Australia leads the medal table in the Paris Olympics with five medals, followed by the US, France, and China. However, controversies have overshadowed the sporting events, including Canada’s football coach being banned and the team losing six points for spying on opponents, and the French bishops criticizing the opening ceremony for mocking Christianity.
France won the gold medal in rugby sevens, ending Fiji’s dominance, while China scooped their first gold and aims for a clean sweep in diving. Australia also had success with Ariarne Titmus winning the women’s 400-meter freestyle. Georgian shooter Nino Salukvadze became the first woman to compete at 10 Olympic Games.
Concerns also emerged about the water quality in the Seine River, where the events are being held, as E. coli levels were found to be above the safe limit. Additionally, South Korean athletes were mistakenly introduced as North Korean during the opening ceremony, leading to an apology from the organizing committee.
A Polish journalist was suspended for calling John Lennon’s song “Imagine” a vision of communism during the opening ceremony. Despite these controversies, the roadblocks in Paris are starting to ease, giving hope to residents that the city will return to normalcy after the elaborate opening ceremony on the Seine River.
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