Biggest Cheaters in Sports

Posted on 21. Nov, 2009 by gerakis100 in Other Sports

France’s Thierry Henry has caused a huge controversy this week, aiding his team qualify to the World Cup after using his hand, intentionally (i think) with the ref not blowing his whistle, starting a huge outcry from the Irish and neutral fans for a replay of the game and to maybe start introducing something pretty common in other sports – letting the refs use the cameras and watch the replay. Never mind that, it’s a huge discussion for a different place and time, but as a warning to Henry, we remember some of those who shamed themselves and the sport they took part of -

Ben Johnson

Image: Source

One minute you’re the Olympic gold medalist and a world record holder, the next – a disgrace. Johnson tested positive for Stanozolol and was disqualified three days later, with the gold medal going to Carl Lewis. Later on Johnson admitted he used steroids when he won the World Championship and set his previous world record in 1987. Johnson wasn’t the first and as we all know far from being the last to be caught doping, but his case was at the biggest stage and highest profiled one. Although many other athletes who excelled at the 100 meter race were tested positive at some point in their careers, including Lewis, Johnson was the only one who was forced to give up his medals and records.

Diego Maradona

Image: Source

To some, this goal, the hand of god goal, is pure delight, symbolizing some sort of justice for the Argentinians and revenge against the English for the Falklands War. To most, I hope, this is pure cheating and disgrace to soccer and to sport that so many people take pride in this goal. It’s one of those incidents that shows we need replays in soccer, it’s a proof to Al Bundy’s famous saying: “It’s only cheating if you get caught”.

1919 Chicago White Sox

Chicago Black Sox

Image: Source

Some people say this even changed Baseball from a national pass time into a sport, killing the game’s innocence. You can say that about the last 20 years in Baseball, with news and evidence of players using steroids and who knows what else to improve their game keeps popping up, but the “Black Sox Scandal”, when eight players from the Chicago White Sox took money from Arnold Rothstein and intentionally lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. All eight of them were banned for life, with “Shoeless” Joe Jackson being the biggest star involved in the scandal. Despite admitting to accepting 5,000 dollars, Jackson recanted his confession and declared he was never part of the whole thing. Many other players and evidence dug up along the years cast doubt on Jackson’s involvement in the scandal.

Tim Donaghy

Image: Source

Maybe there’s more to this story, maybe not. Maybe Donaghy was just a “rogue”, as David Stern referred to him. Donaghy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information. The investigation regarding specific games in still ongoing, and he could face more jail time if found guilty in deliberately miscalling individual games. The game most people refer to is the 2002 Western Conference Final between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings, with the Lakers getting 18 more free throw shots in the fourth quarter than the Kings. Did Donaghy do it, along with other officials? Was there an order from above to make the series go seven games and for the Lakers to win that one? I usually don’t buy into conspiracy theories, but I believe Donaghy didn’t act alone. There are more dirty refs in the league, and the league’s ivory tower isn’t exactly clean either.

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Tags: 100 meter run, 1919 Chicago White Sox, 1919 World Series, 1986 World Cup, 1988 Seoul Olympics, Ben Johnson, Black Sox Scandal, dash, Diego Maradona, game fixing, hand of god, images, NBA ref, Photos, pics, pictures, Shame in Athletics, Sport Cheaters, Steroid, Tim Donaghy

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26 Responses to “Biggest Cheaters in Sports”

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22. Nov, 2009

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22. Nov, 2009

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22. Nov, 2009

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Keith

22. Nov, 2009

Athletes cheat or try to cheat all the time, it is simply part of sport. Sometimes they get caught, sometimes they don’t. Henri’s handball happened in the heat of the moment and ended up resulting in an important goal. The referee and his assistant did not see it, so they were not able to make the call. I do not blame Henri or the referees, if there is blame to be placed, it should go to FIFA for there stubborn refusal to use the technology available. This problem is much bigger than this one goal, it is just being spotlighted because of its magnitude; one team qualifies for the world cup and the other does not. Get it together FIFA!
Chrs

22. Nov, 2009

The Donaghy one was plain cheating. But I believe the NBA wanted the lakers to win. The NBA always wants the more popular team to win.
phil

22. Nov, 2009

what about bill belichick? I know his most recent blunder is all over the news, but did everyone forget about the season where he had people videotape other team’s practice sessions? That seems like a pretty big instance of cheating in sports, not to mention the pats went 16-0 after that
Scott P.

22. Nov, 2009

I think its hard to believe that after all that Maradona has done for football and Argentina’s national team that you can classify him as a cheater. And no, we do not need replay in football we need to add a referee behind the goal to monitor goals, handballs, fouls, and dives. Replay, like other sports, kills the game. I for one would probably watch little football if replay was adopted. As for your list of cheater, there are plenty of others out there that put some of the ones to bed. I think you should at least recant the mention of Maradona and Thierry Henry, because they have both admitted it was a hand. Therefor, it is the referee’s responsibility to make the right call. If all goes as it should, there will be a replay.
xor

22. Nov, 2009

One goal here and there makes little difference. The biggest cheaters damage the entire sport.
Just take a look at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Formula_One_espionage_controversy

There guys take cheating to an entire new level.
Jay

22. Nov, 2009

How can you have Ben Johnson but not Carl Lewis? What Lewis did was far worse.
mark

23. Nov, 2009

These people who cheat spoil the sport for everyone else.
Finnster

23. Nov, 2009

Although vaguely mentioned above , I consider Barry Bonds “alledged” (yeah right!) use of steroids to gain stardom has smeared the honest effects of ballplayers of yesteryear and of the present.

Even worse than Ben Johnson is Marion Jones’ scandalious use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Sergio

23. Nov, 2009

The Donaghy one was plain cheating. But I believe the NBA wanted the lakers to win. The NBA always wants the more popular team to win..
shonu9

23. Nov, 2009

What about the cheaters in Soccer? The recent match-fixers? Sports is no more a loyal sector now,,.
Steve

23. Nov, 2009

Scott P – you must work for FIFA. They seem to be the only people on the planet who can’t see the sense in having video referees. What good is another referee behind the goal? There’s no guarantee that a second or even third referee is going to see an incident. With TV there is little doubt. Rugby has TV referees and so does cricket. It’s only football that stubbornly refuses to leave the 19th century.
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23. Nov, 2009

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commenter

24. Nov, 2009

some do it for the money and some do it for the win, does it matter their motivation or is it just no good?
Kandi

27. Nov, 2009

tisk tisk……just for the gold and the win and the titles…….I WANNA DO THAT!
dave

28. Nov, 2009

WHAT THE HECK???? What about Marion Jones?????????????????????? SHe boasted and bragged and won how many Gold Medals? How many medals? Ben Johnson wins ONE. She is so much worse than that.
Mrs Comment

06. Dec, 2009

Gotta throw in the Pittsburgh Steelers for their two most recent Superbowl Victories.
Brother Tel

07. Dec, 2009

This article is way too short. Not having anyone involved in the baseball steroid scanadals is a huge oversight.
double bed

11. Dec, 2009

The first touch was an accident, the second touch was cheating.
mrcommenter

12. Dec, 2009

Again it was not accidental, not when he touched it the first time, not when he touched it the second time
gerakis100

12. Dec, 2009

I agree with you… Henry knew what he was doing…
wordy

15. Dec, 2009

There was nothing accidental about that handball.
xy7

19. Dec, 2009

No Bill Bilichick? Come on South Park even labeled him as the biggest cheater.
verizon

12. Jan, 2010

You can fill the Internet by making a proper list of sports cheaters. Way too short, IMO.

Sportige