WATCH: Heated exchange between Brazil and Canada volleyball players gets settled as DJ plays John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ at Paris Olympics
A heated exchange between Brazil and Canada's beach volleyball team took center stage at the Paris Olympics when the DJ played John Lennon's 'Imagine' to quickly defuse the tension. The incident occured during the women's beach volleyball final on Friday, August 9, 2024.
Brazil's Ana Patricia Silva Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa and Canada's Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson were involved in a heated argument during the third set. The players moved right up to the net's edge on either side to confront each other after Canada narrowed Brazil's lead to 11-8.
The situation de-escalated only after the referee intervened. As the players returned to their starting positions, the DJ pulled off an incredible move by playing John Lennon's soothing melody "Imagine," easing the tension and lifting the spirits. Even the players displayed broad smiles and applauded the choice of music.
The spectators were seen enoying the moment as they sang and waved their hands in unison at the picturesque Eiffel Tower Stadium.
Watch the video here:
Brazil defeated the Canadian squad two sets to one to clinch the Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympics. This was Brazi's first Olympic gold in women's beach volleyball since Atlanta 1996. Switzerland's Tanja Huberli and Nina Betschart won bronze after beating the Australian pair of Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy.
The French hijab ban receives criticism from the Egyptian beach volleyball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The French senate banned the “ostensible religious symbols,” including hijab in sports in January 2022. The guidelines were applied to the French athletes competing at the Paris Olympics in September 2023.
Doaa Elghobashy, who is representing Egypt's women's beach volleyball team in the French capital along with Marwa Abdelhady conveyed her dissent with the ban, emphasizing respect for all cultures and religions.
“I want to play in my hijab, she wants to play in a bikini,” Elghobashy said. "“Everything is OK, if you want to be naked or wear a hijab. Just respect all different cultures and religions.”
“I don’t tell you to wear a hijab and you don’t tell me to wear a bikini. No one can tell me how to dress. It’s a free country, everyone should be allowed to do what they want,” she added.
The Egyptian duo was seen donning leggings and long-sleeve t-shirts in all the face-offs while their opponents mostly opted for bikinis.