Sports are supposed to be a source of inspiration, joy, and entertainment to both athletes and fans, but sometimes, things can get messy. From international performance-enhancing drugs to match-fixing conspiracies, the world of sports has witnessed some mind-boggling scandals in recent years.
These events have had profound ramifications, shaking the very core of the world’s most prominent leagues and tarnishing the reputation of renowned sports figures.
This article will examine five of the biggest sports scandals that we’ve seen in recent years. We’ll also explore how these scandals unfolded and the impact they’ve had on the sports involved. Here are the five biggest scandals that have rocked the sports world in recent years.
The 5 Most Jaw-Dropping Sports Scandals of Our Era
1. Luis Rubiales and Spanish Football Federation ‘Kiss-gate’ Scandal
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup indeed shone a bright light on women’s football, with its historic 32-team format and dual-hosting in the Southern Hemisphere. As the tournament captivated football fans worldwide, it also became a hotbed for sports betting enthusiasts. For those looking to place bets and make informed choices, platforms such as Mighty Tips offered valuable predictions as well as an overview of betting UK sites. These resources allowed fans to not only enjoy the excitement on the field but also engage in the thrilling world of sports betting, adding another layer of excitement to this monumental event.
Surprisingly, the two-time defending champions, the USA, were knocked out in the last 16. South Africa defied the odds and emerged victorious from a group of death, and the world witnessed the birth of star Linda Caicedo. Spain went on to claim their first-ever title, edging over England in the finals, but unknown to us, the story was far from over, and this was just the beginning of what’d become the tournament’s biggest talking point.
During the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup medal presentation ceremony, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, kissed Spanish midfielder and Silver Ball winner Jennifer Hermoso on the lips. In an Instagram livestream held hours after the event, Hermoso revealed that she wasn’t okay with the kiss. This has led to an uproar in the footballing world, with several stars and fans calling for Rubiales’s resignation, which the 46-year-old has refused to accept, pledging his innocence.
In the weeks following the incident, the Spanish Government has taken action to suspend him on grounds of serious misconduct, while the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has suspended Rubiales for 90 days. Rubiales’s family and friends have come forward to support him, with his mother embarking on a hunger strike in a bid to garner support for the disgraced president.
2. Kamila Valieva and The Russian Doping Scandal
In 2016, Russian whistleblower and former head of a Moscow-based anti-doping lab, Grigory Rodchenkov, revealed that the Russian government was running a doping program and that he had switched out multiple dirty samples for clean ones. The previous year, the IAAF had banned Russian athletes from international athletic competitions for doping allegations, but they were still allowed to compete in other sports.
In the midst of all the chaos, a star was emerging in 15-year-old Kamila Valieva. Despite her very young age, the teen was one of the major favorites for the women’s figure skating in the 2022 Winter Olympics, where she lived up to expectations, winning a team Gold medal. However, celebrations were caught short after it was confirmed that Valieva had a positive test for trimetazidine cleared by the Russian anti-doping agency in 2021. The results are still being investigated, with the IOC announcing that the award ceremony will not be held till they are over.
3. Houston Astros Sign Stealing Scandal
After a three-year-long investigation, the MLB confirmed that the Houston Astros illegally used cameras to steal signs during the 2017 pre and post-seasons and part of the 2018 season too. This confirmed the multiple accusations the Houston Astros had been facing in past years and resulted in a $5 million fine.
The Astros were also stripped of their first- and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts and narrowly escaped their 2017 World Series title being revoked. Several other members of the Astros faced severe sanctions and suspensions, but the players were left untouched due to the immunity they received as a result of their collaboration in the investigations.
4. The Larry Nassar Sexual Abuse Scandal
The Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal was a result of a series of sexual assaults committed by former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Reports of his abuse began as far back as the early 90s but didn’t prompt any serious investigations till 2015.
Multiple current and former athletes began to share stories of their sexual abuse on social media and in interviews. This led to USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University cutting ties with Nassar in 2016 and signaled the start of his lengthy prosecution.
Nassar was charged with sexually abusing over 200 women and girls and will face up to 235 years imprisonment.
5. LIV and PGA Tour Mergers
While this might not classify as a scandal per se, it’s definitely one of the major shocking events to have occurred in recent sports history.
In 2022, the LIV Tour, backed by the deep-pocketed Saudi Arabia, announced several big signings.
The PGA heavily condemned the signings and banned the golfers from competing in all PGA sanctioned events, excluding the majors. However, in a rather surprising turn of events, the PGA announced a proposed merger with LIV Golf in June 2023, putting an end to all existing legislation.
The Bottom Line
Every now and then, we get to witness the not-too-bright aspects of sports, and they come in the form of major scandals. Here, we explored some of these scandalous events that have rocked the sports world. They include the Kiss Gate, the Russian doping ban, the Astros sign stealing sanctions, Larry Nassar’s shocking revelations, and the proposed LIV/PGA merger.