Paris Olympics officially underway, controversies included

The 2024 Olympics opening ceremony in Paris has generated worldwide controversy, even as French President Emmanuel Macron hopes to use the games to unite France amid the political turmoil following the country’s elections.

Organizers on Sunday apologized for a drag queens skit that Catholic and conservative groups said looked a lot like a pastiche of Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

And South Korea’s team was introduced as the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” the official name for North Korea, prompting the International Olympic Committee to offer a “deep apology.”

Athletes have also caught the limelight: US gymnastics legend Simone Biles on Sunday dominated qualifiers despite suffering a calf injury. Meanwhile, Dutch volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a minor in 2016, was booed by the audience during his opening game.

Paris’ problems may not be over. The Seine river is too polluted, officials said, for triathlon training, caused in part by the heavy rain that fell during the opening ceremony. Organizers are planning to hold future triathlon events in the river, however, if the weather gets better and pollution improves.