. This includes new residential areas, sports infrastructure and the now-iconic Olympic cauldron. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is expected to leverage the success of the Olympics to fortify her influence within the left-wing faction, strategically positioning herself for the impending 2026 local elections. 

APCO colleagues Madja Achab, Wahid Azaoui and Fernanda Lopez Tolsa Valenzuela contributed to this section. 

United States: Visible Divisions Ahead of an Election Year

The Olympics have long been a stage for political expression, and the United States is no exception. While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) emphasizes apoliticism, patriotism often veers into politicized nationalism and partisan politics, especially ahead of a divisive election year.  

The opening ceremony prompted backlash from conservative Christians. Shortly after Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won a gold medal, former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump seized on the achievement and the ensuing global criticism over gender misconceptions. U.S. political campaigns used various events to mock Republican Senate candidates and highlight “out of touch” and “extremist” policies. 

Despite visible divisions, NBC, the U.S. Olympic broadcasting partner, set viewership records as millions of Americans tuned in.

APCO colleague Peter Supinski contributed to this section. 

Brazil: Bipartisan Politicization in a Highly Polarized Debate

In the political arena of Brazil, the Paris Olympics have become a stage for both President Lula’s administration and former President Bolsonaro’s allies to assert their influence and showcase their policies.  

The Lula government has been lauded for its support of athletes through the Bolsa Atleta program, an income transference initiative started during Lula’s first term in office. Conversely, Bolsonaro’s supporters have seized the opportunity to scrutinize the government’s expenditure, particularly highlighting the costs associated with the first lady’s trip to Paris, and the broader debate on the taxation of Olympic prizes.  

Amidst financial debates, gender policies have also come to the forefront. The opening ceremony’s inclusion of drag queens and further debate on women’s boxing matches sparked controversy among Bolsonaro’s conservative base, who criticized the government’s approach to gender policies as being too liberal.

The politicization of the Paris Olympics by both sides underscores the ongoing tug-of-war between progressive and conservative ideologies in Brazil, with each faction seeking to capitalize on the global event to promote their political agenda and values. 

APCO colleague Caroline Gibin Ribeiro contributed to this section. 

Ukraine: Debate Over Russian Participation and the Future of the Sports Sector

The Zelenskyy administration leveraged the Olympics to reinforce media attention on the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the country approaches EU and possible NATO accession. Focus was drawn to the 490 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed as a result of Russian aggression. A point of contention was the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes into the games under a neutral flag.  

Zhan Beleniuk, both a Ukrainian member of parliament and wrestling bronze medalist, stated that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be denied participation unless they actively denounced Russia’s war effort. Beleniuk also highlighted the Russian effort to damage the country’s sporting infrastructure.  also highlighted the Russian effort to damage the country’s sporting infrastructure.  

President Zelenskyy criticized the idea of Russia symbolically engaging in an Olympic truce, stating that Russia cannot be trusted and would only benefit from temporarily freezing the conflict. Ukraine’s Olympic future was painted as uncertain without securing funding for the reconstruction of the training complexes. 

APCO colleagues Sonya Soutus and Andrew Gunn to this section. 

Italy: A Culture War Escalated by the Far-Right Government

In Italy, the far-right government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leveraged the Olympic Games to reinforce its adherence to conservative values at home and abroad.  

From the outset, the Games became a political stage, with Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini attacking the opening ceremony as an “insult to Christians.” Tensions escalated further during the women’s 66kg boxing competition. Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from the bout against Khelif after days of outcry and spreading misinformation about the Algerian’s gender eligibility. The incident was politically exploited by President Meloni to ignite a broader debate on gender roles in sports and to amplify the narrative of the International Boxing Association (IBA), led by the Russian Umar Kremlev, which the IOC has discredited.  

While Meloni is politically committed to positioning Italy within the Western and NATO spheres, the Olympics allowed her to solidify her culturally conservative stance domestically and showcase her strong alignment with far-right values globally. 

Turkey: Memes, Criticism and Political Controversies

Türkiye’s Olympics performance was largely defined by shooter and silver medalist Yusuf Dikec, whose nonchalant style of shooting won hearts worldwide, spawning a multitude of memes. Domestically however, the country’s historically low Olympics ranking sparked criticism, with some opposition voices accusing the government of mismanagement and diversion of sports funding.  

President Erdogan decried the opening ceremony as “immoral” in a call with the Pope, and criticised opposition parties, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, for “not speaking out against the LGBT lobby”. Echoing populist anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric to appeal to his core conservative base, Erdogan stated “the LGBT lobby has taken the West hostage. They can’t speak out, but we do.”  

The gender eligibility tests of Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, approved by the IOC, have not gone unnoticed by Turkish media, which often reflects government sentiments. Although Erdogan has not directly addressed this issue, it remains a potential topic for his criticism of the country’s LGBTQ+ community 

APCO colleagues Deniz Gungen and Sedef Akademir contributed to this section.