CBS Sports presenter Kate Scott has been praised for her response after UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov refused to shake her hand live on air.
Scott was reporting live from Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena alongside football legends Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, and viral streamer iShowSpeed.
The team was there to report on the Champions League final, which saw Paris Saint-Germain defeat Inter Milan.
The game ended 5-0 to the French champions, in what was the most one-sided Champions League final for many years.
Goals from Achraf Hakimi, Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu saw PSG lift the trophy for the first time in their history.
But it wasn't the game that got everyone talking, it was the interactions after it.
Scott welcomed Khabib after the game, and he shook hands with the male presenters around the table.
When Scott also offered her hand, the UFC star opted instead to put his hand on his heart.
“Nice to meet you, welcome to the show,” she said as she reached out.
When Khabib refused the gesture, the moment clicked for Scott, who quickly added: “I apologise, thank you so much.”
The gesture wasn’t rude — it was rooted in Khabib’s faith.
As explained by Bradford Muslim College, Muslim men are generally not permitted to shake hands with non-mahram women, and vice versa.
Khabib’s hand-to-heart move was a respectful way of honoring both his beliefs and the situation.
And fans watching at home? They noticed and applauded both parties.
“Great interaction between Khabib and Kate, respect other people’s boundaries and no need to be in your feelings about it. Khabib showed respect in his way while sticking to his principles. Top class,” one viewer commented on social media.
Another echoed the sentiment: “Great appreciation to Khabib for holding firmly to his beliefs, and great appreciation to Kate for understanding that.”
A third user chimed in: “It was a bit awkward seeing Khabib skip the handshake with Kate. She handled it like a total pro, though—calm and classy.”
One more added: “In his own beliefs, he showed her the UTMOST respect by not shaking her hand. If he did, it would almost essentially be him disrespecting her.”
It would appear that the situation was handled very respectfully by both Scott and Khabib.