Best, Worst, and Most WTF Moments From the Paris Olympics

In America, Snoop Dogg is a celebrated rapper known for his tenacious lyrics and transition from producer to media mogul. But during the Paris Olympics, Snoop has taken his role as a special correspondent for NBC and turned it into a celebration of all the joyous idiosyncrasies that make up American culture. When he wasn’t dancing with Simone Biles in the stands of the gymnastics competition, he was cheering on swimmer Caleb Dressel in the Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. (There’s no one you’d want to call you baby during an Olympic final more than Snoop himself.) During the dressage final, he and bestie Martha Stewart trotted out to watch in full equestrian dress. He’s even become such an important fixture at the game that his commemorative pin — one depicting him standing near the Eiffel Tower, blowing five circles of smoke into the shape of the Olympic rings — has become a highly coveted prize for Olympic athletes at the village to collect.

It wouldn’t be a women’s sports competition if fearmongering about trans individuals wasn’t present. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won her second round at the women’s welterweight division only seconds after beginning the match by punching her opponent Angela Carini square in the face. Carini, representing Italy, withdrew from the match immediately after getting hit, citing the pain and strength behind Khelif’s blow. “I have never been hit so hard in my life,” she said afterward. But what should have been a moment of celebration for Khelif quickly turned toxic, as anti-trans commentators, including J.K. Rowling, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk began accusing the boxer of being trans. The outrage against Khelif — who was born a woman and who has identified as such for her entire life — stems from her disqualification International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2023, a Russian-led governing body that is not allowed decision-making power at the Olympics following a match-fixing scandal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has maintained that the reports and attacks against Khelif are misleading. But the firestorm hasn’t affected Khelif’s determination. After advancing to the welterweight final, Khelif won her match and accepted the gold medal in tears. “I’m a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman. I lived a woman. I competed as a woman,” she said after the win. “There’s no doubt about that.”

During the women’s gymnastics floor exercise final, Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade finally edged out the G.O.A.T Simone Biles to grab a gold medal. Andrade, Biles, and Chiles became the first all-Black Gymnastics Winners Podium in Olympic history. And in a delightful display of sportsmanship, Biles and Chiles bowed down to celebrate Andrade’s win. “I don’t want to compete with Rebeca anymore! I’m tired,” Biles joked in a press conference before the event. “She’s very close to me — I’ve never had an athlete so close. This definitely kept me alert and brought out the best athlete in me. So I’m excited and proud to compete with her, but — no. I’ve never been so stressed before. Thank you, Rebeca.” Chiles told NBC she and Biles were giving Andrade the respect, and flowers, she deserved.  “Not only has she given Simone her flowers, but a lot of us in the United States, our flowers as well,” Chiles said. “So giving it back is what makes it so beautiful. I felt like it was needed.” The podium became one of the most talked about photos during the 2024 Paris Olympics, but Chiles’ bronze medal is currently under debate. The gymnast received third place after her coaches successfully made an inquiry for the judges to raise her difficult score. But after the Romanian team objected, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) ruled days later that Chiles’ coaches submitted the inquiry request after the one-minute deadline had ended. The U.S. Olympic Committee says it will continue to appeal the decision.

Some disappointments are simply too large to handle. Such was the case with French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati, who failed the 5.70 height pole vault after his body went clear over but the pole was clipped by his penis. During the live performance, even the commentators faltered at exactly how to characterize why the vault failed. While Ammirati finished in 12th place, without enough points to advance to the final, his attempt captured the attention of the internet, quickly going viral. In addition to a breadth of new Instagram followers, Ammirati got proposals, meme status, and even a mention on the Daily Show. In a now-deleted TikTok, the vaulter poked fun at the experience, posting a video of himself staring off into space while eating pizza at the Olympic Village, writing “POV: you make more buzz for your package than for your performances.”

Want to feel old? There’s no need to talk to your much younger colleagues when the Olympics are on, just tune into a podium ceremony. One such Gen-Z victory: the Women’s Skateboarding Park Final, where Australia’s Arisa Trew, Japan’s Hiraki Cocona, and Great Britain’s Sky Brown all took home medals before their 17th birthdays. With her signature pink kneepads and helmet, 14-year-old Arisa Trew — technically part of Gen Alpha, those born in 2010 or later — also made history as the youngest medalist of the entire Paris Games.

There are a lot of ways to cheat in sports, but staff members of the Canadian soccer team are learning that drones might be one of the worst. During an initial practice session at the Olympics, the New Zealand Women’s soccer team reported to officials that they noticed a drone flying overhead. An investigation revealed it belonged to a member of the staff of Canada’s soccer team. The staff member, Joseph Lombardi, and Jasmine Mander, the assistant coach he reported to, were both sent home from the games, while Canadian head coach Beverly Priestman said she knew nothing about the incident but voluntarily left in apology. FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, later said that Priestman, Lombardi, and Mander were all found in violation of “the principles of fair play.” All three have been banned from working in the soccer industry for one year. Team Canada was also deducted six points at the Olympics, which ended their medaling dreams after a shootout loss to Germany in the soccer quarterfinals. 

Team USA Sprinter Kendall Ellis knows a thing or two about shitty timing. During the Olympic track trials, the three-time NCAA champion got stuck inside a porta-potty and was convinced that she would miss her chance to race for her Olympic dream. A staff member finally came to her rescue after hearing Ellis yell for help, with just enough time for the athlete to pull out a stellar performance and make the Olympic team. “This is so embarrassing to say but, I bring my phone with me every time I go to the bathroom and I’m a little worried about locking the door because I’m traumatized,” she told CBS Sports. Now, ahead of her favored performance at the semi-finals in Paris, Ellis has announced a partnership with toilet paper brand Charmin, turning her mishap into a catchphrase: “from backside to trackside.”

Talk about a nailbiter. Team USA track and field star Noah Lyles entered the Men’s 100-meter final with two awful starts in the preliminary rounds. While Lyles was able to squeak by in his qualifying races, the time of his starting blocks, combined with the fierce competition from other runners, had America’s nerves on edge about how the runner would perform on an international stage. But the 100-meter race was so close that even 30 seconds after crossing the finish line, not a single top runner knew how they placed. It took a photo still of the finish line to declare Lyles the winner. His victory time: a 5,000th of a second difference from Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson, who took home silver. The shock of the photo finish was increased by just how close Lyles was to losing. Two runners, Thompson and Team USA sprinter Fred Kerley, technically had their feet cross the line first, but track rules count whoever’s torso reaches across the line first, making Lyles the winner. But the close call didn’t make Lyles any more humble. “I thought I got out-leaned, truly. And me and Kishane were right next to each other, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna have to swallow my pride on this one. I’m gonna be honest, I think you had that one,’” Lyles said after running around the track with his American flag. “And then my name came up and I was like, ‘Oh shoot, I am incredible.’”

He’s the king of movies, the star of Top Gun, and on Sunday night, Tom Cruise was also one of the most talked about performers at the 2024 Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony. After singer H.E.R serenaded the Paris stadium with “The Star Spangled Banner,” Cruise appeared at the top and rappelled down into the cheering crowd of Olympic athletes. (Special props to the woman who didn’t let him pass her by until she got a kiss on the cheek.) After shaking hands, Cruise attached the American flag to the back of his motorcycle before driving off, queuing up organizers to play a pre-filmed video of Cruise slapping the Olympics logo on the Hollywood sign. At some point, you have to wonder if Tom Cruise might eventually quit movies altogether and just skydive professionally.

Team USA runners Shamier Little, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, and Alexis Holmes did more than take home gold during the 4x400m relay. The American women continued a 30-year winning streak in the event, in a race even announcers agreed was won by the end of the first leg. Team USA finished a full four seconds before any other competitors, knocking down an American record in the process.

During the women’s gymnastics floor final, Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles originally finished fifth with a score of 13.666. But her coaches appealed the judges’ score with an official inquiry, saying her starting difficulty was ranked too low. Judges agreed and gave Chiles a higher difficulty level, which awarded the gymnast the bronze medal ahead of two Romanian gymnasts. After the Romanian team objected, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) ruled that Chiles’ coaches submitted the inquiry request after the one-minute deadline had ended. The International Olympic Committee agreed with the ruling, saying the medal belonged to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu. But while the Olympic Committee no longer recognizes Chiles as a bronze medal winner, the U.S. Olympic Committee says it will continue to appeal the decision. Chiles still has the physical medal, but if she has to return it, Flavor Flav has already said he’ll make her a bronze clock necklace that’s one of a kind. 

Sha’Carri Richardson was so fast as the anchor runner at the women’s 4x100m relay in Paris that the announcers had the sign wrong when Team USA won gold. Team USA was trailing behind after two harrowing baton passes when Richardson made her run. The Team USA sprinter didn’t just put on the jets, she actually looked to her right to confirm she was in first place before she threw herself over the finish line. Richardson’s journey to the Olympics hit a hurdle when she was suspended ahead of the Tokyo Games for marijuana use, but with her first gold, the track star is proving she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Breaking had its inaugural run at the 2024 Olympics, and Australian breaker Raygun made sure that people will remember the sport’s debut for a long time.  The dancer, whose real name is Rachel Gunn, captivated audiences during breaking’s debut by battling some of the biggest names in the sport with one of her signature dances: a kangaroo hop. Other notable mentions include Raygun’s floor technique, which was called more wriggle than medal-worthy on social media. Raygun’s performance quickly went viral, with people dunking on the Australian dancer’s skill, ability, and audacity to attend the Olympics in the first place. But Raygun has remained steadfast and proud — refusing to let the haters get to her. “I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best — their power moves,” she told People after the competition. “What I bring is creativity.”