Kylen McCarthy
The Olympic Games showcase the pinnacle of human athletic achievement, but the lure of shortcuts and sabotage can prove too great to resist. These cheats encompass clever ploys to laughable blunders, and here we’ve compiled a collection of Olympic cheating scandals that will leave you shocked, amused, and maybe even a little disillusioned.
Fred Lorz’s Shortcut (1904)
In the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, American runner Fred Lorz made the crowd go wild as he crossed the finish line first. There was just one tiny problem—Lorz hopped into his manager’s car when fatigue set in, enjoying a breezy 11-mile drive before jumping out to finish the race on foot. His “victory” lasted about as long as it takes to say “disqualified.”
Boris Onishchenko’s Épée (1976)
This Ukrainian pentathlete competing for the Soviet Union in the 1976 Montreal Olympics had a secret weapon—an épée that could register hits without touching his opponents. Imagine the confusion as Boris seemed to score points by merely waving his sword in the air! He didn’t fool the judges, though, and he had to leave the Olympics.
Marion Jones’ Steroids (2000)
The American track star Marion Jones dazzled the world at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, sprinting to five medals. For years, Jones denied using performance enhancers, but in 2007, she confessed to using steroids and lost her results since September 2000, and she was even incarcerated.
Ben Johnson’s Stanozolol (1988)
The Canadian sprinter electrified the world at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, winning the 100-meter dash in a world-record time of 9.79 seconds. For a brief, shining moment, Johnson was the fastest man alive. But three days later, Johnson tested positive for stanozolol and was stripped of his gold medal.
Spyridon Belokas’ Carriage (1896)
At the first modern Olympics, Greek marathon runner Spyridon Belokas thought he’d found a clever way to secure a medal; he took a little horse-and-carriage ride during part of the race. Belokas trotted his way to a third-place finish, but his equine assistance didn’t go unnoticed for long.
De Jesus Twins (1984)
In a twist straight out of a sitcom, Madeline de Jesus, a Puerto Rican track and field athlete, injured herself during the long jump. But why let a little thing like an injury stop you when you have an identical twin? Madeline had her sister Margaret run in her place during a 4×400 meter relay heat. They qualified but were eventually busted.
Cameron van der Burgh’s Kicks (2012)
South African swimmer Cameron van der Burgh made quite a splash at the London Olympics, setting a record in the 100m breaststroke. But van der Burgh was caught doing extra prohibited kicks underwater. He kept his gold medal due to the limitations of underwater video review, but this incident led to stricter enforcement in future competitions.
Crystal Cox’s Relay Gold (2004)
Cox was part of the American 4x400m relay team that brought back gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. However, years later, she admitted to doping during the 2001-2004 period. As a result, Cox lost her gold medal, and she opened the entire team’s victory to questioning.
Lance Armstrong’s Stripped Titles (1999-2005)
For years, Armstrong was more than just an athlete; he was an inspiration, a cancer survivor who went on to dominate the world of cycling. But Armstrong was finally found to have used performance enhancers throughout his career and was stripped of all his titles from 1998, including his Olympic medal.
Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall (1968)
Let’s end on a lighter note with the most amusing doping case in Olympic history. Swedish pentathlete Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall made history at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, but not in the way he intended. He became the first athlete to fail a doping test after he admitted to drinking two beers for his nerves before the event. Liljenwall’s choice of liquid courage cost his team bronze medals.