In a recent episode of ‘Coffee with Kenny,’ NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace announced he would boycott this year’s Summer Olympics. While he didn’t specify his reasons or make a political statement, he hinted at various controversies surrounding the event, which started on July 26 and runs until August 11, stating, “They screwed up at the start.”
With NASCAR not returning to NBC Sports until after August 11, many sports fans, including Wallace, typically turn to the Olympics for entertainment. Wallace expressed his usual interest in the competition, saying, “I like competition. I wanna see who’s the fastest runner, I wanna see who’s the fastest swimmer…it’s the Summer Olympics (and) I wanna see who’s the best. But on the other hand, I can’t do it.”
This raises the question: Why is Kenny Wallace boycotting the Paris Olympics? What political reasons influenced the former NASCAR driver’s decision? Wallace explained, “I do not want to watch those Olympics because I wanna protest. Usually, I just do what I wanna do but, ‘Herman don’t talk about politics; you’ll lose half of your friends’…so I’m not gonna talk about politics…I’m gonna boycott these Olympics. I’m not gonna watch ’em because they screwed up at the start.”
Although Wallace didn’t detail how the officials “screwed up,” several controversies have overshadowed the start of the 2024 Olympics. Reports from September 2023 revealed that then-French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera announced a ban on hijabs for French athletes, to adhere to the state’s secular rules. This decision upset many, given France’s large Muslim community.
Additionally, retired American track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman criticized the Nike track kit for women as “a costume born of patriarchal forces.” The leotard, with a high-cut bikini line, was considered too revealing by some athletes, including Fleshman.
US Paralympic athlete Jaleen Roberts echoed this sentiment, noting, “This mannequin is standing still and everything’s showing… imagine MID FLIGHT.”
Another controversy involved a spy drone spotted over New Zealand’s women’s soccer team during practice. The pilot, a member of Team Canada, led to the ejection of Canada’s head coach Bev Priestman and two staff members. The Canadian Olympic Committee issued a public apology and announced ethics training for the involved staff.
Moreover, Japan’s star gymnast Shoko Miyata withdrew from the competition after violating the team’s code of conduct by drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, actions not aligned with the team’s rules despite Japan’s legal drinking age being 20.
Other controversies included British rider Charlotte Dujardin withdrawing from the competition due to allegations of whipping her horse during a past practice session. Additionally, Israeli athletes were banned from the Olympics amid their country’s attacks on Gaza, which resulted in numerous deaths.
