Religious controversies surrounding the Olympic Games started even before the opening ceremony, as Brazilian surfer Joao Chianca discovered.
Chianca’s surfboard, which featured an image of Christ, was considered a religious symbol, leading to a conflict with the competition’s rules. The athlete claimed he had to remove the image to avoid disqualification.
Chianca detailed his experience on social media, sharing his story on Instagram, although the post was eventually deleted. He explained that two weeks before the games, he was ordered to remove the image of Jesus Christ from his surfboard or face exclusion from the competition.
In his now-deleted Instagram story, Chianca expressed frustration, stating that he was not allowed to have Jesus on his board because “Christ is a religious figure,” and the games have “strict rules and focus on total neutrality.” Despite his objections, Joao complied with the order and is currently competing.
The incident has sparked debate online, with some people questioning whether Chianca should have stood his ground and dropped out of the competition. Although the games’ rules enforce religious neutrality, many point out that the opening ceremony itself seemed to contradict these guidelines. “They violated their own rules,” one internet user commented.
The story of Joao Chianca’s surfboard has highlighted ongoing discussions about religious expression and neutrality in international sports events.
