List of sporting scandals
Encyclopedia
This is a list of major sport
s scandal
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Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
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Scandals in baseball
- Black Sox ScandalBlack Sox ScandalThe Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...
(1919) - Ty CobbTy CobbTyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
and Tris SpeakerTris SpeakerTristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
's game fixingMatch fixingIn organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
(1926) - Mickey MantleMickey MantleMickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
and Willie MaysWillie MaysWillie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
banned from baseball for being doormen in an Atlantic City Casino (1970s) - Pete RosePete RosePeter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
gamblingGamblingGambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
on baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- Dowd ReportDowd ReportThe Dowd Report is the document describing the transgressions of baseball player Pete Rose in betting on baseball, which precipitated his agreement to a lifetime suspension from the sport in the United States. The 225-page report was prepared by Special Counsel to the Commissioner, John M. Dowd,...
(1989)
Scandals in college sports
- College basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
point shavingPoint shavingIn organized sports, point shaving is a type of match fixing where the perpetrators try to prevent a team from covering a published point spread. Unlike other forms of match fixing, sports betting invariably motivates point shaving. A point shaving scheme generally involves a sports gambler and one...
scandals (many times, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, with more recent scandals in 1978-79Boston College basketball point shaving scandal of 1978-79The Boston College basketball point shaving scandal of 1978-79 involved a scheme in which underworld figures recruited and bribed some Boston College basketball players to ensure the team would not win by the required margin allowing the gamblers in the know to place wagers against that team and...
, 1984, and 1994) - Southern Methodist University football scandalSouthern Methodist University football scandalThe Southern Methodist University football scandal was an incident in which the football program at Southern Methodist University was investigated and punished for massive violations of NCAA rules and regulations. The most serious violation was the maintenance of a slush fund used for "under the...
: In 1986, it was revealed that Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
boosters gave football players thousands of dollars from a "slush fund" with the knowledge of university administrators. Along with a string of prior NCAA violations, this led the NCAA to level the "death penalty" on the school's football team. - George O'LearyGeorge O'LearyGeorge Joseph O'Leary is the head football coach of the UCF Knights football team that represents the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida; he previously coached the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 1994 to 2001, and served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota...
resume fabrication (2001), which forced him to resign as head footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach at Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish footballNotre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. - University of Michigan basketball scandalUniversity of Michigan basketball scandalThe University of Michigan basketball scandal or Ed Martin scandal was a six-year investigation of the relationship between the University of Michigan, its men's basketball teams and basketball team booster Ed Martin...
: Four players, most notably Chris WebberChris WebberMayce Edward Christopher "Chris" Webber, III , nicknamed C-Webb, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is a five-time NBA All-Star, a former All-NBA First Teamer, a former NBA Rookie of the Year, and a former #1 overall NBA Draftee...
, were paid by a booster to launder money from his gambling operations. In some cases, the payments extended to their high school days. - Jim HarrickJim HarrickJim Harrick is an American former basketball coach who coached at Pepperdine University, UCLA, the University of Rhode Island and the University of Georgia over a combined total of 23 seasons.-Biography:...
resigned as head basketballGeorgia Bulldogs men's basketballThe Georgia Bulldogs basketball program is the men's college basketball team representing the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1891, the team has competed in the Southeastern Conference since its inception in 1932...
coach at the University of GeorgiaUniversity of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in 2002 after his son, Jim Harrick Jr., provided an easy exam to Georgia basketball players and other students in a basketball coaching class that he taught and paid a $300 phone bill for a player (Tony Cole). - Baylor University basketball scandalBaylor University basketball scandalThe Baylor University basketball scandal was an incident in which the Baylor University men's basketball program was investigated and punished for numerous NCAA violations. The scandal broke out after the 2003 murder of men's basketball player Patrick Dennehy...
(2003) - player Patrick DennehyPatrick DennehyPatrick James Dennehy was an American college basketball player. He was born in Santa Clara, California. He was fatally shot by a teammate in 2003....
was murderMurderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed by teammate Carlton DotsonCarlton DotsonCarlton Eric Dotson, Jr. is an American former college basketball player who is currently serving a 35-year prison term for the murder of Patrick Dennehy, one of his teammates.-Basketball career:Dotson attended North Dorchester High School...
. Later, coach Dave BlissDave BlissDave Bliss is a former American college basketball coach. He coached at University of Oklahoma, Southern Methodist University, University of New Mexico and Baylor University...
instructed his players to lie to NCAA investigators that Dennehy dealt drugs. In the wake of these events, numerous violations of NCAA rules were discovered. - Duke lacrosse case - a stripper hired by members of the Duke University men's lacrosse teamDuke Blue Devils men's lacrosseThe Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse team represents Duke University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
for an informal team party in 2006 falsely accused three players of rapeRapeRape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
. - 2011 University of Miami athletics scandal2011 University of Miami athletics scandalIn 2011, the University of Miami Hurricanes football and men's basketball programs were investigated for NCAA rules violations alleged to have taken place from 2002 to 2010, centering around improper benefits given by booster Nevin Shapiro, and reported by investigative reporters at Yahoo!...
– Yahoo! SportsYahoo!Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
broke a story in which former Miami booster Nevin ShapiroNevin ShapiroNevin Shapiro is a former University of Miami football booster who is currently imprisoned for orchestrating a $930 million Ponzi scheme. According to interviews, he engaged in rampant violations of NCAA rules over eight years as a booster for University of Miami athletes...
, currently imprisoned for running a Ponzi schemePonzi schemeA Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to its investors from their own money or the money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned by the individual or organization running the operation...
, indicated he had provided massive amounts of improper benefits to Miami players and coaches, mostly in footballMiami Hurricanes footballThe Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
but also in men's basketball. - Penn State sex abuse scandalPenn State sex abuse scandalThe Penn State sex abuse scandal refers to allegations that former Pennsylvania State University football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted or had inappropriate contact with at least eight underage boys on or near university property...
- In November 2011, former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry SanduskyJerry SanduskyGerald Arthur "Jerry" Sandusky is a retired American football coach. Sandusky served as an assistant coach for his entire career, mostly at Pennsylvania State University under Joe Paterno, and was one of the most notable major college football coaches never to have held a head coaching position. ...
, is arrested on 40 counts of sexually abusing eight boys over a 15-year period including incidents in Penn State's football facilities. Subsequently, the university's athletic director, Tim Curley, and a Senior Vice President, Gary Schultz, are arrested on perjury charges and for failing to report the incidents thereby fueling speculation of a university coverup.
American football scandals
- Minnesota Vikings boat party scandal (2005) - a pleasure cruise that reportedly featured sexual shenanigans by several members of the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
of the NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing... - National Football League player conduct controversyNational Football League player conduct controversyOn April 10, 2007, the National Football League introduced a new conduct policy to help control off-field behavior by its players and preserve the league's public image...
(2007—present) - Various incidents involving American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
athletes from the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and their conduct off the field and involvement with law enforcement. Notably, actions of Adam "Pacman" JonesAdam Jones (American football)Adam "Pac-Man" Bernard Jones is an American cornerback and return specialist who is currently playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted in the first round with the sixth-overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He played college football at West Virginia.Jones has also...
, Terry "Tank" JohnsonTank JohnsonTerry "Tank" Johnson is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
, Chris Henry, and Ben RoethlisbergerBen RoethlisbergerBenjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
that subsequently got them suspended. - 2007 National Football League videotaping controversy (2007) - the New England Patriots were disciplined for videotaping the opposing team's coach's signals.
Match-fixing scandals
- Ten of the twelve members of the gold medal-winning Spanish basketball team at the 2000 Summer Paralympics2000 Summer ParalympicsThe 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
were revealed to have no disabilityCheating at the Paralympic GamesCheating at the Paralympic Games has caused scandals that have significantly changed the way in which the International Paralympic Committee manages the events. Testing for performance-enhancing drugs has become increasingly strict and more widespread throughout the Games, with powerlifting seeing...
. - Fresno CaseFresno CaseThe Case Fresno is the name assigned by the Catalonia media and public opinion to the Federation of International Roller Sports assembly held at Fresno , on 26 November 2004. It meant that for the first time in history, an international sport team that had been accepted provisionally was later not...
scandal (2004) - an attempt to rig a vote to prevent the CatalanCataloniaCatalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
rink hockey team from being accepted into international competition. - Tim DonaghyTim DonaghyTim Donaghy is a former professional basketball referee who worked in the National Basketball Association for 13 seasons, from 1994 to 2007. During his career in the NBA, Donaghy officiated in 772 regular season games and 20 playoff games...
– NBA referee under investigation in 2007 for betting on league games, including some in which he worked.
Ice hockey scandals
- Operation SlapshotOperation SlapshotOperation Slapshot is the code name of an undercover police operation, spearheaded by New Jersey state police, against an illegal nationwide gambling ring.-Details:The operation was made public on February 6, 2006...
(2006) - investigation into a gambling ring allegedly operated by National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
assistant coach Rick TocchetRick TocchetRichard Tocchet is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and Phoenix Coyotes. He was most recently the head coach of the...
.
Football scandals
- 1973 European Cup Winners' Cup Final, AC Milan versus Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
- Referee Christos MichasChristos MichasChristos Michas was a Greek football referee who was convicted of match fixing in the 1970s, most notably the 1973 European Cup Winners' Cup Final....
was investigated by the Greece Football Association amid allegations that he had accepted a bribe from the Italian club. He was subsequently banned by UEFA from officiating a European game again. - Bundesliga scandal (2005) - a match fixingMatch fixingIn organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
scandal in GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
footballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
centering on disgraced referee Robert HoyzerRobert HoyzerRobert Hoyzer is a retired German football referee, who scandalized German football by fixing matches in the Bundesliga scandal of 2005.-Early life:...
. - Brazilian football match-fixing scandalBrazilian football match-fixing scandalMáfia do Apito , sometimes referred to as the Escândalo do Apito , was the name given by the Brazilian press to the football match-fixing scandal reported by Veja magazine on September 23, 2005....
(2005) - another match fixing scandal involving referees, this time in BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. - 2006 Italian football scandal – a match fixing scandal in ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
football involving several major teams, including three of the country's four qualifiers to the 2006-07 UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions League 2006-07The 2006–07 UEFA Champions League was the 15th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, the UEFA Champions League, since it was rebranded from the European Cup, and the 52nd season overall. The final was contested by Milan and Liverpool on 23 May 2007...
. - In the Commonwealth of Independent States CupCommonwealth of Independent States CupThe Commonwealth of Independent States Cup is a tournament for football clubs which was set up after the split of the Soviet Union. It is open to all the national champions of the successor states of the Union, i.e., the Commonwealth of Independent States member states, as well as Estonia, Latvia,...
2006 the ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n champion FC PyunikFC PyunikPyunik Football Club , is an Armenian professional football club based in Yerevan. It is one of the most popular football clubs in Armenia. The club owns its private Nairi Stadium in Yerevan, but due to the bad infrastructure of the venue, Pyunik plays its home games in the Republican Stadium of...
refused to play with an AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i team, PFC NeftchiPFC NeftchiNeftchi Baku PFC , also known simply as Neftchi, is an Azerbaijani football club based in the capital, Baku, that currently plays in the Azerbaijan Premier League...
. The team FC PyunikFC PyunikPyunik Football Club , is an Armenian professional football club based in Yerevan. It is one of the most popular football clubs in Armenia. The club owns its private Nairi Stadium in Yerevan, but due to the bad infrastructure of the venue, Pyunik plays its home games in the Republican Stadium of...
defeated the UkrainianUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
team FC Shakhtar DonetskFC Shakhtar DonetskFC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
3-1 in the quarter-final, when it already knew that in case of victory they will have to play against PFC NeftchiPFC NeftchiNeftchi Baku PFC , also known simply as Neftchi, is an Azerbaijani football club based in the capital, Baku, that currently plays in the Azerbaijan Premier League...
. After the match, they told the referee they wouldn't play against an AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i team, and later that evening left MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on an airplane. The Russian Football Union gave FC Shakhtar DonetskFC Shakhtar DonetskFC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
a technical victory 3-0 so they could play in the half-final instead of FC PyunikFC PyunikPyunik Football Club , is an Armenian professional football club based in Yerevan. It is one of the most popular football clubs in Armenia. The club owns its private Nairi Stadium in Yerevan, but due to the bad infrastructure of the venue, Pyunik plays its home games in the Republican Stadium of...
, but FC Shakhtar DonetskFC Shakhtar DonetskFC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
declined the offer stating that "...we would really want to play in the half-final, but we don't want to get there by any other way then sport". Eventually, because no one could play against PFC Neftchi in the half-final, Neftchi were right away promoted to the final, where they defeated the LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n club FBK KaunasFBK KaunasKauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
4-2. - In July 2011, As part of a major match-fixing investigation by authorities in Turkey, nearly 60 people suspected to be involved with fixing games were detained by İstanbul Police Department Organized Crime Control Bureau and then arrested by the court.
Rugby union scandals
- GrannygateGrannygateGrannygate is the name given to two different sporting scandals regarding eligibility of players for international matches. The rugby union version of Grannygate occurred in Wales in March 2000. The rugby league version occurred in New Zealand in 2006....
- scandal in March 2000 over the eligibility of Shane HowarthShane HowarthShane Paul Howarth is a New Zealand born former international rugby union player who gained four caps and scored 54 points for the All Blacks before later switching allegiance to Wales, attaining 19 Welsh caps....
and Brett SinkinsonBrett SinkinsonBrett David Sinkinson is a New Zealand born rugby union player who played for the Wales national rugby union team. A flanker, he was known for his mobility and hard tackling...
representing the Wales national teamWales national rugby union teamThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
- Kamp StaaldraadKamp StaaldraadKamp Staaldraad was a military-style "boot camp" organized as a "team building" exercise for the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks , during their preparation for the 2003 Rugby World Cup...
- controversial training camp for the SpringboksSouth Africa national rugby union teamThe South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
(South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's national rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team) before the 2003 Rugby World Cup2003 Rugby World CupThe 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
- 2006 Kapa O Pango controversy - Australian coach John ConnollyJohn Connolly (rugby)John "Knuckles" Connolly is a rugby union coach and the former head coach of the Wallabies. Connolly has in the past worked with the Queensland Reds, Stade Français, Swansea RFC as well as Bath Rugby....
suggests that the All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
' Kapo o Pango haka should be banned, stating that the throat slitting gesture at the end is a bad example to young kids. The haka was also reviewed earlier in the year, creating more controversy.
- Western ForceWestern ForceWestern Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
players Scott FavaScott FavaScott Fava is a retired Australian rugby union footballer.-Super 14:Scott Fava began his Super Rugby career with the Queensland Reds in 1999, playing for three seasons before moving on to the ACT Brumbies...
and Richard Brown were fined $11,000 and $5,000 respectively after being found guilty of animal abuse during a team bonding session. Speaking about the incident during a SANZARSANZARSANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, formed in 1996.Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two...
conference, Force coach John Mitchell (rugby union) said "They won't be the only boys or only team this year that has a problem with alcohol, it's generally in most clubs"
- England's tour of New Zealand became shrouded in controversy after a woman claimed she had been subjected to a sexual assault by several players of the English rugby union team. An RFU investigation into events surrounding the tour cleared the players of sexual assault but found two players, Mike Brown and Topsy OjoTopsy OjoTemitope "Topsy" Ojo is an English rugby union player for the London Irish club, and has represented England at International level.He became a full member of the London Irish squad in April 2006, and now plays wing.-London Irish:...
guilty of misconduct. A third player, David StrettleDavid StrettleDavid Strettle, , is an English rugby union player who plays on the wing for Saracens and England.- Biography :Strettle grew up in Thelwall, Cheshire, attending Lymm High School and playing for Lymm RFC. Strettle then went on to study at Sheffield Hallam University...
, was warned as to his future conduct.
- The IRBInternational Rugby BoardThe International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
’s Adelaide Sevens started badly after members of the Fijian Rugby Union, including Sevens legend Waisale SereviWaisale SereviWaisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi is a former Fijian rugby union footballer, and coach. Although he played fifteen-a-side rugby throughout his playing career, Serevi is most notable for his achievements in rugby sevens....
, were accused of fixing results for personal gain. The Fijian Union promised to thoroughly investigate the claims
- "BloodgateBloodgateBloodgate is the nickname for a rugby union scandal involving the English team Harlequins in their Heineken Cup match against the Irish side Leinster on 12 April 2009...
" – A scheme by the EnglishGuinness PremiershipThe English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club HarlequinsHarlequin F.C.The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
to fake an injury to wing Tom WilliamsTom Williams (rugby player)Tom Williams is an English rugby union player who plays for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.He normally plays at either full-backor on the wing....
to allow a blood replacementBlood replacementIn both rugby union and rugby league, a blood replacement is a special kind of substitution which can be used in the case of a player having to leave the field of play temporarily to have a wound attended to.- Rugby union :In rugby union, blood replacements are provided for by Law 3.10 of the...
to be brought on at a critical moment in their 2009 Heineken Cup quarterfinal against LeinsterLeinster RugbyLeinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
. The scheme, which included deliberately cutting Williams' mouth open after the match in order to cover up the fake injury, ultimately led to Quins head coach Dean Richards being banned from the sport for three years.
- Players from two of English rugby union's most famous clubs, Harlequins and BathBath RugbyBath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
, were involved in a bar fight, which exposed a culture of violence and drugs within the sport. Players from both clubs clashed in a London bar during an end of season drinking session and had to be forcibly removed by door staff, as the altercation continued on the street outside. Media allegations of players taking drugs before the fight were investigated by the RFU disciplinary panel.
- French internationalFrance national rugby union teamThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
centre Mathieu BastareaudMathieu BastareaudMathieu Bastareaud is a French rugby union centre who plays for Toulon.- Stade Francais :Bastareaud played for Creteil Rugby youth squads and then moved to Massy. He went through the junior academy there and played for the third division club SU Massy...
almost caused an international incident after claiming he had been attacked by a group of drunken men outside his WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
hotel room after France's loss to the All Blacks on 20 June. However, surveillance video showed that he had lied about the circumstances of his injury, and he later admitted that he had accidentally injured himself in an alcoholAlcoholic beverageAn alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
-related fall in his hotel room. Bastareaud was later admitted to hospital suffering with psychological problems. Ultimately, he received a three-month ban from the French Rugby Federation, commuted to rugby-related community service.
Olympic Games scandals
- The Tonya HardingTonya HardingTonya Maxine Harding is an American figure skating champion. In 1991 she won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and placed second in the World Championships. She was the second woman, and the first American woman, to complete a triple axel jump in competition...
and Nancy KerriganNancy KerriganNancy Ann Kerrigan is a two-time American Olympic figure skating medalist and 1993 U.S. champion.-Early life and skating career:...
incident (1994) - Johann MühleggJohann MühleggJohann Mühlegg is a Spanish top level cross-country skier who has competed in international competitions first representing Germany and then Spain, after becoming a Spanish citizen in 1999...
- Salt Lake City scandalScandalA scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
- finished first in the 50 km classical race in Cross-country skiing in the Winter Olympic GamesWinter Olympic GamesThe Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
on February 23, 2002, but was disqualified from that race and was expelled from the Games the next day after testing positive for darbepoetin. - 2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating scandal2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating scandalAt the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City, the figure skating competition was the source of much controversy and one of the immediate causes for the revamp of scoring in figure skating.-The competition:...
- IOCInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
briberyBriberyBribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
- see 2002 Winter Olympic bid scandal2002 Winter Olympic bid scandalThe 2002 Olympic Winter Games bid scandal was a scandal involving allegations of bribery used to win the rights to host the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Prior to its successful bid in 1995, the city had attempted four times to secure the games; failing each time...
Cricket scandals
- Hansiegate - scandal in 2000 involving former South African cricketSouth African cricket teamThe South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
captain Hansie CronjeHansie CronjeWessel Johannes "Hansie" Cronje was a South African cricketer and captain of the South African national cricket team in the 1990s...
with three other teammates for involving in match fixing. - John the bookmaker controversy – Another cricket scandal in which Australia's Mark WaughMark WaughMark Edward Waugh AM is a former Australian cricketer, who represented Australia in Test matches from early 1991 to late 2002, and made his One-Day International debut in 1988. Waugh is regarded as one of the most elegant and gifted stroke makers to ever play the game. His nickname is "Junior" as...
and Shane WarneShane WarneShane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
were paid in 1994–95 to provide information on pitchCricket pitchIn the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
and weather conditions to an IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n bookmaker. The scandal came to light in 1998. - Pakistan cricket spot-fixing controversy – In 2010, three Pakistan players were accused of involvement in a spot-fixingSpot-fixingSpot-fixing refers to illegal activity in a sport where a specific part of a game is fixed. Examples include something as minor as timing a no ball or wide delivery in cricket or timing the first throw-in or corner in association football. Spot-fixing attempts to defraud bookmakers illegally by...
scheme in which they allegedly accepted large sums of money to influence specific events within a match, as opposed to an actual match result. After an investigation, the ICCInternational Cricket CouncilThe International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
banned all three from the sport for periods from 5 to 10 years.
Scandals in motorsport
- Incidents involving loose manhole/drain covers:
- 1990 480km of Montreal1990 480km of MontrealThe 1990 480 km of Montreal was the eighth round of the 1990 World Sportscar Championship season, taking place at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Canada. It took place on September 23, 1990.The race was ended just after half distance due to a heavy accident...
- 2004 DTM2004 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters seasonThe 2004 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season was the fifth Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season since the series' resumption in 2000. There were 10 championship race weekend with one round each, plus a non-championship round at the streets of Shanghai...
Shanghai - 2006–07 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Beijing, China
- 1990 480km of Montreal
- IMSA Camel GTIMSA GT ChampionshipIMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
drug smuggling scandal (1980s) - A group of drivers was arrested for drug smuggling to finance their racing activities: the Whittington brothers (BillBill WhittingtonBill Whittington is an American racing driver from Lubbock, Texas who won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans together with his brother Don Whittington and Klaus Ludwig in a Porsche 935. The German professional Klaus Ludwig, multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy...
and DonDon WhittingtonReginald "Don" Whittington is a former American racing driver from Lubbock, Texas who won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans together with his brother Bill Whittington and Klaus Ludwig on a Porsche 935, although Ludwig, a multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy rain...
), Randy LanierRandy LanierRandy Thomas Lanier is a former race car driver and convicted drug trafficker from the United States of America.-Personal life:...
and father and son, John Paul Sr. and Jr. would all by 1987 be imprisoned under various charges. - Tyrrell RacingTyrrell RacingThe Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...
technical infringement scandal (1984) - The Tyrrell team were disqualified from the 1984 Formula One season1984 Formula One seasonThe 1984 Formula One season was the 35th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1984 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1984 Fomula One World Championship for Manufacturers which were contested concurrently over a sixteen race series which commenced on March 25,...
after it were discovered that the team are using illegal fuel mixtures, as well as several other technical infringements. - Darrell Alderman's drug possession scandal (1991)
- 1994 Formula One cheating controversy - A number of allegations of cheating were thrown during the 1994 Formula One season, particularly to BenettonBenetton FormulaBenetton Formula Ltd., commonly referred to simply as Benetton, was a Formula One constructor that participated from to . The team was owned by the Benetton family who run a worldwide chain of clothing stores of the same name. In 2000 the team was purchased by Renault, but competed as Benetton for...
team. - Toyota Team Europe turbochargerTurbochargerA turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
scandal (1995) - The Toyota factory backed WRCWorld Rally ChampionshipThe World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
team was disqualified from the 1995 championship, fined, and banned for 12 months it was discovered that they had been competing with a tampered air restrictor, allowing for more power than the permitted amount. - The sudden cancellation of Firestone Firehawk 600Firestone Firehawk 600The Firestone Firehawk 600 was a CART series race scheduled for April 29, 2001 at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. It was scheduled for 250 laps around the oval at TMS...
and its handling by CARChamp CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
T - Angela's MotorsportsAngela HarknessFatemeh Karimkhani is a convicted scam artist. Her biggest scheme was the infamous Angela's Motorsports NASCAR team in 2003...
scandal (2003) - 2005 United States Grand Prix2005 United States Grand PrixThe 2005 United States Grand Prix was one of the most controversial Formula One motor races in modern history. It was held on June 19, 2005 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the ninth race of the 2005 Formula One season. Out of 20 cars entered for the race, only the six cars from the teams...
- mass "walkout" controversy after seven teams using MichelinMichelinMichelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
tyres boycotted at the start of the race due to concerns following two tyre-related accidents by Toyota's Ralf SchumacherRalf SchumacherRalf Schumacher is a German racing driver, and the younger brother of seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher...
and Ricardo ZontaRicardo ZontaRicardo Luiz Zonta is a Brazilian racing driver.-Early career:Born in Curitiba, Brazil, Zonta began karting in 1987, winning his first race shortly thereafter. The following year, he was runner-up for the Curitiba Karting Championship, and in 1991, he won the title...
during the Friday practice sessions. - Max MosleyMax MosleyMax Rufus Mosley is the former president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
's S&M dungeon allegation (2008) - later resulted in a successful lawsuit brought by the FIA president against the News of the WorldNews of the WorldThe News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
newspaper, who covered the scandal. - 2007 NASCAR Gatorade Duel Scandal2007 NASCAR Gatorade Duel scandalThe 2007 NASCAR Gatorade Duel Scandal was a collection of various allegations of cheating in the 2007 NASCAR Gatorade Duels, the qualifying event for the Daytona 500.-Pole qualifying:...
- 2007 Formula One espionage controversy2007 Formula One espionage controversyThe 2007 Formula One espionage controversy, also known as "Spygate," or "Stepneygate" involves allegations that the McLaren Formula One team was passed confidential technical information from the Ferrari team, and that the Renault F1 team was passed confidential technical information from the...
, commonly known as Stepneygate; an incident in which Scuderia FerrariScuderia FerrariScuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
mechanic Nigel StepneyNigel StepneyNigel Stepney is a British-born former Formula One mechanic. He started in Formula One as a mechanic at Shadow in 1977, then followed Elio de Angelis to Lotus before moving to Benetton for the late 1980s and early 90s and then to Ferrari with Michael Schumacher, Rory Byrne and Ross Brawn...
passed on secret document to Mike CoughlanMike CoughlanMike Coughlan is a race car designer. On 3 May 2011 it was announced that Coughlan will become the Chief Designer for Williams F1...
of McLaren. - 2008 race fixing controversyRenault Formula One crash controversyThe Renault Formula One crash controversy, dubbed Crashgate by some in the media, is a sporting scandal perpetrated by the Renault F1 team who ordered Nelson Piquet, Jr...
, surrounding allegations in Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
that driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix2008 Singapore Grand PrixThe 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, formally known as the 2008 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, was a Formula One race held on 28 September 2008 at the newly built Marina Bay Street Circuit in Marina Bay, Singapore...
to help his Renault F1Renault F1Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
teammate Fernando AlonsoFernando AlonsoFernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
win
Scandals in horse racing
- Horse murdersHorse murdersThe horse murders scandal were cases of insurance fraud in the United States in which expensive horses, many of them show jumpers, were insured against death, accident, or disease, and then killed to collect the insurance money...
-- From 1975 - 1995 wealthy owners and trainers of show jumpingShow jumpingShow jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
horses conspire to electrocute and otherwise kill over-valued as well as under-performing animals in a 20-year-long scheme to defraud insurance companies; crimes also committed during this equestrian sports scandal include extortion, mail fraud, animal cruelty, and the murder of at least one human being. - Fine CottonFine CottonFine Cotton was a brown Australian Thoroughbred gelding which was at the centre of a substitution scam which occurred on 18 August 1984, in the Commerce Novice Handicap over 1,500 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane, Queensland...
/Bold PersonalityBold PersonalityBold Personality was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who gained notability by being substituted for the inferior horse Fine Cotton in a race at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane on 18 August 1984...
(1984) – A "ring-in" (substitution scam) in Australia involving several elite figures in the sport, in which the schemers attempted to pass off Bold Personality as the much less talented Fine Cotton in a low-level race. - Shanghai Syndicate case (1986)
- Death of AlydarAlydarAlydar was a chestnut colt and an American thoroughbred race horse who was most famous for finishing a close second to Affirmed in all three races of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a feat not achieved before or repeated since.-Racing career:Trained by John M...
(1990) – The death of the star stallion was initially reported as an accident, but was later speculated to have been a murder motivated by an attempt of his financially troubled owner, Calumet FarmCalumet FarmCalumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of Lexington's blue grass country, the finest horse breeding region in...
, to collect on a large insurance policy. - 1993 Grand National1993 Grand NationalThe 1993 Grand National was scheduled on 3 April 1993 to be the 147th official renewal of the Grand National horse race, held annually at Aintree near Liverpool, England....
fiasco - Stanley Chin race fixing scandal (1996)
- Operation Green Grass (2002)
- Kieren FallonKieren FallonKieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times....
race fixing scandal - Operation Twin Towns (2006)
Scandals in boxing
- Jake LaMottaJake LaMottaGiacobbe LaMotta , better known as Jake LaMotta, nicknamed "The Bronx Bull" and "The Raging Bull", is a former American world middleweight champion boxer...
vs Billy FoxBilly Fox (boxer)"Blackjack" Billy Fox is a former American light heavyweight boxer. He is best known for having won a fix fight against future middleweight champion Jake LaMotta.- Boxing career :...
fight fixing scandal (1947) - Sugar Ray Leonard vs Roberto DuranLeonard-Duran IISugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Durán II, also known as the No Más Fight, is one of the most infamous fights in the history of boxing. Taking place on November 25, 1980 at the New Orleans, Louisiana Superdome it was the second of three bouts between the pair...
's rematch's "No Mas" controversy and scandal (1980) - Billy CollinsBilly Collins (boxer)William Ray Collins, Jr. was an Irish-American professional boxer whose career was ended after he sustained serious injuries against an opponent with illegal under-padded gloves.-Career:...
V Luis RestoLuis Resto (boxer)Luis Resto is a former welterweight professional boxer from Bronx, New York.-Personal life:Luis Resto was born in Juncos, Puerto Rico, and moved to the Bronx when he was nine years old. Late in his eighth grade year, he elbowed his math teacher in the face, and spent six months in a...
scandal - Mike Tyson vs Evander HolyfieldHolyfield-Tyson IIHolyfield-Tyson II is a name used to identify the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield on June 28, 1997, in which Tyson bit Holyfield's ear. The fight was originally billed as Holyfield-Tyson II: The Sound and the Fury and was a follow-up rematch of the first Tyson-Holyfield...
ear biting scandal (1997) - Juan Manuel Márquez vs. Manny Pacquiao III Controversial trilogy.
Scandals in sumo wrestling
- Tokitsukaze stable hazing scandal (2007)
- Rohō Yukio, his brother Hakurozan YūtaHakurozan YutaHakurozan Yūta is a former sumo wrestler. The highest rank he reached was maegashira 2. His older brother is also a former sumo wrestler, under the name of Rohō of Ōtake stable...
, Wakanohō ToshinoriWakanoho ToshinoriWakanohō Toshinori is a former sumo wrestler. His highest rank was maegashira 1...
and two Russian sumo wrestlers banned for life one month after the other after being caught in possession of cannabis (2008)
Scandals in tennis
- Gussie MoranGussie MoranGertrude "Gussie" Agusta Moran is a retired American female tennis player who was active in the 1950s...
's revealing minidress (1949) - Stabbing of Monica SelesMonica SelesMonica Seles is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player and a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She was born in Novi Sad, Serbia, former Yugoslavia to Hungarian parents. She became a naturalized United States citizen in 1994 and also received Hungarian citizenship in June 2007...
during a rest break at Citizen Cup (1993)
Doping scandals
- Drug abuse in sports
- Ben Johnson (1988)
- Festina affairFestina affairThe Festina Affair refers to the events that surrounded several doping scandals, doping investigations and confessions by riders to doping that occurred during and after the 1998 Tour de France. The affair began when a large haul of doping products was found in a car of the Festina cycling team...
, a major doping scandal at the 1998 Tour de France1998 Tour de FranceThe 1998 Tour de France, also called the Tour du Dopage , was marred by doping scandals throughout known as the Festina affair, starting with the arrest of Willy Voet, a soigneur in the French Festina team. Voet was traveling into France when he was arrested and found with large quantities of... - JuicedJuiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got BigJuiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big is a 2005 book by Jose Canseco and his personal account of steroid usage in Major League Baseball. The book is autobiographical, and it focuses on Canseco's days as a major leaguer, his marriages, his daughter, and off-field...
, a 2005 tell-all book by Jose CansecoJosé CansecoJosé Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
in which he revealed the extent of doping in baseball - BALCOBay Area Laboratory Co-operativeThe Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative was an American company led by founder and owner Victor Conte, a former bass player for the soul band Tower of Power. In 2003, journalists Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada investigated the company's role in a drug sports scandal later referred to as the...
(2004–05), which eventually led to:- Game of ShadowsGame of ShadowsGame of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports is a bestselling non-fiction book published on March 23, 2006 and written by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle...
, a 2006 book that alleges extensive use of performance-enhancing drugs by Barry BondsBarry BondsBarry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds... - Marion JonesMarion JonesMarion Lois Jones , also known as Marion Jones-Thompson, is a former world champion track and field athlete, and a former professional basketball player for Tulsa Shock in the WNBA...
, American athlete, admitting in 2007 that she had used a steroidErgogenic use of anabolic steroidsSince their discovery, anabolic steroids have been widely used as an ergogenic aid to improve performance in sports, to improve one's physical appearance, as self-medication to recover from injury, and as an anti-aging aid....
popularly known as "the clear"TetrahydrogestrinoneTetrahydrogestrinone is an anabolic steroid developed by Patrick Arnold. It has affinity to the androgen receptor and the progesterone receptor, but not to the estrogen receptor...
prior to her winning five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia... - The Mitchell ReportMitchell Report (baseball)The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
, in which 88 current and former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
players were alleged to have used steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs - The conviction of Bonds in 2011 on obstruction of justice charges related to the BALCO investigation
- Game of Shadows
- Operación PuertoOperación Puerto doping caseOperación Puerto is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, started in May 2006, which resulted in a scandal that involved several of the world most famous cyclists at the time.Media attention has focused on the small number of...
(2006) - a SpanishSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
investigation into a dopingDoping (sport)The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
scheme allegedly involving many top cyclistsCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, including several potential contenders in the 2006 Tour de France2006 Tour de FranceThe 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis.... - Floyd Landis doping caseFloyd Landis doping caseThe Floyd Landis doping case is a doping scandal that featured Floyd Landis, the initial winner of the 2006 Tour de France. After a meltdown in Stage 16, where he had lost ten minutes, Landis came back, superhumanly, if suspiciously in Stage 17 riding solo and passing his whole team...
(2006) – Floyd LandisFloyd LandisFloyd Landis is an American retired cyclist who after initially being awarded victory in the 2006 Tour de France was stripped of his title for a doping offense. He was an all-around rider, with special skills in climbing and time-trialing, and is also known to be a very fast descender.Landis...
, initially the winner of the 2006 Tour, tested positive for synthetic testosterone and was stripped of his title. - Doping at the 2007 Tour de FranceDoping at the 2007 Tour de FranceThe 2007 Tour de France was affected by a series of scandals and speculations related to doping. By the end of the Tour, two cyclists were dismissed for testing positive, the wearer of the yellow jersey was voluntarily retired by his team for lying about his whereabouts and missing doping tests...
– The 2007 Tour de France2007 Tour de FranceThe 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
was rocked by a series of doping scandals. Two riders, including pre-race favorite Alexander VinokourovAlexander VinokourovAlexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana...
, were disqualified for doping offenses. Both teams involved pulled out of the Tour. A third rider, who had abandoned the Tour after a crash, was revealed to have tested positive for testosterone before the Tour. The race leaderYellow jerseyThe general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
, Michael RasmussenMichael RasmussenMichael Rasmussen is a Danish professional road bicycle racer who rides for the Danish team Christina Watches-Onfone. In the 2007 Tour de France, Rasmussen, while in the yellow jersey, had his contract terminated by his team and was removed from the Tour...
, was removed from the Tour by his teamRabobank (cycling)Rabobank is a professional bicycle racing team, sponsored by the Rabobank. The team consists of three sections: ProTeam , Continental , and Cyclo-cross...
with four stages left amid questions surrounding his possible involvement in doping. - The banning of Belgian players for not providing whereabouts to the Flemish Tennis Federation (2009–2010).