5 worst sports moments of 2024
England lost the European Championship final to Spain – the second successive Euro final defeat. Just four minutes before the end, Mikel Oyarabel scored the winner that handed the Spanish the silverware. Following the defeat, England’s boss Gareth Southgate stepped down after eight years in the top job. But in happier news, former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel became the new England boss.
Legendary German football manager Jurgen Klopp stepped down at the end of last season, bidding farewell to the North England club and the Premier League. Klopp, along with Pep Guardiola, is widely praised for helping shape the Premier League into the global league it is today. Klopp ushered in a new style of football that is copied worldwide. His departure is a loss for both Liverpool, the Premier League and football everywhere!
Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles initially finished fifth, prompting her coaches to appeal her score, arguing that the starting difficulty had been undervalued. Following the appeal, Chiles was awarded a revised score that secured her the bronze medal, pushing two Romanian gymnasts down the rankings. However, the Romanian team challenged the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). CAS ruled that Chiles’ appeal was filed too late, a decision upheld by the International Olympic Committee, which confirmed the bronze medal belonged to Romania’s Ana Barbosu.
Despite the numbers – 70,000 fans in Texas and millions watching on Netflix- the fight failed to live up to the hype. Tyson, who had not competed professionally in 19 years, was a shadow of his old self and landed just 18 punches as Paul won on points. The good news about this bleak show is that 74 million live viewers globally watched the thrilling rematch between Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano, just before Tyson v Paul.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif claimed the welterweight gold at the Paris Olympics, but her victory was marred by controversy over gender eligibility. The issue came to the forefront when Italy’s Angela Carini abruptly withdrew from their bout just 46 seconds in. Despite being banned in 2023 by the International Boxing Association over alleged non-compliance with gender eligibility rules, Khelif was permitted to compete by the International Olympic Committee.