Russian media has focused on perceived scandals and controversies at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, from drag performances at the opening ceremony to water quality issues. Only fifteen Russian athletes are competing as “Individual Neutral Athletes” after the country was banned from participating due to its invasion of Ukraine. Russia is not broadcasting the Games for the first time since 1984, alongside anti-Western rhetoric, leading to reduced public interest. This follows a 2019 ban by the World Anti-Doping Agency due to a state-sponsored doping scheme, which Moscow denied.
