The sports world thrives on debates about greatness, and this year’s Time magazine Athlete of the Year selection has ignited another great debate as fans on social media are split over who truly deserved the 2024 title.

WNBA star Caitlin Clark took the honor, but many believe gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles should have won. Some argue that race may have played a role in why the 2021 AOY winner was snubbed.

Caitlin Clark’s greatness is hard to dispute. In her final season at the University of Iowa, she led the Hawkeyes to a second straight national championship appearance and finished as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. Her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever was equally historic. The No. 1 draft pick became the first rookie to record a triple-double and finished the season as the Rookie of the Year.

Simone Biles and Caitlin Clark (Photos: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images; Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Simone Biles and Caitlin Clark (Photos: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images; Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Sports Illustrated highlighted her unprecedented impact, noting that no WNBA point guard, rookie or otherwise, has ever scored and assisted as much in a season in the history of the league. However, even with all of her accomplishments, the backlash over her AOY win was swift and pointed.

Some corners of social media erupted with criticism, primarily focusing on what critics perceived as a lack of championship credentials.

One X user captured the sentiment bluntly, “By winning nothing? White Privilege at its height. Simone Biles broke Olympic records but @Time named a woman who won nothing as Athlete of the Year.”

Another critic echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Simone Biles was certainly a more deserving athlete for the honor. But these white media outlets have their own agenda.”

One X user wrote, “I feel like I’m in a fever dream because how did she get this,” as another replied to her, “White woman whose TEAM did not win a championship, while Simon Biles excelled in her sport.”

The argument for Biles is compelling. At 27, she dominated the Paris Olympics, securing three gold medals and one silver.

Furthermore, her athletic résumé is unprecedented: eleven Olympic medals, seven of them gold, and a total of 40 medals across world championships and Olympic competitions —more than any gymnast in history, male or female.

Financially, Biles stands tall as the ninth-highest-paid female athlete in 2024, earning $11.1 million through sponsorships and athletic achievements. Her representation of the United States on the global stage has been nothing short of extraordinary.

However, in 2021, when Time named Biles “Athlete of the Year,” it was not her gold medals or athletic prowess that landed her the honor. Instead, her mental health took center stage.

Just one month after suffering from the “twisties” and withdrawing from four out of five events at the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles and three other gymnasts testified before the Senate about not being protected while their team doctor, Larry Nassar, was allowed to sexually abuse them. Later that year, Time applauded the gymnast for safeguarding her mental health amid a tumultuous year leading into the Olympics. Biles was named 2021 Athlete of the Year, while Elon Musk received Time’s 2021 Person of the Year honor.

It’s also worth noting that since its inception in 2019, no athlete has been named Time’s Athlete of the Year twice. Time has also only repeated sports categories once with the United States women’s national soccer team being honored in 2019 and soccer star Lionel Messi receiving the title in 2023.

Taking all this into account, not all fans sided with the criticism against Caitlin Clark.

One passionate supporter argued, “Simone biles is great GREAT but she does this all olympics. she literally always wins everything by herself, she’s not in a team sport. caitlin clark change a entire TEAM sport in the span of 5 months bffr. pls say to me another play that ever did this? men or women. i can wait.”

Indeed, Clark’s impact is quantifiable. She brought unprecedented attention to the WNBA, with record-breaking audiences at games and a rookie season that redefined expectations for point guards.

And when it came down to the bank, her earnings for 2024 matched Biles at $11.1 million, a testament to her marketability and influence, Sportico reports.

While the debate rages, both athletes have been named finalists for BBC Sports’ 2024 World Sports Star of the Year award, alongside exceptional athletes like Catherine Debrunner, Armand Duplantis, Sifan Hassan, and Leon Marchand.

The controversy surrounding Clark’s selection reveals more than just a disagreement about athletic achievement. It reflects broader conversations about recognition, representation, and the metrics by which we define sporting excellence.

The race issue has plagued Clark for years, as it has been used when talking about her rivalry with fellow WNBA player Angel Reese.

Aware of this discourse, she released a statement regarding her recent honor.

“I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege. A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them,” she tweeted, adding, “The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.”

Whether you stand with Clark or Biles, one thing is certain: Both athletes have transcended their respective sports, inspiring millions and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in women’s athletics.

‘White Privilege at Its Height’: Simone Biles Fans Outraged After Caitlin Clark Was Named 2024’s Athlete of the Year, WNBA Star Breaks Silence