Olympic leaders: Russian disinformation ahead of Paris Games inevitable
Olympic leaders: Russian disinformation before the Paris Games is inevitable / Vladimir Voronin / AP
Representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Saturday that they have come to terms with the fact that the Paris Olympics will be the target of disinformation attacks after recent incidents blamed on Russia.
As preparations for the sporting event neared completion, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said he believed some campaign against the Paris Olympics had already begun.
“Obviously there is some kind of campaign going on,” Adams said at the press conference.
“This is not the first and not the last time that the IOC has become a target of disinformation. It is becoming more and more sophisticated. I’m afraid it’s one of those things you have to accept (…), it’s part of the divided world we live in,” he said.
Mr. Adams answered a question related to the fake full-length documentary “Olympiad fell” released in 2023. Olympics has Fallen), which uses artificial intelligence to pretend to be Hollywood star Tom Cruise.
The film, which falsely presents itself as a Netflix documentary, aims to undermine public support for the Olympics.
Earlier this year, the IOC said its president, Thomas Bach, had received hoax calls from a group in Russia pretending to represent the African Union Commission.
Meanwhile, US tech giant Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center said Russia had stepped up disinformation targeting the Paris Games.
After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia is banned from sending an official team to the Paris Olympics.
Instead, only a handful of Russian athletes will be able to compete under a neutral flag.
Source: www.15min.lt
