The International Olympic Committee says a highlight video of the Paris Olympics’ controversial opening ceremony was not removed from YouTube, but rather is blocked in some regions due to how broadcast rights were organized.

Canadians grew suspicious when the highlight video previously uploaded by the International Olympic Committee displayed the following text over a black screen: “This video is not available.” Many social media users speculated the video, which garnered widespread backlash due to its anti-Christian displays, had been deleted by the IOC.

“The IOC has only retained digital rights in certain global markets,” the a spokesperson for the organization told True North. “Specifically, the IOC does not have digital rights in Europe and the UK, among others. Therefore, moving images from official Olympic venues and areas are geo-blocked for these markets, which is why the videos cannot be viewed. They have not been deleted.”

One of the performances in the opening ceremonies parodied Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” a painting depicting Jesus Christ and his apostles the night before his crucifixion, with drag queens standing in for the disciples and a “fat acceptance” and LGBTQ activist, DJ Barbara Butch, standing in for Jesus.

The International Olympic Committee is also issuing DMCA copyright notices to X users who post videos of the opening ceremony. Several videos were removed from the platform Saturday, but reinstated later in the day.

Following the anti-Christian mockery of the Last Supper, a bearded transgender dancer took to the stage, before a man painted blue from head to toe was presented as a dish served on a plate and began singing in French. According to the official Olympics X account, this was an interpretation of the Greek god Dionysus.

Christians around the world then took issue with images of a metal horse floating down the Seine due to the striking similarities of the pale horse from the Book of Revelations.

A statue of a gold bull and gold deer, which was built in 1937 for the World Fair, was seen on the stage of the opening ceremony. Many Christians on social media felt the imagery evoked the symbol of the golden calf, which represents idolatry and a rejection of faith.

The performance has been widely criticized, including by the Bishops’ Conference of France, which found it deplorable.

“This ceremony unfortunately included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we deeply deplore.” the Catholic organization said in a statement.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson took his frustration with the anti-Christian display to X. 

“Last night’s mockery of the Last Supper was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games,” he wrote. “The war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail.”

French member of European Parliament Marion Marechal also condemned it.“To all Christians of the world watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by the drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation.”

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony told France news outlet Le Monde, that the opening ceremony was about “republican ideas, inclusion, caring, generosity and solidarity.”

At a Saturday press conference, the executive director of the Olympic Games Cristophe Dubi defended the controversial opening ceremony celebrating, “the courage, the determination, the vision, and the creativity” of the show, “broke the mold.”

Editors note: This article has been updated to incorporate the International Olympic Committee’s response and explanation for the video’s inaccessibility.

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  • Harrison Faulkner

    Harrison Faulkner is the host of Ratio'd and co-host of Fake News Friday. He is also a journalist and producer for True North based in Toronto. Twitter: @Harry__Faulkner

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