A Polish journalist has been suspended from the Paris Olympics after he referred to John Lennon’s song “Imagine” as a “vision of communism.” Przemyslaw Babiarz, a well-known sports commentator, made the remark during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics, which took place on the Seine River in Paris.
During the ceremony, French singer Juliette Armanet performed the iconic song. As it played, Babiarz, who works for Polish state broadcaster TVP, commented on air, “This is a vision of communism, unfortunately.” This statement quickly stirred reactions among viewers in Poland.
In response to the controversy, TVP released a statement announcing that Babiarz would no longer be providing commentary for the Olympics. “Mutual understanding, tolerance, reconciliation — these are not only the basic Olympic ideas, they are also the basis for the standards that guide the new Telewizja Polska (Polish Television),” the statement read, as reported by ABC News.
The suspension comes in the wake of significant changes at TVP. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who took office in December, replaced the former management team, which had been criticized as a mouthpiece for the national-conservative PiS government.
Conservative leaders in Poland, including President Andrzej Duda and former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, condemned the decision. Morawiecki took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his support for Babiarz, stating, “The truth will defend itself! Your actions will be remembered and censorship will fail.”
The incident has sparked a broader debate about free speech and censorship, with some commentators on the left agreeing that the punishment was too severe.
