Russian Disinformation Provokes Scandal at Paris Olympics and Riots in Britain

In the initial days of the Paris Olympics, a major scandal erupted involving Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. After her victory over an Italian boxer, she faced accusations of being transgender. Although the information was false, it quickly spread worldwide, reaching prominent figures including Italian officials, J.K. Rowling and U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Russia is behind this fake, and many others. According to Bloomberg, citing Gordon Crovitz, co-founder of the disinformation analysis company NewsGuard, Russian bot networks are currently some of the most advanced and experienced in spreading fake news globally, posing a significant threat to national security.

Riots in Britain 

For over a week, British cities have been witnessing riots provoked by the murder of three young girls aged 6 to 9. A young man stormed into a children's dance club and stabbed them to death. The perpetrator, a 17-year-old from a neighboring town, was quickly apprehended.

Channel3 Now spread the false information that the boy was a migrant, gaining 27 million impressions almost instantly. This led to an attack on a local mosque and subsequent riots across dozens of cities, resulting in hundreds of arrests.

However, the boy was not a migrant, and the Channel3 Now publication was a fake. The site, which frequently spreads disinformation, has ties to Russia. The publication was based on a tweet by Bernie Spofforth, who deleted it shortly after posting, but Channel3 Now had already disseminated it.

The riots, marked by car fires, looted shops, and clashes with law enforcement, have resulted in 428 arrests, according to The Guardian.

Paris 2024 Olympics

Another example of public opinion manipulation occurred at the start of the 2024 Olympics in France, especially in Paris. A video featuring an actor resembling French President Emmanuel Macron singing about Paris in a negative light (dirty city, rats, crime, polluted Seine) went viral. Bloomberg reports that the video, which mocked the Games, was spread by 30,000 social media bots linked to a notorious Russian disinformation group.

Russian bots also amplified the earlier scandal involving Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. The International Boxing Association (IBA), led by Russian Umar Kremlev, falsely accused Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting of being men, leading to widespread bot-driven misinformation.

Kremlev, a close ally of the Kremlin, was appointed IBA head with backing from figures like Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and has significant business interests in Russia. IBA’s sponsor is Gazprom, one of Russia’s largest state-owned companies.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) directly accused Russia of inciting hostility and spreading disinformation, leading to one of the biggest scandals overshadowing the Paris Olympics.

NewsGuard tracked dozens of disinformation examples targeting the Paris Games, with Crovitz noting that Russian networks are highly advanced in using generative AI for fake videos, music, and websites.

Russian propaganda focused on crime, migrants, garbage, and environmental issues, largely ignoring the Olympics and sports. One fake news report claimed the CIA advised against using the Paris metro, which was unfounded. Additionally, Russia engaged in cyberattacks on the IOC’s digital infrastructure.

Disinformation as a Weapon

Russia has long used propaganda and disinformation to pressure Western countries, leveraging social media and bot networks to destabilize public opinion and spread fakes. The events of early August 2024, from Paris Olympics to the riots in the UK, highlighted the impact of these tactics.