Following the October 7 surprise attack of the Hamas terrorist organisation, Olympics ambassador Emilie Gomis posted a controversial story on Instagram, which is now under investigation.
On October 9, two days after the deadly Hamas attack on Israel, Olympics ambassador Emilie Gomis posted an Instagram story depicting maps of France, being gradually covered by the flag of Israel, with the question written over it: „What would you do in this situation?”
The Paris 2024 Olympics organisers board will address the controversy surrounding the former French national basketball player at an urgent meeting. Gomis is accused of antisemitism and of supporting the Hamas attack. However, the retired Franco-Senegalese athlete strongly denies these accusations and issued an apology for her social media post.
„The accusations of antisemitism I am facing are in total contradiction with the values that were instilled in me and that sport taught me,” Gomis said in a later social media post, apologising to „those who felt hurt.”
Paris 2024 strives to have a joyous and safe Olympics for all; however, organisers face the challenge of successfully shielding the event from politics. The ongoing war in Gaza and Ukraine, along with internal security challenges, may jeopardise their efforts.