The South Korean corporation has withdrawn its one-billion-dollar sponsorship of the Olympic Games, dissatisfied with the promotion of the “woke agenda”, according to a false narrative also picked up in Romania.
Hands off Christianity!
NEWS: “Samsung pulls $1 billion sponsorship from Paris Olympics”
NARRATIVE: The sponsors of the Paris Olympics are boycotting the competition for promoting the LGBTQ+ agenda.
BACKGROUND: The opening ceremony of this year's Paris Olympics included plenty of memorable moments, but it also sparked plenty of controversy, most notably following an artistic moment when several contestants taking part in a drag queen reality show in France appeared seated at a long table, a scene some have associated with Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting “The Last Supper”. While many hailed the moment as a celebration of diversity and inclusion, others took social media by storm, describing the scene as a “mockery” and “an insult to Christianity”.
The extent of the criticism has prompted organizers to issue a public apology to all those who felt offended by the artistic episode, stressing that their intention was not to show disrespect towards any religious group. The show's artistic director, Thomas Jolly, said he did not take inspiration from da Vinci's famous work, nor did he want the interlude to come across as subversive, contemptuous or shocking. According to Jolly, the moment was meant to convey a message of inclusion, celebrating freedom in all its forms. Moreover, his design was to recreate a celebration related to the mythology of ancient Greece, the original country of the Olympic Games, and the central character did not parody Jesus Christ, but represented the Greek god of wine, vegetation, fruit growing, ecstasy and fertility, Dionysus.
The whole scandal, however, provided conspiracy mongers with an opportunity to launch new false narratives, claiming that most of the International Olympic Committee's sponsors have suspended funding for the competition. As an example, conspiracy theorists point to the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, which indeed announced the withdrawal of its sponsorship of the IOC, but did so as early as May of this year. The reason behind the decision was, however, dissatisfaction that the money was used ineffectively, having nothing to do with the Olympics opening ceremony, which took place two months after Toyota's announcement.
In Romania, the information was brought to the attention of the public by a former journalist from the Republic of Moldova, currently based in Bucharest, who is known for his conspiracy rhetoric, picking on all the major themes, even on the many occasions they clash. In addition, the author is a fervent supporter of Russia and its war of aggression against Ukraine. Recently, she stated that the World Economic Forum will make human-animal marriages legal.
PURPOSE: To promote anti-Western rhetoric, the validate self-endorsed conspiracy theories, to stir and amplify social unrest.
Samsung continues its partnership with the IOC
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: The narrative was originally published on an American satire website that claims Samsung decided to pull its 1-billion-dollar sponsorship because the Olympics had become “too woke”, citing an “anonymous IOC representative”. The story went viral in record time on social media, although, in fact, there was no official statement from the company or any credible source to confirm the announcement.
Furthermore, Samsung later confirmed its status as a partner of the International Olympic Committee as part of its own “The Olympic Partner” program of support for sporting excellence, innovation and global unity, stating that the funding framework will be kept in place until at least 2028. The IOC has in turn confirmed that the claims about Samsung withdrawing its sponsorship are false, even announcing a new joint project with the South Korean company. Meanwhile, Samsung's official statements following the “news” continue to show its active involvement in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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