The first Sporting Intelligence book club brings you a work on the blurred line between elite athletes' search for competitive advantages and the rules designed to govern them
Which individual, team, nation and governing body are the biggest cheats / most corrupt in the history of sport. Would welcome your view on this, Roger. I think Lance Armstrong has to be up there in the individual category, for the sheer magnitude of his TDF successes as he brazenly denied doping and also bullied and intimidated those around him. Mitigating factors would include pretty much everyone else in the peleton doing the same as him at the same time. Team: I'll take a rain check while I consider further. Nation: that would be a two-way race between modern Russia and the old East Germany. Governing body: where to start? Blatter's FIFA has to be a contender but the IOC in different eras will be up there, as will FINA, and AIBA (now the IBA) has been an outstanding candidate. Intrigued to know people's thoughts and nominations.
I agree, Lance is up there, but not so much for his cheating, which was unremarkable in the sport and at the time, but everything surrounding the cheating, as you say.
Tim Donaghy (NBA ref) has to be up there also, as his decisions corrupted the sport
Some of the Paralympics cheating is just awful
Nation:
modern Russia for sure
East Germany ruthlessly cheated, but in a different time
Which individual, team, nation and governing body are the biggest cheats / most corrupt in the history of sport. Would welcome your view on this, Roger. I think Lance Armstrong has to be up there in the individual category, for the sheer magnitude of his TDF successes as he brazenly denied doping and also bullied and intimidated those around him. Mitigating factors would include pretty much everyone else in the peleton doing the same as him at the same time. Team: I'll take a rain check while I consider further. Nation: that would be a two-way race between modern Russia and the old East Germany. Governing body: where to start? Blatter's FIFA has to be a contender but the IOC in different eras will be up there, as will FINA, and AIBA (now the IBA) has been an outstanding candidate. Intrigued to know people's thoughts and nominations.
Individual:
I agree, Lance is up there, but not so much for his cheating, which was unremarkable in the sport and at the time, but everything surrounding the cheating, as you say.
Tim Donaghy (NBA ref) has to be up there also, as his decisions corrupted the sport
Some of the Paralympics cheating is just awful
Nation:
modern Russia for sure
East Germany ruthlessly cheated, but in a different time
Team:
Juventus?
Man City?
Houston Astros?
New England Patriots?
Governing body:
Weightlifting IWF?
British Cycling?
Such a target rich environment!