Sports. An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. This is the definition of sports. As you can see, there is no mention of lying, laziness or cheating in this explanation. Sports are supposed to be about channeling competitiveness into a game of fun. But sometimes, athletes take their competitiveness to the next level. Here are some examples of athletes who were blinded by triumph.
Black Sox:
The Black Sox Scandal refers to the 1919 MLB World Series, where the Black Sox faced off against the Cincinnati Reds. This series consisted of 9 games; the team winning the best of 9 would take the trophy. At the end of the series, the Reds won 5 games while the Sox only won 3, ending the series with a Cincinnati win. After the series, however, many observers noticed suspicious plays and abnormal errors within the series. These comments and observations raised suspicions about the team and their intentions of winning. The MLB had had enough of the rumors, so they launched a Grand Jury investigation on the team. During this time, eight players on the team were exposed for intentionally throwing the Series to receive $5,000 each from a gambling syndicate. Rumors had it that this organization was led by a character by the name of Arnold Rothstein. The eight players were banned permanently from any professional baseball team and were no longer considered to be a part of the Hall of Fame.
Nancy Kerrigan:
On January 6, 1994, cameramen were around the Detroit Cobo Arena filming the Professional Figure Skating Olympians preparing themselves for the Winter Olympics, which took place from January 13 to 25. As practice came to a close, Olympian Nancy Kerrigan stepped off the ice and walked back to her locker room. On her way, however, Kerrigan was violently attacked by, at the time, an unknown assailant. The cameramen only had the opportunity to film the aftermath of the attack after hearing the screams of Kerrigan from the corridors. Nancy was found clutching her knee while many assistants and health administrators were at her side to help. Days later, on January 14, the assailant, who was found to be Shane Stant, turned himself in to the FBI. Stant then stated his perspective of the events, claiming he and his uncle, Derrick Smith, were put up to the task by none other than Nancy Kerrigan’s biggest rival, Tonya Harding’s bodyguard and ex-husband. Stant said he used a telescopic baton as his weapon of choice, taking both hands and swinging the baton at his target, Kerrigan’s right knee. This brutal plan was designed to take Kerrigan out of the 1994 Olympics so Tonya Harding could have a better chance at winning gold in the skating competition. Kerrigan’s leg and knee were not broken but were severely damaged and bruised. Harding won the U.S. gold medal but was stripped of it after being exposed for her crimes.
In conclusion, athletes should always play fair. Sports are supposed to be about fun and competition, not unfair play. These were just two examples of many scandals in sports history.
