Olympic controversies on social media cannot overshadow the games

The ongoing 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have just passed the halfway mark, but there have already been some truly memorable moments – and with it, no shortage of controversy. It started with the Opening Ceremonies, but since then it has caused no shortage of considerable debate on social media.

Users on the platforms were almost as quick as gold medalist Noah Lyles to question the rules of the 100m sprint in determining a winner – which, for the record, clearly says it’s a runner’s torso that must be first across the line, not the runner’s foot.

Likewise, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif found herself at the center of a gender controversy, while French hitman Anthony Ammirati received a little more attention on social platforms than he may have liked after a video went viral suggesting a “bloat” in it. the shorts cost him medals! In Ammirati’s case, a closer look at the video shows that his knee hit the crossbar. Moreover, while he also failed in all three attempts, nine other men hit the mark.

“Everyone likes to participate and talk about Olympic athletes, but it must be remembered that Olympians are people too and we must try our best to highlight their achievements above the controversy, negativity and questions of ‘what do you want? happen next’ in the mainstream media,” suggested Jenna Guarneri, founder and CEO at JMG Public Relations.

“Major pop culture events like the Olympics have always sparked conversations in the media and our inner circles,” added David Watkins, publicist and account manager at Otter Public Relations.

Watkins said the difference these days is that social media gives everyone a platform for opinions to potentially go viral, whether they’re based on fact or not.

“This, mixed with the spread of misinformation online, creates a bad pairing when people share discourse and debate online,” Watkins warned.

Social Media=Less Focus On Performance

Perhaps the biggest trend in social networks this year has been that the performances are often overshadowed by the controversies and the appearance of the athletes. It should be added that another French athlete, trampoline diver Jules Bouyer, also went viral for his tight swimwear and reportedly asked fans to focus on his performance, not his looks.

“Speed, amplification, wider reach and the ability to build and engage in real-time conversations around Olympic moments have changed the dynamics of how the Games are covered and consumed. Social networks empower users to decide what they think interesting, lovable and newsworthy,” explained Paul Miser, executive vice president and group director at marketing firm The How Agency.

“While social media may have its downsides due to a small number of users with negative intentions, the positives far outweigh the negatives. The speed and reach of social media allowed Stephen Nedoroscik to gain recognition and capitalize on his fame while was still in Paris, in the middle of the competition,” added Miser. “When social media rallies behind an athlete who might not otherwise get media attention or even a medal, it provides opportunities for those individuals to succeed in ways others, especially as interest translates into followers.”

However, small stories are still getting attention

On the bright side, social media has really enabled some contestants to get their moment in the spotlight. Rarely do the “shooting” stars of the Olympics get much more than a passing mention. That certainly wasn’t the case this year.

Kim Yeji of South Korea became an internet sensation who is now the subject of many memes for her very cool attitude in the pistol competition in which she won a silver medal. The same goes for Turkish sports shooter Yusuf Dikec for what appeared to be a much more casual stance.

Neither striker is new to the scene and likely wouldn’t have gotten much attention — regardless of any silverware — if it weren’t for social media.

“Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed,” @Olympics posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, highlighting the two unique shooting styles.

“Social media can also make unlikely stars. Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec was not a gold medalist. He won silver as a member of his mixed team and was not considered a spectacular athlete compared to others in the sport . He didn’t get any attention until his round,” said Baruch Labunski, CEO of SEO firm Rank Secure.

With almost a week to go, more stories are likely to go viral, as well as other controversies.

“These are the real moments that people connect with,” noted Jacinta Gandy, branding and marketing expert at Social Circle. “We often celebrate victories, but there’s so much more to it than that. We usually see Olympians as heroes, but showing the struggles on social media has humanized them in a way we haven’t seen before and is bringing to life these history!”