Loud scandals that have shocked the public and changed perceptions of sporting ideals.

Sport has always been the arena not only for outstanding achievements, but also for loud scandals that have shocked the public and changed perceptions of sporting ideals. Consider some of the most discussed athlete scandals that have left a significant mark on the history of sport.
1. The doping scandal involving Lance Armstrong.

Lance Armstrong, the seven-time winner of the «Tour de France», became a symbol of struggle and endurance, especially after defeating cancer. However, in 2012 his reputation was destroyed following accusations of systematic doping. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has presented evidence that Armstrong and his team participated in one of the most sophisticated doping programs in the history of sport. As a result, Armstrong was stripped of all titles he had won since 1998 and was disqualified for life.

2. The Scandal with «Black Socks» in baseball (1919)

In 1919, eight players of the team «Chicago White Sox» were accused of deliberately giving up the World series against «Cincinnati Reds» in exchange for a cash reward from bookmakers. This incident, known as the «Black Socks Scandal», was one of the earliest and most prominent examples of corruption in professional sports. Despite the acquittal of the court, all eight players were suspended for life.

3.The Tony Harding and Nancy Kerrigan incident (1994)

In 1994, skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked and sustained a knee injury that put her participation in the Olympics at risk. It soon emerged that the attack was organized by her former husband and bodyguard, Tony Harding. Harding denied involvement, but was found guilty of obstructing the investigation and received life-long disqualification from participating in the competition.

4. Doping scandal in Russian sport (2015-2019)

In 2015, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published a report accusing Russia of state support for the doping program. This has led to the exclusion of many Russian athletes from international competitions, including the 2016 and 2018 Olympic Games. In 2019, WADA again suspended Russia from participating in major international tournaments for four years, which was unprecedented in the history of sport.

5. The Kike Salas scandal (2025)

In January 2025, the Spanish footballer Kike Salas, defender «Seville», was arrested on charges of participating in a scheme with contracted matches. He is suspected of deliberately obtaining yellow cards to obtain financial benefits from his entourage, which allegedly earned up to 10,000 euros a month. Police investigate several matches of the previous season, and Sales’ mobile phone has been seized for evidence. If the guilt is proven, Salas faces serious sporting and criminal sanctions.

6. The John Porter Scandal (2025)

Former NBA player John Porter has been permanently disqualified from the league for violating gambling rules. According to court documents, Porter was passing confidential information on to betters and manipulating his participation in games for the sake of betting. He has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and is awaiting trial.

7. Gender scandal at the Paris Olympics (2024)

At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, a boxing match between Italian Angela Carini and Algerian Iman Helif caused controversy. Helif had previously failed the gender test and was disqualified by the International Boxing Association, but the IOC allowed her to compete. The match ended quickly, and Carini expressed dissatisfaction, stating «injustice». IOC has declared everyone’s right to engage in sport without discrimination, while the IBA has condemned Helif’s participation.

8. The Rosie Ruiz Scandal (1980)

Rosie Ruiz became known as the most cunning participant of the marathon, deceiving the organizers of two prestigious races. In 1980 she was declared the winner of the Boston marathon, but it later turned out that she had run most of the distance on the subway. After the revelation, Ruiz was stripped of her title and her name became synonymous with sports fraud.
These cases highlight the importance of maintaining fairness and justice in sport, as well as the need for strict control and accountability to prevent similar incidents in the future