Nothing violates the spirit of the Olympics more than cheating. Welcome to WatchMojo.world, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most shocking times athletes broke the rules at the Summer and Winter Olympics and the Paralympic Games. Our countdown of the times Olympic athletes cheated includes Crystal Cox, Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones, Tonya Harding, Russia's Doping Scandal, and more! Which sport would you like to see in the Winter or Summer Olympic Games? E-sports? Darts? Dodgeball? Or something else? Let us know below!
### Top 10 Shocking Times Olympic Athletes Cheated
1. **Russia's Doping Scandal**
- Why it’s shocking: Systematic state-sponsored doping involving numerous athletes and officials, leading to bans and significant controversy across multiple Olympics.
2. **Lance Armstrong**
- Why it’s shocking: Although not caught during the Olympics, Armstrong’s admission to extensive doping cast a shadow over his entire career, including his Olympic achievements.
3. **Marion Jones**
- Why it’s shocking: Jones, once celebrated for her multiple gold medals, admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and was subsequently stripped of her medals.
4. **Tonya Harding**
- Why it’s shocking: The infamous attack on Nancy Kerrigan, orchestrated by Harding’s ex-husband, remains one of the most notorious scandals in Winter Olympic history.
5. **Crystal Cox**
- Why it’s shocking: The relay runner admitted to using steroids, leading to her disqualification and the stripping of her team’s medals from the 2004 Athens Olympics.
6. **Ben Johnson**
- Why it’s shocking: The Canadian sprinter’s 1988 disqualification for using steroids is one of the most famous doping cases in Olympic history.
7. **East German Doping Program**
- Why it’s shocking: A systematic doping program that spanned decades, affecting thousands of athletes, many of whom were unaware of the substances they were being given.
8. **Andreea Răducan**
- Why it’s shocking: The Romanian gymnast lost her gold medal after testing positive for a banned substance found in cold medicine given to her by a team doctor.
9. **Dong Fangxiao**
- Why it’s shocking: The Chinese gymnast was found to be underage during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, resulting in the disqualification of her team’s results.
10. **Thomas Ulrich**
- Why it’s shocking: The German luge athlete was found to have tampered with his sled to gain an unfair advantage, leading to his disqualification.
Cheating undermines the integrity of the Olympics and tarnishes the achievements of honest athletes. Which cheating scandal shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments below!
And as for new sports in the Olympics, what would you like to see? E-sports, darts, dodgeball, or something else? Share your thoughts!
