Playing sports in an honest and fair manner is the only way to play. If you start looking for ways to cheat for an extra advantage you bring the entire game into disrepute. Some of the best athletes in the world have broken this very rule to gain an edge over others. It is disgusting behavior that many were never punished enough for. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest cheaters the world of sport has ever seen.
The most despicable football team
Juventus is a legendary football team. Referred to by many as the old lady due to their prestigious history and the love the supporters have for the team, they are the most successful team currently and in the history of Italy. Today they have the biggest football star Ronaldo at their club. Yet they are cheats.
The team was found guilty of conspiring with referee associations in the 2004-2005 season. Juventus had won the Serie A that year. They were stripped of the title and relegated to Serie B as punishment. However, they quickly returned to Serie A after winning the Serie B title. From there the scandalous behavior has largely been forgotten. They cheated their way to the top for who knows how long and now they are back there.
The most despicable player in football
Maradona is often cited as the greatest cheat in football. He raised his hand during a game and scored a goal. The referee thought it was his head so the goal stood. It was later referred to as the hand of God. Minutes later Maradona would score a legitimate goal that was simply incredible. Capturing the best and worst of a player in a matter of moments.
Henry is arguably worse. France was playing Ireland in the playoffs to reach the World Cup. French were heavy favorites and were being held by Ireland in an incredible game. As the ball was going past Henry he blatantly handballed it to the path of his teammate who scored. He later admitted to the handball but France faced no punishment and Ireland did not play in the World Cup that year.
The most successful cheat in sport
Bill Belichick is a name that is well known in sporting records. The success he has achieved with the New England Patriots is remarkable and will have his name go down in history as the greatest football coach paired with the greatest quarterback of all time. Yet who knows how much he actually would have achieved if he had played with honesty and integrity?
In 2007 Belichick was found to be videotaping defensive signals of opposition teams to prepare for his matches. It was proven that he had been doing this for quite some time. While Belichick was fined $500,000 and docked a first-round pick it is nothing compared to the records he achieved.
The biggest cheat of all time
Lance Armstong is, without doubt, the world’s worst sportsperson. He battled cancer and won the Tour de France an incredible seven times. He became an inspiration to the world at the time for his incredible achievements and many people say he was the inspiration that allowed them to battle through cancer. Yet it turned out that he was just a cheat.
Armstong had always maintained he was against doping. So many other cyclists had been convicted and he would come out time and time again and swear he was clean. When he was finally found guilty he was stripped of all his Tour de France wins and is now recognized for the cheater that he is.
