Renowned boxer Ryan Garcia has sparked outrage with his vehement attacks on the LGBTQ+ community following the 2024 Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony. The event’s attempts at inclusion and representation of the community have clearly struck a nerve with the Christian athlete.
The 2024 Olympics have made a concerted effort to celebrate diversity, with around 146 openly LGBTQ+ athletes participating in the games. The opening ceremony was no exception, featuring a performance by drag star Nicky Doll, Minima Geste, and Miss Martini carrying the Olympic torch, as well as a celebrated appearance by popular musician Lady Gaga.
However, it seems that one particular performance during the ceremony has riled up Garcia. A parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper,’ featuring members of the drag community, appears to have been the catalyst for the boxer’s tirade. As a self-proclaimed devout Christian, this act must have been deeply offensive to Garcia, leading him to unleash a torrent of hateful remarks on social media.
In a series of posts on the platform X, Garcia called for his fans to boycott the Olympics, asserting that he would never allow his son to be gay. In one particularly disturbing statement, he declared, “I’d slap the gay outta my son.” The boxer’s attacks only grew more vicious and alarming.
Garcia’s onslaught against the LGBTQ+ community did not stop there. He continued to lash out, warning the community not to cross paths with him.
The Olympic games are an institution but at the same time combat sports community has very little tolerance for overly political statements and guidances that stand contrary to common sense and fair play.
