50 Athletes Caught CHEATING on LIVE TV

Top-50-Athletes-Caught-Cheating-on-Live-TV

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for times athletes were spotted breaking the rules during televised competition. To make it on the list, the infraction has to take place in the event. Athletes later found to be doping won’t count as that technically happened elsewhere.

#50: Ronel Blanco

During the 2024 Major League Baseball season, the Houston Astros pitcher threw a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays. But he also was found to be cheating. With Blanco’s side taking on the Oakland Athletics, his glove was inspected before he went to the mound in the fourth inning. Umpire Erich Bacchus touched what he called “the sticky stuff” he'd felt on a baseball glove. As such, the pitcher was ejected from the game. Blanco claimed it was rosin, which is legal in moderation, that he had on his arm and sweated onto the glove. Gross. However, the MLB didn’t believe him and suspended him for 10 games. And that won’t be the last we hear of rosin on this list.

#49: He Jie

In 2024, the Beijing Half Marathon was set to end dramatically as 4 men battled to finish first. Fans watched eagerly as China’s He Jie, Kenya’s Willy Mnangat, Kenya’s Robert Keter, and Ethiopia’s Dejene Hailu Bikila approached the finish line. But then, the 3 African runners slowed down and seemingly gestured for He to overtake them, which he did, crossing the line first. Immediately, there were calls to investigate whether the group had worked together to ensure He won. Mnangat claimed he was a pacemaker to help the Chinese runner break a national record. However, the Kenyan was registered as a runner for the event. Investigators disqualified the 4 athletes, and they had to return their medals and money.

#48: Shayla Cooper

Sometimes, in an act of desperation, athletes can make a bizarre decision to try and gain the upper hand. For example, when Cooper made her debut for the Georgetown Hoyas against the Richmond Spiders in 2013, she lost her footing, causing one of her sneakers to come off. Instead of continuing without it until the play was over, she saw an opportunity to be creative. As the Spider's player attempted a shot, Cooper chucked her shoe at the ball. While she missed and managed to grab her lobbed footwear again, the ball didn’t go through the hoop either. Lucky for Cooper, the ref seemingly didn’t see this, as no technical foul was called.

#47: David Luiz

Football has a bad reputation when it comes to players diving to get an advantage. In 2013, Chelsea’s Luiz didn’t help with that image. With his side winning against Manchester United, Luiz was looking to run down the clock. United’s Rafael fought the defender for the ball, receiving heavy shoves. The fullback snapped and kicked Luiz, who went down clutching his leg. And then, amid the chaos, the Brazilian international is seen smiling. Rafael was sent off for the foul, United lost the game, and their manager compared Luiz's antics to a “dying swan." The defender claimed he wasn’t smiling at his plan working but was laughing at the United fans who had been mocking him by comparing him to Sideshow Bob.

#46: Mikko Rantanen

For years, the Finnish forward has been one of the Colorado Avalanche's best players. But while Rantanen has deserved his plaudits, there’s another side to his game that’s less celebrated. In 2018, the Avalanches took on the Boston Bruins. In the second period, with his side down 3-2, Rantanen rushed to stop a Boston attack. However, he made contact with Patrice Bergeron’s stick and collapsed on the ice dramatically. While Bergeron was punished for hooking with a penalty, Rantanen was also penalized for embellishment. To make it worse, after the game, as it was his second similar offense of the season, he was fined $2000 by the NHL.

#45: Men’s Pakistan Cricket Team

In 2010, during a test match against England, Pakistan's Mohammad Amir went to bowl but delivered a no-ball. Mohammad Asif also did something similar. But that’s not suspicious, as that happens to bowlers, right? Well, not exactly. Journalists conducted a sting operation with bookmaker Mazhar Majeed. In exchange for a bribe, he could arrange spot-fixing by getting Pakistan’s captain Salman Butt, Asif, and Amir, to make no-balls at pre-arranged moments during the England match. The International Cricket Council banned Butt for 10 years with 5 suspended, Asif for 7 years with 2 suspended, and Amir for 5 years. In 2011, Butt was sentenced to 30 months in jail, Asif for 12 months, Amir for 6 months, and Majeed for 32 months.

#44: Bobby Unser

As part of the powerhouse racing family, Unser won the Indianapolis 500 race 3 times. Yet his last in 1981 was mired in scandal. During a caution period, after Unser had a pit stop, he overtook 8 cars as he merged back into the race, seemingly against the rules. He went on to finish first. Afterward, officials handed Unser a one-position penalty, giving the win to Mario Andretti. Then, Unser appealed. This led to the discovery that the United States Auto Club officials had known about the overtaking during the race and hadn’t acted. Thus, this made their punishment of Unser too harsh in their view. In a narrow vote, the iconic racer was controversially reinstated the win but fined $40,000.

#43: Roy Carroll

If an athlete made a horrible error, seemingly got away with it, but didn’t say anything to the officials, that can be seen as cheating. In 2005, Manchester United goalkeeper Carroll did just that when his club faced Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs midfielder Pedro Mendes took a speculative shot from the halfway line. It looked like a simple catch for the Northern Irish ‘keeper. Instead, Carroll spilled it and lunged back to sweep the ball away, even though it clearly crossed the line. While none of the officials spotted this, Carroll also said nothing as the game ended goalless. This incident likely contributed to him being released at the end of the season. It took until 2012 for goal-line technology to be introduced.

#42: Boris Onishchenko

Having taken a gold and a silver in the previous Olympics, the Soviet Union’s Onishchenko was looking to add to his medal tally at the 1976 Olympics in the Modern Pentathlon. However, that desire was his downfall. During the second event with fencing, Great Britain’s team noticed Onishchenko’s épée had tagged a hit when none was actually made. Officials examined the Soviet’s weapon. They found it had been modified so the user could manipulate the electrical circuit within to register a successful strike whenever they liked. While Onishchenko denied the tampering and claimed it wasn’t his personal épée, he was disqualified from the event and later banned from the Olympics for life.

#41: New Orleans Saints

In 2012, the NFL announced that the New Orleans Saints management had been issuing bounties to financially reward their players for removing targets from games by injuring them. Beginning in 2009, the Bountygate Scandal claimed Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, and many others as victims. The punishment was brutal. Several Saints players were suspended. However, this was later rescinded as the management was seen as the instigators. Their punishment included head coach Sean Payton being banned for a 2012 season, general manager Mickey Loomis being suspended for 8 games, and defensive coach Gregg Williams getting indefinitely banned before being overturned in 2013. The Saints were also fined $500,000 and had their second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 removed.

#40: Taj Gibson

Athletes will use anything to win, but sometimes, it can get a bit ridiculous. In 2018, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Sacramento Kings. After Taj Gibson scored at one end with a left hook, his shoe came off in the process. Yet before he could put it back on, the Kings began attacking. Rather than sit out and get the footwear on, Gibson, like Shayla Cooper before him, got creative. With the trainer in hand, he attempted to defend. As the Kings’ Nemanja Bjelica went for a shot, Gibson tried using his singular sneaker for extra blocking coverage. While he didn’t touch the ball -- instead, Karl-Anthony Towns made the save -- using a foreign object to defend is a no-no.

#39: Baron Davis

For a bit of fun, the NBA hosts the Slam Dunk Contest over the All-Star Weekend. And in 2001, then-Charlotte Hornets player Baron Davis participated. But he decided to channel his inner Cedric Ceballos with his final dunk by using his headband as a blindfold and calling the attempt “The Blind Man’s Buff.” However, his deception was clear to see with holes in the headband. With this level of cheating, you’d expect Davis to slam the ball in the hoop. But nope. Attempting a windmill dunk, the Point Guard fell well short, both in distance and height. Yikes. If he had dunked it normally, he probably would’ve won. Instead, Desmond Mason took the contest.


#38: Sergio Busquets

Undoubtedly, Sergio Busquets will go down as one of the best midfielders for Spain and Barcelona. However, there’s also another side to him that has dampened his stellar reputation. In 2010, Barcelona faced Inter Milan in the second-leg semi-final of the UEFA Champions League. After losing the first game three-one, Busquets decided to give his side an advantage by any means necessary. In the 28th minute, while competing with Milan’s Thiago Motta for the ball, the Brazilian lightly touched the Spaniard’s face. And Busquets went down dramatically. Then, the Barça icon peaked through his hands to check his performance was being bought. It was. Motta was sent off. However, Barcelona was still knocked out of the competition that Milan went on to win.


#37: Maximum Security

The 2019 Kentucky Derby, the 145th edition, should’ve been a celebration of horse racing. Instead, it was doused in controversy. The horse Maximum Security and jockey Luis Saez dominated the race and crossed first. However, there were immediate objections. At the final turn, Maximum Security went across the lane and blocked the paths of multiple horses, nearly resulting in a pile-up that could’ve caused major injuries. The winner of the race was disqualified to 17th, and the iconic trophy was handed to Country House, who was unaffected by the blocking. Saez claimed his horse was startled by the crowd noise and veered outwards. Regardless, the jockey was suspended for not controlling his mount.


#36: Sal Alosi

Sports coaches are often seen as being competitive yet fair. However, in 2010, the actions of the head strength and conditioning coach at the New York Jets, Sal Alosi, proved to break that mold and then some. As the Jets took on the Miami Dolphins, Alosi spotted Nolan Carroll running down the sideline. Seemingly forgetting about all the TV cameras in the stadium, the coach used his knee to trip Carroll! It was then discovered that Alosi told inactive players to form a wall on the sidelines to block the opposition's plays. As a result, the Jets suspended the coach indefinitely, and he was fined $25,000. The NFL also fined the Jets $100,000. Not long after, Alosi resigned from his position.


#35: Max Scherzer

It’s strange how often baseball stars try to break the rules with something sticky. And in 2023, it was the time for New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer. Facing the Los Angeles Dodgers, the umpires conducted a routine inspection of Scherzer and found his hand coated in something. After being told to wash his hands and change gloves multiple times, eventually, the umpires ejected Scherzer from the game. While the pitcher argued it was rosin, a substance allowed in the MLB, the officials didn’t buy it. As a result, Scherzer was suspended for ten games and fined $10,000 initially before it was reduced to $5,000. While he appealed the decision, Scherzer withdrew it shortly after.


#34: Andrzej Gołota

Before Mike Tyson was nibbling opponents in a boxing ring, there was Poland’s Andrzej Gołota. Better known as Andrew Golota, the heavyweight hitter faced off against Samson Po'uha in 1995 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The then-undefeated Golota was in the driving seat for most of the bout. However, after Po'uha connected with a heavy strike, which dazed the Polish boxer, several more punches battered Golota. So, in his desperation, he did something sneaky. Golota got close to Po'uha and bit down on his neck, earning him a bit of recovery time. On top of this, the referee didn’t see it happen, and Golota went on to win via T.K.O.


#33: Rosie Ruiz

At the 1980 Boston Marathon, something remarkable happened. Having only started competing in the sport a year prior, Rosie Ruiz shocked the nation by winning the women’s division of the iconic endurance race and setting a Boston record! But something fishy was going on when Ruiz appeared in interviews, showing little tiredness and was vague about her experience. An investigation was launched that examined video and photographs of the races. Strangely, Ruiz seemingly didn’t appear until the end. On top of this, witnesses came forward that Ruiz had used the subway for the New York Marathon the year prior. Both Boston and New York officials stripped Ruiz of her results.


#32: LeBron James, David West, & Lance Stephenson

Flopping or diving in sport is one of the worst things you can do. Fans hate the dishonest practice, mostly, unless it gives your side an advantage. In 2013, then playing for the Miami Heat, LeBron James participated in Game 4 of the NBA's Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers. However, in the fourth quarter, James and David West of the Pacers flopped on the court during the same play, and the Pacers’ Lance Stephenson had already dramatically clashed with Ray Allen in the first quarter. As a result of the mass exaggeration, each player was fined $5,000 by the NBA, while the media referred to the game as a “flop fest.”


#31: Bryan Carrasco

Football and exaggeration, for better or worse, is a match made in heaven. It happens a lot, far more than most fans like to admit. But one of the most outrageous took place in 2011. With the under-20s teams of Chile and Ecuador facing off in the South American Youth Championship, Bryan Carrasco did something the referee missed, but the commentators spotted and laughed loudly at the audacity. In the 76th minute, the Chilean midfielder grabbed the arm of Ecuador’s Edson Montaño and smacked himself in the head with it before falling on the floor. It was bonkers. Yet… it worked. Carrasco got a free kick for his side. However, Chile ended up losing one-nil, so it wasn’t a perfect plan.


#30: Alex Rodriguez

It’s not every bit of cheating that contributes to the riot police being deployed to restore order with the fans. But that was what happened in 2004 when the New York Yankees took on the Boston Red Sox in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Alex Rodriguez didn’t get a great connection on a pitch, hitting the ball along the first-base line. As Boston’s Bronson Arroyo collected the ball and tried to tap A-Rod out, Rodriguez slapped his hand away, causing the ball to fall to the ground. A startled Boston watched on as the umpires called Rodriguez “safe.” But after a lot of complaints, the officials had a meeting. In the end, Rodriguez was deemed to have interfered and was called out.


#29: Jacob Runyan & Chase Cominsky

With a whopping collected prize of $28,760, fishing professionals Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky were desperate to get their mitts on the oversized cheque in 2022. So much so that they got creative with the weight of their catch. After the aptly-named director of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament, Jason Fischer became suspicious of the weight of the smaller-sized fish, he cut up the catch. He found they had been stuffed with lead balls, fish filets, and other items. On top of being disqualified, the duo were arrested. In 2023, Runyan and Cominsky agreed to a deal to plead guilty to cheating and unlawful ownership of an animal. They received ten days in jail, six months of probation, and fined $2,500 each.


#28: J. R. Smith

As far as cheating goes, J. R. Smith’s shenanigans are perhaps the most petty yet hilarious in sporting history. In 2014, the NBA legend found himself in the crosshairs of the league’s authority. While playing for the New York Knicks, he was seen on TV untying the shoelaces of Shawn Marion and Greg Monroe in separate games. While the NBA let the first one go and warned him, the second incident saw the league take action against Smith. In the end, he was fined $50,000 for his dastardly antics. But after the fine, Smith retired from his lacey actions. He confirmed he would’ve continued had the NBA not come down hard on him.


#27: Mark Schlereth

There’s probably never been an instance of an athlete being so defiant about their rule-breaking. Legendary NFL guard Mark Schlereth proudly spoke later about his cheating, describing it as “being creative.” In 1998, Schlereth’s Denver Broncos took on the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC playoffs. However, the Chiefs struggled to hold onto some of the players, including Schlereth. After they spoke to the ref, Schlereth was ordered off the pitch to have the slimy substance he was coated in removed. As it turned out, it was Vaseline. While the Broncos went on to win the game, the slippery players involved, Brian Habib, Gary Zimmerman, and Schlereth, were fined $5,000 each by the NFL.


#26: Clint Bowyer

The NASCAR and stock car racer Clint Bowyer has had a decorated career on the track. But he put his legend in jeopardy with some hijinks in 2013. Near the end of the Richmond International Raceway, Bowyer suddenly spun out in his vehicle. This caused the final caution of the race. The required pit stop changed the order, giving his Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. an advantage to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. While Bowyer denied the allegations, the evidence of codewords said over his radio suggest it was intentional. NASCAR investigated and docked him and the MWR drivers 50 points each and fined the team $300,000.


#25: George Brett

When people argue about the greatest baseball player, George Brett’s name is always mentioned. But on top of his astonishing career, he’s also connected to one of the most controversial cheating incidents in the sport. In 1983, Brett’s Kansas City Royals faced the New York Yankees. With the Royals trailing, Brett struck a two-run home run to take the lead. However, the Yankees questioned the amount of pine tar smeared on his bat. The umpires investigated and found the substance covered more than the rules allowed. As such, Brett’s impressive hit was crossed off, and he was called out. However, after the Royals protested, the homer was reinstated, and the game was replayed 25 days later from Brett’s controversial strike, which the Royals won.


#24: Madeline & Margaret de Jesús

For everyone who’s watched WWE and seen Twin Magic by Nikki and Brie Bella, it’s easy to think that this doesn’t actually happen in real life. But it has. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, Madeline de Jesús was set to represent Puerto Rico in the women’s 4x400 meter relay qualifier. However, she’d gotten injured while competing in the long jump. So, she asked her identical twin sister Margaret, who was there as a spectator, to pretend to be her on the track. And it worked. The Puerto Rico team ended up qualifying. However, the truth was soon discovered. When the nation’s Olympic head discovered the ruse, he pulled the racers from the final and banned the de Jesús sisters.


#23: Morhad Amdouni

It’s one thing to cheat to give yourself an advantage, but another to negatively affect other competitors to get ahead. And that’s what France’s Morhad Amdouni did at the 2020 Summer Olympics. While competing in the men’s marathon, Amdouni did something sneaky and petty at the 28-kilometer mark. When the rummers approached a water table, he leaned over and knocked over a row of bottles before grabbing the final one, essentially denying athletes behind him for cleanly getting hydrated. Amdouni claimed that being fatigued and the bottles being slippery after resting in ice caused him to accidentally topple them. But that doesn’t explain the coincidence of Amdouni easily taking the last drink… suspicious.


#22: Romano Fenati

Some cheaters go way too far, and motorcycle racer Romano Fenati is one such person. In 2018, he competed at the San Marino and Rimini Riviera motorcycle Grand Prix for Moto2. While competing with fellow Italian racer Stefano Manzi at around 120 miles per hour, Fenati reached over and pulled the brake on Manzi’s bike! This idiotic move would have resulted in serious injury had Manzi fallen. Immediately, the black flag went up for Fenati, disqualifying him from the race. He was later banned for two races and then had his motorcycle racing license revoked for the rest of the season. Then, Fenati’s team, Marinelli Snipers, fired him for his reckless actions. However, he returned the next season in Moto3.


#21: Tom Brady

While his work on the gridiron has gone down in NFL lore, Tom Brady’s reputation has taken a couple of knocks, with 2015 perhaps being the most significant. During halftime in the AFC match between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts, NFL officials checked the balls that Brady had used and discovered several were underinflated, making it easier for the quarterback to handle. The Patriots and Brady heavily denied the allegations that they purposely let the air out, and the Deflategate scandal lasted nearly two years. The Patriots were fined $1 million and docked two draft picks, while Brady was suspended for four games. After appealing, winning the appeal, then having that overturned, he served the ban in 2016.


#20: Dwight Howard

During a game between the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets, forward Paul Millsap immediately felt something strange as he was handed the ball during a free throw attempt. It was revealed to be stickum, a glue-like substance once used by wide receivers and defensive backs to get a better grip when catching footballs. The culprit who was using stickum was Dwight Howard, who had touched the ball shortly before it was in the possession of Millsap. Although it’s illegal to use in the NBA, he was neither fined nor reprimanded for his actions. He even went on record saying he had been using it for many years. Players, coaches and media outlets couldn’t even fathom the advantage it could give why one would even use it in a sport like basketball, which probably explains why Howard came off scott free.


#19: Tony Romo

This one’s kind of funny. After a run by Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray which saw him get just short of getting the first down on a 3rd and 1, the officials and players were standing by and in a very brief moment, Romo moved the ball forward on the line with his foot. But he wasn’t fooling anyone, and the ball was quickly placed back at its original spot. Speaking on the incident after the game, Romo jokingly claimed that he was hoping that no one would see it, and then he said he actually slipped. Kidding or not, we hope it was all in good fun.


#18: Martin McSorley

In game 2 of the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, the Montreal Canadiens then head coach Jacques Demers asked that LA Kings defenseman Marty McSorley’s hockey stick be inspected, claiming it to be illegal. Upon inspection by the officials, this turned out to be the case, as the stick was curved beyond the limit set by the NHL. McSorley would receive a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Many saw the incident as a turning point in the series, as the Canadiens scored on the ensuing powerplay, wound up winning the game and the subsequent three to hoist the Stanley Cup. While McSorley would admit wrongdoing, he also believed the Canadiens knew that he was using an illegal stick beforehand and that their call was planned.


#17: Will Smith

Not that Will Smith, this Will Smith! Perhaps one of the obvious forms of cheating on this list, in the 7th inning of a game between the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers, the relief pitcher was called on by umpires when then Braves manager Freddi Gonzalez asked them to check Smith’s arm which was glistening with a substance. Upon further inspection by the umpires, Smith was tossed. Smith revealed the substance to be rosin and sunscreen. While he claimed the purpose behind its use was to get a better grip of the ball and not to gain a competitive advantage, the umpires weren’t buying it, and he was later suspended 8 games.


#16: Houston Astros

The scale of this cheating scandal was so large that live TV was just one of the ways this MLB team was caught cheating. Using unauthorized electronic equipment, the team would utilize live video feeds to decipher and uncover the signs made by opposing team catchers during games. The information would then be relayed to the players by way of banging noises made by hitting a garbage can, which can be heard on live television. They continued to use this system until they were eventually caught in 2019. To make matters worse, in the aftermath, the players would seem unapologetic for taking part in the scheme.


#15: Rivaldo Ferreira

In this group match between Brazil and Turkey at the World Cup in 2002, Hakan Unsal would kick the ball towards Rivaldo Ferriera. It hit his shin, but as Ferreira fell, he was clutching his face. Having already received a yellow card prior, Ursal was sent off for the incident by the referee. Upon review by the World Cup’s disciplinary committee, it was determined that Ferreira did indeed simulate being fouled and was subsequently fined for his actions. Ferreira would even later admit to flopping, but noted that Ursal should have been sent off regardless. Well that’s one way to deflect.


#14: Simon Dyson

At the 2013 BMW Masters tournament in Shanghai, Simon Dyson was caught using his ball to press down a spike mark in the line of a putt. He also didn’t add a two shot penalty to his card, resulting in him signing off on a false score. He was later disqualified from the tournament for the move. While fined $49,000 and initially sentenced to serve a 2 month suspension, it would later be changed to an 18 month probationary period. Although Dyson apologized, he didn’t admit to any wrongdoing, calling the incident an “accidental mistake.”


#13: Patrick Reed

There’s nothing worse than a cheater who’s cheated more than once. There've been several instances of foul play on the part of Reed, but this one might take the cake. During the third round of the Hero World Challenge in 2019, Patrick Reed can be seen practicing his swing in the bunker. But if one looks more closely, they can see that Reed is clearly attempting to clear sand in order to get a better shot in. He was later penalized two strokes for his actions, but the whole incident just gave further justification as to why Reed is arguably one of the most disliked athletes in the sport of golf.


#12: Vincenzo Nibali

Racing in the Vuelta a España in 2015, Italian cyclist Vincenzo Nibali got into some trouble when he crashed during the course. But, that wasn’t the only trouble he got caught up in during the race. In order to gain some ground and catch up to the peloton after crashing, Nibali would get hold of one of his team cars and he was towed through part of the race. Racers do this often, but so long as it’s for not too long and it isn’ to get ahead in the race. However, the footage showed Nibali was clearly trying to use this to his advantage. To no one’s surprise, he was thrown out of the race. One really can’t help but wonder how Nibali and the rest of his team thought they were going to get away with this with the cameras on.


#11: Michael Pineda

When weather conditions are cold, athletes often resort to certain tactics to deal with the season’s conditions: wearing an extra layer of clothing, gloves or even just putting a big old jacket over yourself when you’re on the bench. But for Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda, his trick was to use pine tar. During a game against the Boston Red Sox, then-team manager John Farrell spotted the substance on Pineda’s neck. He was checked by the umpires and when they discovered it to be pine tar, Pineda was ejected. While Sousa was suspended for 7 games, the incident has been considered by many as another blemish on his otherwise impressive and hall of fame worthy career.


#10: Sammy Sosa

During a game between the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays in 2003, in the bottom of the first inning, outfielder Sammy Sosa hit a ground ball so hard that his bat snapped in half. Umpires investigated the pieces of the broken bat and noticed pieces of cork, a material that’s banned in the MLB. Sosa was ejected, and he later claimed he chose the wrong bat during the game and that he only used it during practices. Sousa was suspended for 7 games, it was another blemish on his otherwise impressive and hall of fame worthy career.


#9: Luis Resto

On the night of June 16, 1983, boxers Billy Ray Collins and Luis Resto squared off at Madison Square Garden. For 10 rounds, they went back and forth, but Collins looked practically unrecognizable after having taken significant damage. When the match concluded, Resto went to shake the hands of Collins’ corner. One of the cornermen, who was Collins’ father, noticed something odd with Resto’s gloves. He realized there was a lack of padding, and it was later confirmed by a referee. The New York State Athletic Commission went on to suspend Resto and his trainer, Carlos Lewis, and both men even served prison sentences as well. Resto would never box again. Sadly, Billy Ray Collins eye was damaged beyond repair and was told he would never fight again, and would suffer from depression before he passed away in a car accident.


#8: Tom Williams

In the second half of the Heineken Cup quarter-final match between Harlequins and Leinster, star Nick Evans injured his thigh and went to the bench. Soonafter, Harlequins coach Dean Richards wanted to put his go-to player back in the game, but rules state that a player who’s already been subbed cannot return to the field…unless they replace a player who’s suffered a blood injury. So to get their man back on out there, they had teammate Tom Williams hide a blood capsule in his sock which was given to him and then bite on said capsule to appear injured in order to make the switch. Spectators and viewers alike were stunned because no one had seen Williams actually sustain an injury. Dubbed Bloodgate, suspensions and fines were given left and right when the scheme was uncovered. However, the most ridiculous and telling moment may have been when Williams winked at the bench during the incident. So much for being discreet.


#7: Men’s Australian Cricket Team

Looking to gain an advantage in a match against South Africa, 3 players from the Men’s Australian cricket team hatched a plan to add some scruff to the ball using sandpaper, as this serves the bowler better control of its movement when it’s thrown. The sandpaper was hidden under Cameron Bancroft’s pants and after using it on the ball, he tried to hide it by shoving it right back in there. Unfortunately for him, the camera was on him when it happened, and he was caught red handed. Bancroft and the two other players, Steve Smith and David Warner, admitted their attempt to cheat and while it was unsuccessful, it still remains an embarrassing and dark chapter in Australian sports history.


#6: Thierry Henry

The incident has been labeled “Le Hand of God,” and with good reason. In 2009 during a world cup qualifying match between France and Ireland, the latter was up by 1. But in the final minutes of the game and in possession of the ball, France’s William Gallas scored to tie the game. Having won in the previous leg against Ireland, France was declared the winner. However, upon review of the goal, it was clear that striker Thierry Henry touched the ball with his hands before passing it to Gallas. The goal stood and France went on to qualify for the World Cup. The football community was shaken and outraged, and the incident is still considered by many as one of the biggest controversies in the sport’s history.


#5: Joe Niekro

Looking at these scenes from 1987, this former Minnesota Twins pitcher should’ve stayed home that day – or at least, not tried hiding an emery board and sandpaper. After referee Tim Tshida demanded he empty his pockets, Niekro tried playing dumb by pretending to have a sudden urge to file his nails. But Bobby Brown, the then-President of the American League, wasn’t buying it. Niekro was handed a 10-game suspension, and all baseballs used in that game were removed, leading to his retirement soon after the incident.


#4: Nelson Piquet Jr.

Formula 1 drivers put their lives in danger whenever they get behind the wheel, but certain risky maneuvers can still be suspicious. Case in point: the controversy involving the Renault F1 team at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix – particularly Nelson Piquet Jr. and Fernando Alonso. On the 14th lap, Piquet’s car hit the wall, allowing Alonso to win the race. According to Piquet, the event was a simple mishap… but was it really? Following an investigation by the FIA, it was determined that Renault had orchestrated everything. This led to an indefinite ban from FIA-sanctioned events for the team’s managing director, Flavio Briatore (who would also resign from his position), while Renault was given a two-year suspended ban.


#3: Julie Miller

Despite her already impressive track record, Canadian triathlete Julie Miller surprised everyone by winning Ironman Canada 2015 in Whistler, B.C. Though she’d won her division in the 2013 tournament, as well as winning her age group at the 2014 Long Course Triathlon in China, none of her Ironman co-competitors actually saw her on the course in Whistler. According to many, she finished first without completing the entirety of the course, constituting serious misconduct. Following a thorough investigation watching video and photos, it was determined that Miller couldn’t have possibly finished the course as quickly as she’d claimed to, and was therefore disqualified. Miller can keep denying everything, but she can’t change the facts.


#2: Women’s Badminton Teams

Unfortunately, the Olympic Games have often been associated with cheating, whether through the use of illegal substances or other unsporting behavior. Take, for example, the Chinese badminton team at the 2012 Games in London. For a team that’s usually a threat, they were seen committing numerous errors, such as deliberately hitting serves onto the net. Despite many warnings from the referee, the Chinese team kept with their gameplan; one that would also be mimicked by the South Korean and Indonesian teams. The purpose of all this? To avoid getting drawn against stronger teams too early in the competition. Thankfully, the IOC disqualified them – though those in attendance did not get refunds.


#1: Diego Maradona

In June of 1986, during the World Cup quarterfinal match between England and Argentina, the score was still nil nil in the 51st minute when Diego Maradona received the ball from midfield. He raised his left hand, making the ball deflect into the net. In the absence of VAR, which would not appear in association football until decades later, referee Ali Bin Nasser let the goal stand. Despite many protests and questions circling the incident, Maradona claimed the goal was scored by the “hand of God,” an expression that has since become legendary.


What’s the funniest, strangest, or most wholesome fan moment in sports that you regularly think about? Let us know below!