.

Biggest Sports Scandals
Barry Bonds may be the latest on the hot seat, but he's hardly the only super athlete to find himself in the "Hall of Shame." Here are some of the biggest scandals that rocked the sporting world.

Barry Bonds
The all-time MLB home run king was found guilty of obstruction of justice, and the jury failed to reach a verdict on three other counts related to lying to a grand jury about taking steroids and human growth hormones.
Tiger Woods
Tiger got his game on early, but golf’s golden boy lost his luster when news leaked of his multiple affairs. He took time off from the game, was dropped by some major sponsors, and is now struggling to get his edge back.
Kobe Bryant
One of this team’s star players, Bryant's popularity took a major hit when a hotel employee accused him of sexual assault in 2003. The media scrutiny saw him lose sponsors, but his wife stayed by his side, and a civil suit was settled out of court.
Pete Rose
In 1989, Rose was accused of gambling and betting on baseball games, and there was speculation that he was betting against his own team. He came clean about the accusations in 2004 and was banned from Major League Baseball.
Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan
It was the cry heard around the world: Nancy Kerrigan in tears after someonehit her in the knee while practicing at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. It was discovered that skating rival Tonya Harding’sex-husband and a friend plotted the attack. Harding was banned from professional skating.
Olympic Committee bribe
In 2003, 10 members of the International Olympic Committee resigned or were expelled and another 10 were charged with taking bribes from host city representatives competing for the 2002 Winter Games.
Jim Thorpe
He won two gold medals in the 1912 Olympic Games, but the IOC later stripped him of both when it was discovered that Thorpe had played professionally in violation of Olympic rules. His medals were reinstated in 1983, 30 years after his death.
1919 Black Sox
In baseball’s worst scandal, eight players from the American League champion White Sox conspired to throw World Series games for cash. Called the Black Sox because the owner was so cheap he would not wash the team’s uniforms, none of the eight men ever played in Major League Baseball again.
University of Minnesota cheating scandal
Can there be anything worse than a crooked Gopher? Players were not taking tests in one of the worst cases of academic fraud in 20 years.
NCAA point shaving scandal
It gave college basketball a black eye in the early '50s, with seven schools implicated in the point-shaving affair. Four of the schools were in the same metropolitan area.
Ben Johnson
Johnson won two Olympic medals and set world records for speed, but the Canadian sprinter's gold medal was rescinded and his '87 and '88 world records were disqualified due to doping.
Source:Specials

Bad Boys of Sports
 They've been accused of murder, have done prison time, cheated and, in one case, bit an opponent's ear. Playing nice? Not these guys.
 Dennis Rodman
Can a bad boy be in the Hall of Fame? Apparently so, but his nicknames give you a sense of what you're getting with this multi-divorced, wrestling, drunk-driving, convicted batterer and "Celebrity Rehab" star. Oh, and Rodman has a unique flair for fashion, too.
 Ty Cobb
Though he set 90 baseball records and is in the baseball Hall of Fame, Ty Cobb was surly and aggressive and was described by one newspaper as being "daring to the point of dementia."
 Mike Tyson
An undisputed heavyweight boxing champ with facial tattoos, Mike Tyson may be best known for his conviction for this crime and his ill-advised boxing move against Evander Holyfield.
 Michael Phelps
Eight medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics and eight more at the 2008 Beijing Games allowed Michael Phelps to twice tie the record for the most successful Olympian ever. That did not stop him from driving drunk and being pictured doing this, which led to the end of a lucrative contract.
 Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramirez hit more than 500 career home runs and was second all-time in grand slams, but a 50-game suspension for this did not help his reputation, nor did blowing off the president, but it's all just part of this.
 Pete Rose
After the Black Sox scandal of 1919, the cardinal rule for anyone in major league baseball has been "Don't bet on games." Pete Rose saw all his career achievements, including the record for most career hits, go down the drain as he was banned from baseball for life.
 Plaxico Burress
NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg, was convicted for this and has had temporary restraining orders placed against him, but apparently he's a model prisoner.
 Michael Vick
Vick did time due to his involvement in an illegal betting sport, had to declare bankruptcy from numerous claims against him, but was named Comeback Player of the Year his first season back in the NFL.
 Jim Leyritz
Best known for his Yankee heroics in the 1996 World Series, Jim Leyritz admitted to using amphetamines, was convicted of this major crime and has been arrested for battery.
 Jose Canseco
When it comes to steroid use in baseball, Canseco literally wrote the book. He was baseball's first 40-40 man, but besides the steroids, he pleaded guilty to an attempted smuggling charge and has been arrested for this.
 John Daly
One of the most intriguing golfers ever, Daly is known for his long drives, but was in rehab at least three times, has been divorced and has this addiction.
 O.J. Simpson
"The Juice" was an all-star running back and then a successful actor (filmography) and TV personality. Then he was accused of and acquitted of the murder of his ex-wife and her friend. He's currently in jail for numerous felonies in connection with this robbery.
 Ron Artest
NBA star and rapper Ron Artest has been arrested for this, has been accused of cruelty to animals and was one of the main characters in a brawl between two NBA teams during which he entered the crowd to look for the spectator who allegedly threw a soft drink at him.
Tiger Woods
He was one of the greatest golfers ever before his wife (and the rest of the world) learned about his now-legendary extramarital activities.
Source:Specials

Blog Archive

Categories