20 biggest sports scandals of all-time

16. Tonya Harding — Nancy Kerrigan

The Tonya Harding — Nancy Kerrigan incident of 1994 featured a shocking combination of win-at-all-costs attitude, hit men and an FBI investigation that would be unprecedented in almost any sport, much less the graceful art of figure skating.

With Harding in danger of missing the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, she allegedly turned to a trio of goons, including her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly, in order to derail her top competition. Kerrigan was considered the favorite to win the U.S. Figure Skating Championships that year, and was the main obstacle standing between Harding and her second trip to the Olympics.

On January 6th, Kerrigan was assaulted following a practice round for the championships. Shane Stant, who was hired by Gillooly and Harding’s bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt to carry out the attack, clubbed Kerrigan with a baton just above her right knee.

The incident caused her to withdraw from the event, which Harding would win, sending her to the Olympics. Kerrigan was still able to perform in Lillehammer as well, though, and managed to walk away with a silver medal. Harding would finish in eighth place.

All three men involved would face jail time.

Harding admitted that she learned of the plan after the attack, and failed to come forward to the authorities. According to her ex-husband, however, she was very much involved in the conspiracy to injure Kerrigan.

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