Everything Olympics
& France
Hello from the other side! Hope you had a great weekend. Tbh, we spent most of ours’ reading your emails, and we can’t complain. So, no Monday blues for us! But first, let’s put you to work 😛
Your task of the day is…
📌 Incorporate at least 20 minutes of physical activity into your routine. It could be a walk, jog, yoga, or any form of exercise you enjoy.
It’s important not only for your body but also for your mental health.
Now, let’s check out what’s going down in Paris
So, Paris is throwing its first Olympic party in 100 years, and they decided to start things off with a boat parade on the River Seine. It’s like a cruise, but with athletes! But the opening ceremony got mixed reviews – okay, mostly thumbs down. Some viewers were like, "What is this? Where's the crowd roar?" Others added, "It's just a lot of boats, no excitement." Someone even called it a "terrible idea," which, ouch, is harsh. Guess not everyone is into river cruises.
Anyway, with an equal number of male and female competitors (5,250 each, because who’s counting?), Paris even threw in some new events like breaking – yes, breakdancing at the Olympics!
Meanwhile, Russia and Belarus got a 'you're not invited' note, but some of their athletes sneaked in as ‘neutrals’ 👀
Then, Beyoncé, because why not, appeared in a video to introduce Team USA. She wore a leotard that screamed 'Team Spirit' and pumped up the athletes, saying, "You've got this!" Her song 'YA YA' played in the background, and it was like a mini-concert with guest stars Lady Gaga and Celine Dion.
But then….things took a WILD turn
First up, at the opening ceremony when a performance by drag queens ruffled some feathers, particularly among French and American Catholics. They thought it was a cheeky parody of 'The Last Supper,' but the official Olympics account chimed in, saying it was actually a nod to the Greek God Dionysus. Right-wing figures, including Andrew Tate, were not buying it and called for protests, labeling it "satanic."
And then, drama took the stage, Eurosport booted commentator Bob Ballard from their Olympics lineup after he made a rather outdated remark during the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. As Australia clinched the gold, Ballard quipped, "Well, the women are just finishing up. You know what women are like… hanging around, doing their makeup."
Cue the outrage, and just like that, Ballard was out.
Meanwhile, over in the judo corner, Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen had a not-so-golden moment at his first Olympics. He tested positive for the anabolic steroids methandienone and boldenone, making him the Games' first doping case. He's now on the bench, awaiting a disciplinary hearing.
In another corner of Olympic drama, Argentina's athletes found themselves booed by French fans, which is not exactly standard Olympic behavior. The boos were courtesy of lingering bad blood from Argentina's win over France in the 2022 FIFA WC.
Lastly, Tajikistani judoka Nurali Emomali decided to skip the traditional handshake with Israeli opponent Tohar Butbul after their match, opting instead for an "Allahu Akbar" and a prayer gesture amidst the backdrop of Israel's Gaza offensive. But karma (or coincidence?) struck swiftly – Emomali later dislocated his shoulder in a match against Japanese Olympian Hifumi Abe.
Seems like a LOT is happening at the event, and we don’t wanna spill everything at once!
So, that’s it for today. Let’s meet again tomorrow 👋 Till then, stay curious, and keep playin’!
