New Delhi: Ecstasy, sorrow, landmark achievements and controversies in sports – 2024 witnessed it all. The bygone year, which majorly proved to be a treat for all the fans across the globe, keeping them hooked to the sporting world with some remarkable showpieces, also witnessed some major controversies that shook one and all.
Various sporting arenas were marred by huge controversies as sports like cricket, football, wrestling, tennis and big events like the Olympics went through a rollercoaster ride and remained in the headlines for weeks together. From Algerian boxer Iman Khelif’s gender row at the Paris Olympics 2024 to Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s abrupt disqualification at the same event, the year proved topsy-turvy.
As we all get ready to welcome 2025, let’s take a ride back and look at some of the top sporting controversies that shook 2024.
Iman Khelif gender row
It was undoubtedly the controversy of the year when Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s gender row erupted and spread like wildfire all across the globe. It all began with Khelif’s only punch to Italy’s Angela Carrini during an Olympic bout which forced the latter to withdraw within a minute of the starting bell. It turned into the talk of the town and triggered a debate on gender policy and rule at the Olympic stage.
Khelif faced a ban earlier from competing in the women’s boxing category after failing a gender test. People pointed out that the boxer should not be allowed to compete in the women’s category. The Algerian attracted a lot of abuse and support in equal proportion on social media but nothing stopped her from clinching the gold at the coveted event. Months after the culmination of the Olympics, reports declared the boxer as male and the Olympic champion decided to take the legal route after the fresh gender eligibility claims.
Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic heartbreak
Ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s dream of earning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics turned into a nightmare after she was abruptly disqualified from the Games. Vinesh was found 100 grams overweight for the women’s 50kg category just before her gold medal bout. From cutting her hair to trimming her nails, the Indian wrestler tried every possible thing the night before the final bout to keep herself in sync with the rules but her dreams got shattered at the mandatory weigh-in.
After beating the top contenders in the category, including defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki, Vinesh’s disqualification also ended her bid to become the first woman wrestler from India to bag a gold medal at the prestigious tournament. Phogat even went on to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport but they withheld the decision, leaving the wrestler heartbroken. What followed was her decision to retire, which marked a sad end to an illustrious career in wrestling.
Antim Panghal and her entourage deported from Paris
Indian wrestlers remained in the limelight during the Paris Olympics 2024 but for all the wrong reasons. Haryana-born Antim Panghal stirred controversy at the prestigious global sporting event when she tried to sneak her sister into the athletes’ village using her accreditation card. This breach attempt from the Indian wrestler suddenly became the talk of the town, leading to an intervention from the French authorities.
This prompted the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to take immediate action and they wasted no time in sending Panghal and her entire entourage, which accompanied her at the Games village, back to India. The 20-year-old Indian wrestler claimed innocence in the matter but the breach attempt was termed as an unpardonable offence, bringing embarrassment for the entire Indian contingent and also resulting in a tragic end to her Olympics campaign.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 fiasco
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 stalemate continued for months as both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) remained at loggerheads over the scheduling of the marquee event. It all began after Pakistan was named as the solo host for the big-ticket event and the BCCI issued a statement of refusing to travel to the neighbouring nation, citing security concerns and political disputes between both countries.
India last travelled to Pakistan almost 15 years ago and since then, both the teams have been meeting at the ICC events in India or at a neutral venue. During the Asia Cup 2023, a similar situation took place where Pakistan was the solo host and India refused to travel. The ACC then named Sri Lanka as the co-host which resulted in India playing their matches at the neutral venue. BCCI decided to continue their stand of not travelling to Pakistan for the CT 2025 after not getting clearance from the government.
The PCB also held a firm stance and demanded an explanation from the Indian Cricket Board for the same. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had to intervene and after a series of meetings and discussions between all three parties (ICC, BCCI, PCB), a hybrid model was finally decided.
The row did not end at this point as Pakistan proposed a tit-for-tat policy and in return for agreeing to a hybrid model, they placed the demands that their team also won’t travel to India for the big ICC events scheduled in the country in future. After much discussion, the BCCI had to agree for the same and Dubai was chosen as the other country, alongside the original host Pakistan. The global governing body finally released the schedule and the fixtures for the event.
KL Rahul-Sanjiv Goenka IPL altercation
After an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants, KL Rahul was caught at the centre of a controversy after LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka was captured criticising Rahul publicly on live television. This happened because of the team’s dismal performance in the game which they ended up losing against SRH. After the heavy defeat, the owner of the franchise was seen giving a mouthful to Rahul on the field, sparking rumours of a fallout between the two.
Many former cricketers and a sea of fans came forward in defence of skipper Rahul and slammed the LSG owner for publicly insulting a cricketer of such a huge stature. What followed was growing tensions within the franchise, eventually leading to LSG releasing Rahul ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. The former Lucknow skipper grabbed a 14-crore deal with the Delhi Capitals franchise at the mega auction.
Sports Year Ender 2024: From Vinesh Phogat being disqualified at the Paris Olympics 2024 to LSG skipper KL Rahul being publicly scolded by owner Sanjiv Goenka, the year 2024 witnessed a lot of controversies in sports. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
