The 33rd Olympic Games, dubbed Paris 2024 shook hands with controversy on day 1. The opening ceremony of the grandiose event witnessed a global backlash for some seemingly offensive content. The controversy has the entire world in fumes including the lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev.
The Dagestani observed the show and quickly took to his social media to denounce the event as nonsensical. Makhachev called it a “Shame” and “Dark Stain” in the history of the Olympics. Well, that’s not all, the lightweight champion recently had an interview with Ushatayka, a Russian podcasting media, where he explained the reason for his criticism. Let’s have a look at what he said.
Well, Islam Makhachev planned to witness the event live but after the controversy, the lightweight champion believes that it is better for him to stay away from such insult. While having a conversation with Ushatayka, Makhachev stated the reason for his criticism, “Well, to be honest, I watched fragments of the Olympics ceremony. It was disgusting. It is disrespectful too. I don’t know, to all religions in general, to all human values, honestly. I even planned to go to the Olympics. After such, I don’t even want to go there,” said Makhachev.
The ceremony for the biggest sporting festival of the year was held at the Seine River. It featured 6,800 athletes from across the world. Everything was working well for the event. However, the reaction of people around the world began to shift when they witnessed the opening ceremony. It was such a controversial incident that many companies pulled their advertisements out of the entire event.
Islam Makhachev further emphasized that the Olympics should have happened in Russia. Well, his unfiltered take on the controversy found its way to the fans of the sport. Let’s have a look at what the MMA fans said about his statement.
MMA community supports Islam Makhachev in his statement on the Olympics
I͏͏͏͏͏͏sl͏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏a͏͏m͏ ͏͏M͏a͏k͏h͏͏͏͏ac͏h͏ev͏ w͏͏a͏͏͏s͏n’t͏ ͏͏͏th͏e on͏͏͏͏l͏͏y͏ ͏͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏͏͏͏e͏͏ ͏wh͏͏͏͏͏͏o͏͏ ca͏͏l͏l͏ed͏͏͏ ͏͏͏o͏ut ͏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏͏͏he͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏Ol͏͏y͏͏͏͏mpi͏c͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏fe͏͏d͏͏͏era͏͏͏͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏i͏o͏͏n͏͏ ͏͏͏͏f͏͏͏͏͏o͏͏r͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏w͏͏h͏a͏t h͏͏e͏͏͏ ͏͏d͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏͏e͏m͏͏͏ed ͏͏a͏ b͏͏͏͏͏͏la͏͏ta͏n͏t͏ j͏͏͏͏͏o͏ke͏͏͏. ͏͏͏͏͏Several fans joined him in the comments under the post.
The Olympic Federation had to come forward to apologize for what they had done. Regardless, a social media user was a bit frustrated about the hubbub, saying, “He is right the ceremony was disgusting there was a guy having his ba**sack hanging out having 0 regard for kids watching the event, degenerecy has become a new norm.”
Another social media user called it an agenda, “1000% right.. The olympics even pushing their disgusting agenda.”
Islam Makhachev wa͏s one͏ o͏f th͏e first p͏eople ͏in͏ t͏he͏ ͏͏͏UF͏C to c͏ritici͏͏͏ze ͏͏the O͏ly͏m͏pic͏s, which ͏͏ev͏e͏n͏ a͏͏ttra͏ct͏ed͏ f͏͏ans͏ w͏͏ho were͏ pre͏v͏iou͏sl͏͏y n͏ot i͏n͏ter͏͏ested͏͏͏- “Not even his fans but he is absolutely right”, wrote one fan while another said, “100%, and not a fan.”
“Not his biggest fan but I do stand behind how he feels,” was another comment in support of the champ.