Imane Khelif and the largest controversies in sports activities in 2024

As 2024 involves an finish, there are many moments on the planet of sports activities to replicate on after three hundred and sixty five days, and lots of of them are nice. 

Nonetheless, controversy was additionally seen all through the times and months. 

Let’s check out a few of 2024’s greatest controversial moments in sports activities, beginning in Paris on the Olympic Video games. 

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Gold medalist Imane Khelif of Algeria poses on the rostrum in the course of the medal ceremony for the ladies’s 66kg ultimate boxing class in the course of the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris on August 9, 2024. (MOHD RASFAN/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)

IMANE KHELIF WINS GOLD MEDAL IN PARIS

Probably the most-Googled athlete of the 12 months was on the middle of controversy on the Paris Olympics, as Algeria’s Imane Khelif grew to become the gold medalist in her weight class for boxing, regardless of questions on gender eligibility. 

Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 Worldwide Boxing Affiliation World Championships after IBA president Umar Kremlev mentioned the boxer had “XY chromosomes,” that are related to organic males. 

Nonetheless, the IOC defended Khelif, in addition to Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who additionally gained gold in a special ladies’s weight class regardless of associated outrage. 

OLYMIPCS CHIEF HOPEFUL VOWS TO EXPLORE TRANS ATHLETES BAN AMID GLOBAL OUTRAGE

“These two athletes have been the victims of a sudden and arbitrary choice by the IBA,” the IOC mentioned. “In the direction of the tip of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they have been immediately disqualified with none due course of.”

Khelif went on to by no means lose a single spherical in Paris on her strategy to gold. One boxer, Angela Carini, even forfeited in opposition to Khelif in Paris, saying that “one punch damage an excessive amount of.”

CAITLIN CLARK ROUGHED UP DURING HISTORIC ROOKIE SEASON

Clark made WNBA historical past in her first season as a part of the Indiana Fever, whereas headlining a rookie class that modified the panorama of ladies’s sports activities, not to mention ladies’s basketball. 

However this rookie season to recollect did not come with out its personal controversy, particularly when she was enjoying. 

Clark was part of nationwide headlines after the Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter checked her down on the courtroom early within the season, which was deemed a Flagrant-1 foul. 

It wasn’t a crucial bodily play, therefore the foul name, but it surely grew to become way more than that as discuss exhibits and media retailers started discussing whether or not gamers are being too harsh on Clark, who had taken a beating on the courtroom with some arduous fouls previous to that as properly. Race was additionally introduced up as a part of the discussions. 

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) rushes up the courtroom Friday, July 12, 2024, in the course of the sport at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA At present Community by way of Imagn Photographs)

Clark would endure extra moments of physicality, together with from fellow rookie Angel Reese, who whacked her within the head throughout a layup try. Nonetheless, each Reese and Clark agreed it had simply been a basketball play that did not work out at that second. 

BROOKE FLEMING AND SJSU WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

In a 12 months when transgender athletes in ladies’s sports activities grew to become such a controversial subject, one such scenario made nationwide headlines as San Jose State’s ladies’s volleyball program was mired in controversy resulting from trans athlete Brooke Fleming on the courtroom. 

The Spartans’ document mirrored forfeits from a number of opponents this season, and although it wasn’t instantly specified, all indicators pointed to the refusal to play in opposition to Fleming. 

There has even been controversy inside her personal group, as captain Brooke Slusser is a part of two lawsuits alleging the college and Fleming actively sought to stop her and different gamers on the group from realizing that Fleming is a organic male. 

Slusser additionally joined a lawsuit in opposition to the NCAA over the governing physique’s insurance policies on gender ideology that enables transgender athletes to compete in ladies’s sports activities. 

Regardless of controversy from inside and the surface, San Jose State continued to play in opposition to opponents that might face them on the courtroom till the Mountain West match got here round the place they earned a bye for being the No. 2 seed. 

Boise State, who forfeited to SJSU earlier within the season, beat Utah State within the quarterfinals to set a date for a semifinal matchup with the Spartans. Nonetheless, they determined to forfeit but once more, giving SJSU a spot on the convention championship trophy regardless of by no means enjoying a set.

Colorado State, the No. 1 seed within the match, went on to defeat SJSU, 3-1, to win the title and make the NCAA Match. 

Blaire Fleming, #3 of the San Jose State Spartans, appears on in the course of the third set in opposition to the Air Power Falcons at Falcon Courtroom at East Fitness center on October 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  (Andrew Wevers/Getty Photographs)

JORDAN CHILES’ BRONZE MEDAL

It was fairly the summer season for Group USA’s ladies’s gymnastics group, particularly with Simone Biles turning into essentially the most embellished United States gymnast of all time. 

Nonetheless, her teammate in Chiles confronted fairly the controversy when she was awarded the bronze medal within the particular person flooring train. 

American coaches had requested judges to evaluate a rating from her routine that ultimately mirrored in her ultimate rating, beating out Romania’s Ana Barbosu, who got here in fourth place as an alternative of successful the medal. 

However issues modified when the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport dominated that Chiles’ enchantment had come previous the one-minute deadline, thus dropping her rating again to its authentic tally, and Barbosu was given the bronze medal. Thus, Chiles was ordered to present it again.

It was actually emotional for Chiles, the 23-year-old who claimed that she was going through “racially pushed assaults” from social media customers in a prolonged assertion on the matter posted to X on Aug. 15. 

An enchantment of the IOC’s choice continues and Biles even mentioned she can be becoming a member of the trouble to re-assert Chiles because the bronze medal winner.

NICK BOSA’S MAGA HAT

Within the warmth of the presidential election, sports activities was additionally impacted with some controversy after one NFL participant determined to indicate his clear allegiance to one of many candidates. 

Bosa, the San Francisco 49ers star defensive finish, determined to crash his quarterback, Brock Purdy’s, postgame interview on “Sunday Evening Soccer” carrying a “Make America Nice Once more” hat. 

The NFL rulebook prohibits any type of political messaging, and Bosa was later fined $11,255 by the league for doing so. 

However Bosa mentioned that carrying the hat, regardless of the controversy it precipitated on discuss exhibits and articles printed throughout the nation, had been “properly price it” after Donald Trump grew to become President-elect. 

“I don’t suppose my place on talking about it’ll change, so clearly the nation spoke. We acquired what we acquired,” Bosa mentioned on the time. 

ATHLETES DO THE “TRUMP DANCE”

Talking of Trump, gamers in each school {and professional} soccer have been celebrating touchdowns and clutch performs by mimicking the President-elect’s dance strikes, which have been seen throughout his rallies throughout the marketing campaign path. 

San Francisco 49ers defensive finish Nick Bosa (97) celebrates after sacking Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in the course of the second half of an NFL soccer sport in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024.  (AP Photograph/Jason Behnken)

Whereas this wasn’t as blatant an endorsement as Bosa’s MAGA hat, the dance was one thing that despatched social media right into a frenzy, whether or not folks have been followers of the strikes or not. 

NFL gamers Brock Bowers, Calvin Ridley, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Za’Darius Smith and Malcolm Rodriguez have been all seen doing it. Bowers defined why he had executed the transfer after the sport.

Bowers defined that watching UFC star Jon “Bones” Jones do it throughout his victory at Madison Sq. Backyard in November, with Trump sitting proper within the entrance row, had been his inspiration. 

“I like watching UFC, so I noticed it and thought it was cool,” Bowers mentioned. 

The NFL mentioned it had no concern with the dance strikes of gamers regardless of the controversy. 

FALCONS DRAFT MICHAEL PENIX JR.

Would a recap of controversies come with out the shock of the NFL Draft? 

When the Falcons chosen eighth general again in April, they shocked the whole soccer world when Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., a prime quarterback prospect, was known as by commissioner Roger Goodell. 

The Falcons had simply signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million assured, giving them a franchise quarterback in free company as they went into the draft. No person was anticipating a quarterback to be taken by the Falcons, particularly with that top of a draft decide. 

The Falcons ultimately needed to clarify their draft decide, whereas Cousins was hit with questions concerning the awkward scenario, regardless that he hadn’t performed a single snap for Atlanta but. 

Now, whereas it appeared like a loopy decide again then, Penix is ending out the season because the Falcons’ starter with Cousins’ future within the group seemingly at a crossroads after a mediocre first marketing campaign in Atlanta. 

Atlanta Falcons first-round draft alternative quarterback Michael Penix Jr., holds a Falcons jersey throughout a information convention Friday, April 26, 2024, in Flowery Department, Ga. (AP Photograph/John Bazemore)

BILL BELICHICK DOESN’T LAND NEXT NFL GIG

It virtually did not really feel actual when the New England Patriots and Belichick mutually parted methods, ending a 24-year run with a corporation that had gained six Tremendous Bowls with him in place as head coach. 

However being again in the marketplace on the lookout for a brand new gig, everybody within the soccer area believed that Belichick would discover a new house with many head teaching vacancies open. Properly, he did not. 

The closest Belichick got here was the Falcons, who ultimately selected to go along with Raheem Morris regardless of assembly with the teaching legend a number of occasions throughout their hiring course of. The Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders all went with another person to guide their locker rooms, whereas Belichick moved into the sports activities media realm. 

Maybe much more wild is Belichick turning into North Carolina’s new head soccer coach, as he’ll start a complete new journey in school for the primary time in his profession. 

“RAYGUN” MAKES OLYMPIC HEADLINES FOR ALL WRONG REASONS

A brand new addition to the Paris Olympics this 12 months was Breaking, and one competitor from Australia grew to become a family identify, although it wasn’t resulting from a superb efficiency. 

Rachel Gunn, who glided by the stage identify “Raygun” within the Olympics, went viral after failing to get a single level in her efficiency. Some even believed that Gunn, a college lecturer at Macquarie College, was mocking the competitors together with her dancing, although she mentioned she had been making an attempt to be as inventive as attainable. 

Gunn certified for the Paris Olympics after successful the QMS Oceania Championships in Sydney and was named the top-ranked b-girl by the Australian Breaking Affiliation in 2020 and 2021. 

B-Woman Raygun of Group Australia appears on earlier than competing within the B-Women Spherical Robin throughout Day 14 of Breaking – Olympic Video games Paris 2024 at Place de la Concorde on August 9, 2024, in Paris, France.  (Rene Nijhuis/BSR Company/Getty Photographs)

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However when she acquired to the Olympics, Gunn admitted she was overmatched. 

“As quickly as I certified, I used to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, what have I executed?’ as a result of I knew that I used to be going to get overwhelmed, and I knew folks weren’t going to grasp my type and what I used to be going to do,” she mentioned.

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