The 10 Biggest Sporting Scandals

ByEurosport

Updated 09/11/2015 at 21:36 GMT

Following news of the alleged Russian doping shame that has shocked the world of athletics, we've compiled a list (in no particular order) of the 10 biggest scandals to rock sport...

FIGURE SKATING Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding

Image credit: Imago

1. "Black Sox" World Series, 1919.

During the 1919 World Series, the White Sox faced the Cincinnati Reds and eight players received life bans for purposely losing games in exchange for cash.

The saga became known simply as “Black Sox Scandal” after the players of the Chicago team were convinced by Arnold "Chick" Gandil to throw the matches.

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2. Lance Armstrong, 2012

After years of denying that he had taken performance enhancing drugs, American cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles - the first of which he won in 1999 - and given a lifetime ban by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

Evidence showed he had used banned substances, including the blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO), steroid and blood transfusions and the cyclist later admitted that he used performance enhancing drugs in all seven of his TDF wins in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Lance Armstrong (Reuters)

Image credit: Reuters

3. Bloodgate, 2009

Harlequins wing Tom Williams bit into a fake blood capsule that had been hidden inside his sock so he could come off the field and be replaced by Nick Evans in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup against Leinster.

The fly-half had earlier been substituted but was allowed to return to the field as a “blood replacement” and later missed a last-minute drop goal attempt for Quins, who lost the game 6-5.

Director of rugby Dean Richards, who issued the order, was banned from the game for three years, while Williams was banned for a year (later reduced on appeal to four months).

4. Hanse Cronje, 2000

In April 2000, Delhi police revealed they had a recording of a conversation between Cronje and Sanjay Chawla, a representative of an Indian betting syndicate, over match-fixing allegations. Three other players, Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje, and Pieter Strydom, were also implicated. Cronje was later banned from any involvement in cricket for life.

5. Kerrigan v Harding, 1994

The American ice-skater Tonya Harding hired a hitman to smash the knee of her wholesome rival Nancy Kerrigan, thus smoothing the way for Harding’s victory at the 1994 US National Championships. But Harding was exposed, and subsequent revelations in Penthouse magazine did little to repair her reputation.

FIGURE SKATING Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding

Image credit: Imago

6. Spanish Paralympians, 2000

Spain’s Paralympic basketball squad at the 2000 Olympic Games were supposed to be intellectually disabled. However, 10 out of 12 members of the team suffered from no such disability and were competing with fraudulent documents. The team were forced to return their medals and Fernando Martin Vicente was found guilty of fraud 13 years later.

A Madrid court fined him £4,600 and ordered him to return £120,500 in government subsidies which the federation received for the athletes without disabilities.

7. Ben Johnson, 1988

The Canadian won the Olympic 100m final in Seoul, lowering his own world record to 9.79 sec. The only problem was that he tested positive for Stanozolol, and two days later he was stripped of both his gold medal and the record.

Ben Johnson in Seoul

Image credit: Imago

8. Italian match-rigging, 2006

Telephone interceptions in 2006 revealed perhaps the biggest scandal in football history: match-rigging amongst Italy's major clubs. Three big-name relegations, point deductions, silverware confiscation and fines rocked Serie A. Juventus were worst hit, suffering a two-league relegation.

9. Diego Maradona, 1986

Scandals followed Diego Maradona around like a bad smell throughout his career. None were greater than the infamous ‘Hand of God’. Leaping up to reach the ball ahead of England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, the cheeky Argentine punched the ball in to send his country into the semi-finals of the 1986 World Cup. Feeling aggrieved and cheated, poor old England had to go home.

Le but de la main de Diego Maradona face à l'Angleterre en 1986.

Image credit: Imago

10. Ball-tampering, 2006

An ongoing concern for the ICC came to a head in 2006. A ball-tampering row led to abandoned play and Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq being charged with bringing the game into disrepute.