Men of honour, they prefer to call the men in uniform, and men of passion, the sportsmen. Sport is medium where score are settled in a gentlemen way, with dignity and are the ultimate arena of earning honour. However, not all men are honourable, and not all the episodes of sports universe are moments of pride. 

The sporting world has been witness to many such events that have maligned the names of those who have once been hailed as the Golden sons of the sporting world. Here are ten such events that have brought disgrace to the world of sports.


Mike Tyson:
The bout billed as “The Sound and the Fury”, took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada is remembered as one of the most disgraceful act by Tyson. 

Tyson, who had got pissed off from the regular head-butting by his opponent Evander Holyfield, avulsed a one-inch piece of cartilage from the top of Holyfield’s right ear.

Even after spitting out the piece of the ear on the ring floor, Mike’s ire hadn’t died down. Tyson again tasted Holyfield’s blood by biting the left ear, before being disqualified from the match. 

Diego Maradona:
The infamous Hand of God still remains one of the most talked about cheat-style in the world of football. In the 1986 Argentina vs. England FIFA quarterfinals, Maradona had tried to pass the ball to his teammate Jorge Valdano, hoping for a return. However, the ball landed at the feet of English player Steve Hodge.

Unfortunately, Steve miscued the ball in an attempt to hook it.

Seeing goalkeeper Peter Shilton coming out of his goal to punch the ball clear, Maradona dashed off towards the ball. Maradona reached the ball first, and using his left fist he placed the ball right into the net.

Maradona later admitted that he had urged his team-mates to hug him to make the goal look authentic, legal.

Zinedine Zidane:
Marco Materazzi saw a ‘shocking’ move by the legendary former French footballer, when the legend headbutted him in the chest during the 2006 FIFA world cup.

Zidane later alleged that the action was provoked by Materazzi, who, according to the Frenchman, had insulted his mother and sister.

However, it is remembered as one of the most disgraceful exit in the soccer world.

Zidane later apologised for his move, but at the same time urged the authorities to punish the ‘provoker’ as well.

Greg Chappell
One of the most ‘unsporty’ events in cricketing history, the infamous underarm bowling incident of 1981 Benson & Hedges World Series Cup(played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground) has left an ineffaceable stain to the career of Chappell brothers.

The disgrace happened on 1 February, 1981. In order to avoid a tie, Greg instructed his bowler – Trevor (who is also his brother) to bowl the final delivery underarm to the New Zealand batsman Brian McKechnie.

Though, doing so, Greg wasn’t violating any rules, but still it is considered as the most disgraceful decision by any captain.  As a result of this, even though,

Aussies won the match, they lost the respect. The team was booed off the field by spectators. The Kiwis walked off the field brimmed up with disgust and angst.

Frederick "Fred" Lorz:
The American marathon runner is well known in the field of athletics. However, the American athlete also has the dubious distinction of winning a marathon by travelling in a car for 11 miles!

During a marathon race at the 1904 Olympics St. Louis, Fred decided to take a lift offered by his manager, as he had got exhausted by running nine miles. For the next 11 miles, the manager gave him a lift, after which Fred resumed his run and claimed the title.

However, later, he admitted that it was a practical joke. He was stripped off the title and was banned from all future amateur competitions by the Amateur Athletic Union.

This is one ‘practical joke’ that didn’t go down too well with the spectators.

Hansie Cronje:
It was probably the first time when the cricket lovers were stunned to find an honourable player like Cronje involved in the match-fixing scandal.

Though initially, the UCBSA (United Cricket Board of South Africa) denied that any of their players were involved in match-fixing, Cronje was later sacked after admitting to the charges.

This act led to his ban from playing or coaching cricket for life after his teammates testified against him.

The South African, met with an unfortunate end when on 1 June, 2002 his plane crashed, killing him. However, his death is still looked with suspicion.

Danny Almonte:
A former Little League baseball pitcher was credited for taking his team – Bronx - to third place in the 2001 Little League World Series. However, later on,  it was revealed that he was two years older to be eligible to play.

The doubts over his age had already started doing rounds, after his sensation left-kick 70 mph fastball earned him the nickname - Little Unit.

Two teams - Staten Island and Pequannock Township - conducted independent investigation to ascertain his age. However, it turned out to be a futile exercise.

It was an investigation by Sports Illustrated reporters Ian Thomsen and Luis Fernando Llosa that finally blew the lid off the case.

 

Ben Johnson:
In 1988, the well known athlete had to face humiliation after he was stripped of his 100m gold medal after testing positive for drugs. 

Though, Ben said in his defence that he had taken a herbal drink before the event, and that he doubts that it was spiked. 

His world record of reaching the finishing line in 9.79 seconds was taken off the books and he was banned for two years.

After returning from the ban, Ben could never attain the class again.

 

Ricky Ponting, Harbhajjan and Symonds:
A time when Ricky decided to step into the shoes of umpires and make the decisions on their behalf, he was bombarded with criticism from media, cricketing world and cricket fans.

The test match is remembered for poor umpiring, Ponting’s ‘disgraceful’ umpiring, and several wrong decisions that cost India the match.

The match is also remembered for the racial slur and verbal slugfest between Bhajji and Symonds.

 

Jim Thorpe:
The champ from United States struck two gold medals at the Stockholm Olympic Games in 1912 in the decathlon and the pentathlon events. The euphoria was short-lived.

The following year, the Olympic Committee stripped him of both of his gold medals. According to the then prevailing Olympic rules no professional was permitted to compete in the amateur Olympic Games.

A Worcester Telegram scribe, Roy Johnson reported that Thorpe had received $25 per week to play minor league baseball in North Carolina.

However, the debate still continues that since Thorpe claimed he was ‘not aware’ of such rule, should he be held guilty. Many even believe that Thorpe was systematically and maliciously discriminated. On the flip side, others believe that being ignorant to a rule, can’t be taken as an alibi to commit a wrong.