The biggest controversies in sports in 2024 and Imane Khelif.

As 2024 draws to a close, there are numerous sports moments worth reflecting on after 365 days, and many of them were exceptional.

However, controversy was also seen throughout the days and months.

The Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 are likely to be the site of some of the most contentious moments in sports.

IMANE KHELIF WINS GOLD MEDAL IN PARIS

Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, sparking controversy over her gender eligibility.

Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 International Boxing Association World Championships due to having "XY chromosomes," which are associated with biological males, according to IBA president Umar Kremlev.

Despite related outrage, IOC defended Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ning, who also won gold in a different women's weight class.

"The IOC announced that these two athletes were disqualified from the IBA World Championships in 2023 without any due process."

In Paris, Khelif won every round without losing a single one, earning her the gold medal. One boxer, Angela Carini, forfeited against Khelif, stating that "one punch was too painful."

CAITLIN CLARK ROUGHED UP DURING HISTORIC ROOKIE SEASON

In her first season with the Indiana Fever, Clark became part of the WNBA's history while leading a rookie class that transformed the women's sports landscape, particularly in basketball.

Her rookie season was marked by controversy, particularly during her games.

The Flagrant-1 foul committed by Chicago Sky's Chennedy Carter against Clark early in the season made national headlines.

The foul call was not justified because it was not a required physical play, but the situation escalated when talk shows and media outlets debated whether players were being too harsh on Clark, who had previously suffered hard fouls on the court. Additionally, race was discussed as part of the discussions.

Despite being hit in the head by fellow rookie Angel Reese during a layup attempt, Clark acknowledged that it was just a basketball play that didn't go as planned.

BROOKE FLEMING AND SJSU WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

The controversy surrounding transgender athletes in women's sports reached national headlines with San Jose State's women's volleyball program being mired in it due to trans athlete Brooke Fleming on the court.

Despite not being explicitly stated, it appeared that the Spartans refused to play against Fleming, resulting in forfeits from several opponents this season.

Even among her teammates, there has been debate about the actions of coach Fleming, who is involved in two lawsuits accusing the university and him of trying to conceal his biological male status from players like captain Brooke Slusser.

Slusser sued the NCAA over its gender ideology policies that permit transgender athletes to compete in women's sports.

San Jose State remained committed to playing opponents on the court, earning a bye as the No. 2 seed in the Mountain West tournament, despite controversy from both within and outside the team.

Despite forfeiting earlier in the season to SJSU, Boise State won against Utah State in the quarterfinals and advanced to a semifinal matchup with the Spartans. However, they forfeited once again, allowing SJSU to win the conference championship trophy without playing a set.

SJSU was defeated by Colorado State, the No. 1 seed in the tournament, in a 3-1 match to win the title and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

JORDAN CHILES' BRONZE MEDAL

The summer of 2021 was particularly successful for Team USA's women's gymnastics team, with Simone Biles achieving the status of the most decorated American gymnast in history.

Her teammate in Chiles was awarded the bronze medal in the individual floor exercise, sparking controversy.

Judges were asked by American coaches to review a score from her routine, which ultimately affected her final score and resulted in her winning the medal instead of Romania's Ana Barbosu, who finished in fourth place.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Chiles' appeal had come past the one-minute deadline, resulting in her score being dropped back to its original tally, and Barbosu being awarded the bronze medal. As a result, Chiles was ordered to return the medal.

Chiles, a 23-year-old, claimed that she was facing "racially driven attacks" from social media users in a lengthy statement on the matter posted to X on Aug. 15.

The IOC's decision remains under appeal, and Biles has stated that she will join the effort to reclassify Chiles as the bronze medal winner.

NICK BOSA'S MAGA HAT

The NFL player's clear allegiance to a presidential candidate sparked controversy during the heat of the election, affecting the sports world.

On "Sunday Night Football," Bosa, the San Francisco 49ers star defensive end, interrupted Brock Purdy's postgame interview by wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat.

The NFL's rulebook prohibits political messaging, and Bosa was later fined $11,255 for violating this rule.

After Donald Trump became President-elect, Bosa said that wearing the hat, which sparked controversy on talk shows and articles nationwide, had been "worth it."

"I believe my stance on discussing it will remain unchanged, so it's evident that the country has spoken. We have received what we have," Bosa stated at the time.

ATHLETES DO THE "TRUMP DANCE"

During football games, players were imitating Trump's dance moves while celebrating touchdowns and clutch plays.

The dance sparked a frenzy on social media, with mixed reactions to the moves.

After the game, NFL players Brock Bowers, Calvin Ridley, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Za'Darius Smith, and Malcolm Rodriguez were observed performing the same action. Bowers later explained his reasoning for carrying out the move.

Watching UFC star Jon "Bones" Jones do it during his victory at Madison Square Garden in November, with Trump sitting right in the front row, had inspired Bowers to do the same.

Bowers stated that he found UFC to be cool after watching it because he enjoys the sport.

Despite the controversy, the NFL stated that it had no problem with the dance moves of players.

FALCONS DRAFT MICHAEL PENIX JR.

Would a recap of controversies come without the shock of the NFL Draft?

In April, the Falcons took eighth overall and shocked the football community when they picked Michael Penix Jr., a highly regarded quarterback prospect, during the draft.

The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, securing a franchise quarterback in free agency before the draft. It was not anticipated that the Falcons would take a quarterback in the draft, especially with such a high pick.

Despite not having played a snap for Atlanta, Cousins was questioned about the awkward situation surrounding the Falcons' draft pick, while the team eventually had to explain their decision.

After a mediocre first campaign in Atlanta, Cousins' future in the Falcons organization is uncertain, with Penix currently serving as the team's starter.

BILL BELICHICK DOESN'T LAND NEXT NFL GIG

The end of the 24-year run with the New England Patriots and Belichick was almost unbelievable when they mutually agreed to part ways, with six Super Bowl wins under his leadership as head coach.

Belichick remained unemployed despite many head coaching vacancies in the football space.

Belichick was closest to coaching the Falcons, but they ultimately chose Raheem Morris. Meanwhile, the Seahawks, Titans, Commanders, Panthers, Chargers, and Raiders all went with someone else to lead their locker rooms. Belichick instead moved into the sports media realm.

Belichick's new journey as North Carolina's head football coach is a wild possibility.

"RAYGUN" MAKES OLYMPIC HEADLINES FOR ALL WRONG REASONS

This year, Breaking was a new addition to the Paris Olympics, and an Australian competitor gained notoriety, not because of their exceptional performance.

Rachel Gunn, a university lecturer at Macquarie University, failed to earn any points in the Olympics and went viral after her unsuccessful performance. Despite her attempts to be creative, some people believed she was mocking the competition with her dancing.

Gunn won the QMS Oceania Championships in Sydney and was named the top-ranked b-girl by the Australian Breaking Association in 2020 and 2021, qualifying for the Paris Olympics.

But when she got to the Olympics, Gunn admitted she was overmatched.

"When I qualified, I felt like, 'Oh my gosh, what have I done?' because I knew I would be beaten and people wouldn't understand my style and plans," she admitted.

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