Top 10 Athletes Everyone Lost Respect For
#10: Ryan Lochte
Top 10 Memorable Moments From Ryan Pyle Tough Rides
While Michael Phelps was getting all the attention with his mammoth medal collection, another swimmer, Ryan Lochte, was also impressing and grabbing accolades. After all, he has 6 Olympic golds. However, at the 2016 Olympics, Lochte’s career derailed. He, along with other swimmers of the US team, claimed they were robbed in Brazil. But the investigation by the police found otherwise. Instead, the intoxicated swimmers stopped at a gas station and allegedly vandalized it. Security guards then demanded they pay for the damages. All the swimmers apologized for their claims. While Lochte was initially charged with falsely reporting a crime, the claim was dropped. On top of getting community service, Lochte was suspended from international competitive swimming for ten months.
#9: Michael Vick
Known for his impressive rushing, quarterback Michael Vick looked like a legend in the making. But in 2007, all that evaporated. As the police investigated another matter, they searched one of Vick’s properties and discovered he was involved in dog fighting. The cops seized over 70 dogs who showed many signs of terrible abuse. Vick was sentenced to 23 months in jail. At the same time, the NFL suspended him, and the Atlanta Falcons demanded he pay back $19.97 million from his signing bonus. After being released from the Falcons, Vick continued his football career with the Philadelphia Eagles and other franchises, earning many plaudits. While some forgave him, many fans expressed their anger.
#8: Tonya Harding
In 1994, the image of figure skating was tarnished forever. A day before the U.S. Figure Skating Championship began, Nancy Kerrigan had finished practicing her routine. While backstage, a man struck her leg with a baton before escaping. Kerrigan had to withdraw from the event but later recovered. The attack was organized by Jeff Gillooly, the ex-husband of Tonya Harding, Kerrigan’s rival. They planned to injure Kerrigan to elevate Harding’s position. Harding took a plea deal and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution. Due to this, she was banned for life from figure skating. Decades after the event, Harding has spoken of the public’s hatred of her, with someone even placing rats in her mailbox.
#7: Todd Bertuzzi
The WatchMojo Lady Origin Story, Ace Ventura 3, and Todd McFarlane on Spawn!
In 2004, Colorado Avalanche’s Steve Moore badly injured Vancouver Canucks’s captain Markus Näslund. In a later rematch, Näslund’s teammate Todd Bertuzzi wanted revenge. After attempting to fight Moore but getting nowhere, Bertuzzi grabbed the center and punched him across the jaw. Moore collapsed unconscious onto the ice head first, with Bertuzzi and other players piling on top. This vicious incident caused Moore to sustain a concussion and three fractured neck vertebrae. He never played ice hockey again. Bertuzzi was suspended by the NHL for 17 months and was charged with assault. Due to a plea deal, the winger got a year of probation, but this incident marred Bertuzzi’s career. In 2014, Bertuzzi settled a lawsuit with Moore for an undisclosed sum.
#6: Ray Rice
Top 10 Athletes Who LOST IT on Live TV
In 2013, Ray Rice was on top of the world after winning the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens. Yet a year later, the reputation of their running back was in tatters. During the offseason, he and his partner, Janay Palmer, were charged with assault in New Jersey. CCTV footage was released days later that showed Rice and Palmer hitting each other before he punched her to the floor of an elevator, knocking her out, then dragging her away. Controversially, Rice’s charges were dropped when he agreed to undertake counseling. While he was suspended, the Ravens terminated Rice’s contract. He issued a lawsuit against them, which was later settled. However, the toxicity surrounding him made sure no other franchise signed him.
#5: Tiger Woods
Did Aliens Cause the Tiger Stripes on Enceladus? | Unveiled
With a hugely successful golfing career and a seemingly happy family life, Tiger Woods was one of the most respected and wholesome athletes around. But then in 2009, rumors of affairs began to leak out. Over the months, more and more evidence came to light and eventually, Woods released a statement admitting he had committed adultery and apologizing. Several brands he was working with then dropped the golfer, including AT&T and General Motors. Woods then released another statement that he had undergone intense therapy. However, that didn’t stop his wife, Elin Nordegren, from divorcing him. Woods returned to golf, but the divorce and further incidents of DUIs didn’t help repair his broken image.
#4: Pete Rose
Is Pete Davidson Ok? Batgirl Backlash Continues! Marvel's VFX Problem!
Part of Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine,” Pete Rose wrote his name in the history books as one of the best to pick up a bat. Once he hung up the cleats, he became a manager. But in 1989, with the release of the Dowd Report, Rose was accused of betting on sports, including baseball. As a result, he agreed to be placed on the ineligibility list. Two years later, Rose was imprisoned for tax evasion for five months. He continued to deny betting on baseball games he was involved in. However, with the release of his autobiography in 2004, Rose admitted he bet on baseball games as a player and manager, breaking the hearts of those who believed his denials.
#3: O.J. Simpson
Top 10 Outbursts By Athletes Caught On Camera
After 11 seasons in the NFL, O.J. Simpson was regarded as one of the best running backs of all time. But as he made his name in the acting and broadcasting world, it all went wrong. In 1994, he was accused of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. While Simpson was acquitted at the trial, many people didn’t believe the outcome. And things got worse for Simpson. In 1997, during a civil trial, he was declared liable for the demise of Brown and Goldman and ordered to pay $33.5 million to their families. In 2008, his reputation further deteriorated when Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in jail for armed robbery. He was released in 2017.
#2: Oscar Pistorius
Top 10 YouTubers That Could Win an Oscar
Nicknamed “The Blade Runner,” South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius captured the attention of many with his incredible running ability. For three Paralympics in a row, he picked up several gold medals. This led to appearances on reality TV shows and many public appearances. Yet in 2013, horror struck that caused sponsors and fans to drop him. Pistorius, claiming he believed she was an intruder, took the life of his partner, Reeva Steenkamp. In 2014, he was found guilty of her murder and was controversially sentenced to five years in jail, which was later upped to 6 years. In 2017, Pistorius’s sentence was increased to 13 years and five months. In 2024, the former star athlete was released on parole.
#1: Lance Armstrong
Not only was Lance Armstrong one of the most dominant athletes on a bike, but he’s also a cancer survivor who created the Livestrong Foundation to support others with the disease. Yet there were rumors for years that Armstrong was cheating to win. In 2012, the United States Anti-Doping Agency concluded he had used performance-enhancing substances and helped others to cheat the system, too. This resulted in Armstrong being stripped of seven Tour de France wins and receiving a lifetime ban from all competitive sports. He denied the allegations. But that changed in 2013 when he admitted to doping to Oprah Winfrey in an interview. From that point on, his fans and admirers turned their backs on him. Which athlete earned your respect after saving someone’s life? Let us know below.
