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. On Tuesday, the boxer advanced to the welterweight final, where she will compete in a chance to win her first medal.

The women’s gymnastics floor exercise final was full of firsts. American gymnast Jordan Chiles made it to the podium to take home bronze, her first individual medal after her coaches made an official inquiry. Chiles’ original score put her in fifth place in the competition, but after her coaches appealed the judge’s score sheet, Chiles’ score was increased by .01, enough to give her bronze. If that surprise wasn’t enough, 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.”

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.’”