CHEATING, VIOLENCE, POLITICS: WELCOME TO THE BEAUTIFUL 2024 OLYMPICS

The Games couldn’t wait for the opening ceremony before crashing, with the Utah governor stalling an FBI probe on doping Chinese swimmers to accept a 2034 invite, amid drone spying and soccer sickos

     They want us to say “bonjour” every day, which makes a good impression, but the City of Light/Love/Wembanyama will bemoan the world’s harm. The Summer Olympics has yet to open with a ceremony and already we see cheating, violence and politics. LeBron James can fire another hit of chalk into the Parisian sky, but without Napoleon or Jim Morrison, who stops the bad guys?

     Be prepared for the doping Chinese swimmers, who continue to raise hell because the International Olympic Committee won’t bust them. They tested positive for a banned substance before the Tokyo Games, and while U.S. officials are investigating, they are allowed to race for medals. Worse, they weakened the resolve of Utah politicians, who agreed to stall the FBI probe after the IOC awarded the 2034 Winter Games to Salt Lake City. Why the governor of that state has any power — over whether the iconic Katie Ledecky beats her shaky rivals — is an early abomination.

     “I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean,” Ledecky said Wednesday. “But what really matters: Were they training clean? The athletes want transparency. They want further answers to the questions that still remain. We're not the ones paid to do the testing, so we hope that the people that are follow their own rules.”

     Yet Gov. Spencer J. Cox ceded to wrongdoers inside the World Anti-Doping Agency and said he would work with Congress to “alleviate your concerns.” It’s frightful when the IOC and WADA back down. Do they not want to punish the guilty? “That was the only way that we could guarantee we would get the Games,” Cox said. Only if the U.S. sees misconduct in WADA, he said, will Utah bow out of the commitment. Please recall that Cox’s state was hit by a bribery scandal before hosting the 2002 Winter Games.

     Utah vs. America. Just as the Mormons always have wanted it.

     “It is shocking to see the IOC itself stooping to threats in an apparent effort to silence those seeking answers to what are now known as facts,” said Travis Tygart, chief executive of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which doesn’t trust WADA. “It seems more apparent than ever that WADA violated the rules and needs accountability and reform to truly be the global watchdog that clean athletes need.”

     So in 2024, the Olympics are haunted by massive drug concerns. We want Paris to revive what the Games always meant to us, at least years ago. America is dealing with a particular target in Brittney Griner, who has made her first overseas trip since Russia detained her for 10 months. We can assume she didn’t pack her baggage with cannabis filling vape cartridges. For the record, she is focused on a gold medal in women’s basketball when a better idea would have included Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese on the U.S. team. She hopes people read her book, “Coming Home.”

     “Honestly, I hope when people read that book they get a little bit more insight on what happened, what is going on,” Griner said. “Hopefully, they will look up and see who from their area, their state is detained and away from her family. Being away from my family like that, being away from my country like that, going through the foolishness that we went through, that is not right. Hopefully, it will bring more awareness.”

     She used the word “foolishness.” Wasn’t she Vladimir Putin’s fool?  Griner keeps playing a mental game in print. She knew cannabis is forbidden in Russia and simply forgot the pen was in her luggage, which doesn’t show the sensibility of an Olympian, much less a wise traveler. Her response when the weed was found at Sheremetyevo International Airport: F-bombs.

     F as in Fool.

     The difference this time is counseling, available in France. “Just having really good people around me, people that understand me, know me and see the signs that I might be wavering. And not being scared to seek counseling,” Griner said. “I think more people should do it. It’s a resource that is there for us. I feel like everyone should have someone to talk to. Sometimes it hard to talk to family members and friends because sometimes you feel like there is a bias there. When you have a counselor, there is no bias. They are there for you to make sure that you’re great. I still use it to this day. I’m in a good place, but I still use it.

     “The strength in numbers, what we’re playing for, the standard, everybody that’s came before us. Everything else kind of just blurs out. I got my eyes on the gold, being on that podium and I want to feel that feeling again. …  My dad fought for our country. He is a Marine. So, it’s always been something that we’ve always cherished, but now even more so. My country really saved my life and I’m able to represent them again and it just means so much more.”

     Saying “bonjour” won’t help in Paris when athletes are dirty in every competition. And I mean all of them — including women’s soccer, where two Canadian coaches were sent home and the head coach will miss a match after a drone flew over New Zealand’s training sessions. Who knew the northern neighbors are cheats? Maybe the act is comparable to Bill Belichick and his “Spygate” days, but the NFL is obscene and Olympic soccer is … just as obscene.

     If China’s dopers aren’t expelled, the IOC will allow the Canadians to continue. “(We) are deeply shocked and disappointed by this incident, which occurred just days before the sides are due to face each other,” said New Zealand’s Olympic committee.

     Said Canada head coach Bev Priestman: “On behalf of our entire team, I first and foremost want to apologize to players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada. This does not represent the values that our team stands for. I’m ultimately responsible for conduct in our program. In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that sportsmanship is upheld.”

     As human beings, every breath and step taken during the Games should be closely watched. The real security concern is along the River Seine, where a larger crew than 45,000 police officers is suggested for Friday night’s opening ceremony. The Ukrainian team members have been threatened. The planet’s dangers are front and center, with the French interior minister blocking about 1,000 people from attending the Games for spying. “We’re here to make sure ... that sport isn’t used for spying, for cyberattacks or to criticize and sometimes even lie about France and the French,” Gerald Darmanin said. “That’s why we’re on the alert, and we want them to know that we’re not naive.” Already, police have arrested a Russian who wanted to “destabilize” Paris.

     In Saint-Etienne, a stunning soccer victory Wednesday didn’t stop fans of Morocco from throwing bottles and flares and running into the field. They thought their team was the victim of a late goal by Argentina — yes, defending World Cup and Copa America champion Argentina — and lost their minds. After the game was suspended for two hours, officials ruled Morocco was the winner, 2-1. It’s crazy to talk about madness when the Games haven’t officially started.

     Said Olympics organizers: “Paris 2024 is working with the relevant stakeholders to understand the causes and identify appropriate actions.”

     They should print out the statement and read it throughout the Games.

     No one has introduced the athletes and, already, Paris has no light or love.

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     Jay Mariotti, called “without question the most impacting Chicago sportswriter of the past quarter-century,’’ writes general sports columns for Substack while appearing on some of the 1,678,498 podcasts and shows in production today. He is an accomplished columnist, TV panelist and talk/podcast host. Living in Los Angeles, he gravitated by osmosis to film projects.