2020 has been an eventful year, to say the least. The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc with the masses forced to come to terms with the “New Normal”. Masks have slowly and steadily become a regular part of social attire, and are here to stay. While the sporting world has been similarly affected by the COVID-19, there were other factors as well which grabbed the headlines during the year. Here is a look at five controversies from 2020 which left a lasting impact on the world of Sports:
1) Lionel Messi threatening to leave Barcelona: Lionel Messi is one of the most popular footballers out there, with fans hailing him for his loyalty to FC Barcelona through thick and thin. However, it all changed when the attacker made his desire to leave the Spanish giants public, with a lot of negative remarks about the club management. Messi continues to represent Barcelona in club football, but the footballer’s outburst will not be forgotten anytime soon.
2) Novak Djokovic flouting COVID-19 norms: While the COVID-19 has resulted in strict norms being introduced for players, there were instances where the rules were not followed diligently by certain sportsmen. Novak Djokovic was one of them, organizing a charity tennis tournament which soon turned into a COVID hotspot. The tennis star apologised soon after, having received death threats.
3) VAR: The introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the world of football, has drawn the limelight for the wrong reasons, with managers and players expressing a lack of satisfaction and trust over the authenticity of the eventual judgment. Many have also called for VAR to be scrapped.
4) Black Lives Matter (BLM): The death of a black man in the USA at the hands of a white cop, triggered a movement aimed towards promoting the rights of ‘blacks’ all around the world. Sportsmen have ‘taken the knee’ to promote the cause, in a symbolic act of solidarity.
5) Racial Abuse in PSG-Istanbul Basaksehir Champions League match: The Champions League tie between Paris St Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir was suspended, before being concluded the following day after the latter complained of racial abuse from the fourth official. Basaksehir assistant coach Pierre Webo claimed to have been referred to as a “Negro”, resulting in widespread condemnation.