What you might not know about the American author
Ben Johnson, a Canadian athlete, achieved both the gold medal and the world record in the 100 meters event at the 1988 Olympics held in Seoul.
Johnson lost his medal due to failing an anti-doping test, which revealed the presence of stanozolol in his urine.
In 2000, during the Olympic Games in Sydney, a 16-year-old gymnast from Romania achieved multiple gold medals across various events.
Nonetheless, a drug test for pseudoephedrine yielded positive results, leading to the gymnast being stripped of her medals. Despite the fact that the substance was present in a cough medicine she was using, Raducan was unsuccessful in reclaiming her medals.
Two Americans engaged in intense competition in ice skating, striving to earn a place on the team representing the United States at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
In 1994, Kerrigan experienced an assault from an unidentified attacker. Investigation revealed that the assault had been orchestrated by Harding's ex-husband. As a result, Tonya Harding received a permanent ban from the sport.
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, numerous gymnasts faced difficulties while performing on the pommel horse.
It was later found that the horse's height was incorrect and too low. A number of athletes, previously eliminated, were able to rejoin the competition.
To participate in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, athletes were required to be amateurs. Jim Thorpe, an American, competed in the games and achieved success, earning gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon events.
Thorpe had previously been a professional baseball player, leading to the removal of his medals. Nonetheless, the International Olympic Committee ultimately returned the medals to Thorpe in later years.
In 1984, the Soviet Union decided not to participate in the Olympic Games held in Los Angeles. The Soviets stated it was due to security concerns, but it appears to be a retaliatory response to the US boycott in 1980.
Alongside the Soviet Union, 13 Soviet-allied countries also opted to boycott the games.
The athlete from the United States won a total of five medals in the 2000 Olympics, with three being gold.
However, Jones admitted in 2007 that she used prohibited substances while preparing for the games, resulting in the removal of her medals.
During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a closely contested figure skating competition unfolded between the Canadian duo and the Russian duo, who eventually won the gold medal.
French Judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne admitted being coerced by her organization's leader to favor the Russian duo in the competition. Consequently, gold medals were awarded to both pairs as a result.
The taekwondo athlete from Cuba expressed dissatisfaction with the length of time he had to wait for medical assistance during a fight intermission.
The athlete elected to strike the referee in the face, resulting in disqualification and a permanent ban from the sport.
At the 1998 Winter Olympics, a French skater made history by successfully completing the backflip maneuver, becoming the second athlete to do so.
Although it was an impressive accomplishment, the action performed by Bonaly was considered illegal, resulting in significant point deductions.
US President Jimmy Carter declared in 1980 that American athletes would abstain from participating in the Moscow-hosted Olympic Games that year.
The US boycotted the Olympic Games due to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Canada, Japan, and West Germany also joined the boycott. It was the sole occasion when the US chose to boycott the Games.
Questions arose regarding the ages of Chinese gymnasts during the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Dong Fangxiao, a Chinese athlete, was discovered to be younger than the required age of at least 16 years for female participants.
Prior to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the International Olympic Committee chose to examine all Russian athletes desiring participation in the competition. This was in response to circulating rumors regarding their use of performance-enhancing drugs.
271 Russian athletes were permitted to compete in the Rio Olympics.
During the London 2012 games, eight badminton players were disqualified for match-throwing activities.
Players from China, South Korea, and Indonesia strategically aimed to confront comparatively simpler opponents in the following round.
During the Rio Olympics in 2016, swimmers Ryan Lochte, Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz, and Jack Conger alleged that they were victims of an armed robbery.
The robbers were revealed to be security guards at a gas station. The swimmers were involved in drunken behavior and caused damage to the property.
On September 20, 2017, South Korea's President Moon Jae-in stated that the country was working to secure safety at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games due to increased tensions from North Korea's nuclear tests and missile launches.
On December 5, 2017, the International Olympic Committee declared that the Russian Olympic Committee was immediately suspended from the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of the dictator Kim Jong-un, went to the 2018 opening ceremony and greeted South Korean President Moon Jae-in by shaking hands.
China was the choosen country and faced several disputes related to expenses, environmental effects, censorship, spying, COVID-19, sportswashing, and human rights problems.
Kamila Valieva, a 15-year-old skating sensation, participated in a national event in St. Petersburg, Russia, in December 2021.
An Iranian skier was the first person found guilty of doping at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. After a few days into the Games, Saveh-Shemshaki tested positive for a banned anabolic androgenic steroid, and was immediately prevented from taking part in any competitions, training, or other Olympic activities.
There was a big fuss when five top women ski jumpers—Daniela Iraschko-Stolz from Austria, Sara Takanashi from Japan, Anna Odine Strøm and Silje Opseth from Norway, and Katharina Althaus from Germany—got disqualified because of their baggy clothes.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the gymnast with four gold medals chose to leave the competition early due to overwhelming stress. Years later, she is confident she made the right decision.
The following day, French Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports declared that France's Winter Olympics team would boycott the games unless South Korea's security was assured.
Athletes without prior drug violations and a reliable record of drug testing were permitted to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
This was the first visit by a member of the ruling Kim dynasty to South Korea since the Korean War.
Diplomatic boycotts of the Olympics have occurred, mainly because of concerns about China's human rights, especially the Uyghur genocide.
Even though she skated exceptionally well, a sample taken during the competition showed the presence of a banned heart medication. Numerous experts and international sports officials think this should have prevented Valieva from competing in the Olympics.
Wearing loose-fitting clothes helps skiers soar farther in the air, giving them an advantage in competition. However, this goes against the official rules and regulations.
Simone Biles is among many women who experienced sexual abuse from Larry Nassar, a former doctor for USA gymnastics.
Nassar was sentenced up to 175 years in prison for sexual abuse of women and children.
See also: Paris is ready for the Olympics
The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of competitive sports, where athletes set new records and exhibit the utmost sportsmanship. However, these Games have also witnessed numerous scandals that have marred the spirit of competition.
A coordinated attack on France's high-speed train network is the first major scandal to impact the 2024 Paris Olympics. On July 26, the Friday of the opening ceremony, multiple signal boxes were damaged along the lines connecting the TGV high-speed train network to Paris from other major cities in France. Vandals started fires with explosive devices at these points in a coordinated pre-dawn attack, impeding national rail services and disrupting the travel plans of almost one million passengers. The SNCF, the state-owned rail operator, warned travelers that repairs to the lines would cause major delays through the weekend and urged those with tickets to postpone their journeys. The attacks have made it significantly harder for thousands of people to reach Paris for the Games, while those wishing to leave the city or simply travel through it on their way to vacations are now stuck.
The incidents have also increased security concerns ahead of what is already set to be a highly-protected event. France is reportedly deploying 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers, and 2,000 private security agents to secure the Games' opening ceremony, and will have snipers on rooftops as well as drones.
Explore the gallery and get to know about the other major mishaps and controversies that have occurred throughout the history of the Olympic Games.
Major scandals in Olympic history
Nearly one million passengers affected after arsonists sabotage French trains ahead of Olympics
CELEBRITY Olympic games
The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of competitive sports, where athletes set new records and exhibit the utmost sportsmanship. However, these Games have also witnessed numerous scandals that have marred the spirit of competition.
A coordinated attack on France's high-speed train network is the first major scandal to impact the 2024 Paris Olympics. On July 26, the Friday of the opening ceremony, multiple signal boxes were damaged along the lines connecting the TGV high-speed train network to Paris from other major cities in France. Vandals started fires with explosive devices at these points in a coordinated pre-dawn attack, impeding national rail services and disrupting the travel plans of almost one million passengers. The SNCF, the state-owned rail operator, warned travelers that repairs to the lines would cause major delays through the weekend and urged those with tickets to postpone their journeys. The attacks have made it significantly harder for thousands of people to reach Paris for the Games, while those wishing to leave the city or simply travel through it on their way to vacations are now stuck.
The incidents have also increased security concerns ahead of what is already set to be a highly-protected event. France is reportedly deploying 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers, and 2,000 private security agents to secure the Games' opening ceremony, and will have snipers on rooftops as well as drones.
Explore the gallery and get to know about the other major mishaps and controversies that have occurred throughout the history of the Olympic Games.