The Most Controversial Moments in Olympic History

4 March 2025

The Olympics, often seen as the pinnacle of sporting excellence, aren’t just about athletic prowess and gold medals. They’ve also been a stage for some of the most jaw-dropping controversies in sports history. From political drama to doping scandals, the Olympic Games have seen it all. While the Games are meant to unite nations in the spirit of friendly competition, sometimes things don’t go according to the script.

Let’s dive into some of the most controversial moments in Olympic history — the ones that left fans speechless, athletes outraged, and history books rewritten.

1. The Black Power Salute (1968 Mexico City)

You can’t talk about Olympic controversies without mentioning the iconic protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos. During the medal ceremony for the 200 meters, both American sprinters raised their fists in a Black Power salute as the national anthem played.

This wasn’t just a random act of defiance. It was a powerful statement against racial inequality and human rights abuses in the U.S. Smith and Carlos, with heads bowed and fists in the air, used their global platform to highlight the struggles of Black Americans. But their silent, yet loud, protest wasn’t without consequences. Both athletes were expelled from the Games and received death threats upon returning to the States.

Was it controversial? Absolutely. But it also sparked a conversation that extended far beyond the track.

2. The Munich Massacre (1972 Munich)

This is one of the darkest moments in Olympic history, and "controversy" feels like too light a word for what happened. During the 1972 Munich Games, a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September took 11 Israeli athletes, coaches, and officials hostage. After a failed rescue attempt, all 11 hostages were tragically killed.

The controversy here isn’t just the attack itself but also how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) handled the aftermath. The Games were briefly suspended, but they resumed after just 34 hours. Many argued that continuing the Games so soon after such a horrific event was disrespectful and insensitive to the victims and their families.

Even today, people debate whether the decision to keep the Games going was the right call. One thing’s for sure: the Munich Massacre forever changed the way Olympic security was handled.

3. Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan (1994 Lillehammer)

Ah, the infamous figure skating scandal. This one played out like a soap opera with skates. In the months leading up to the 1994 Winter Olympics, American figure skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan were set to go head-to-head. But things got ugly when Kerrigan was attacked after a practice session.

It was soon revealed that Harding’s ex-husband and bodyguard had orchestrated the attack, aiming to take Kerrigan out of the competition. The controversy blew up, with Harding denying any involvement but eventually pleading guilty to hindering the investigation.

Though Kerrigan recovered and won the silver medal at the Olympics, the scandal overshadowed the actual competition. Harding was banned from figure skating for life, and her reputation never fully recovered. This incident remains one of the most bizarre and talked-about moments in Olympic history.

4. Ben Johnson’s Doping Scandal (1988 Seoul)

In the world of track and field, Ben Johnson was a superstar. He shattered records and wowed audiences with his blistering speed. But his legacy would be forever tainted by one word: steroids.

At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Johnson won gold in the 100 meters, setting a new world record in the process. But just days later, he was stripped of his medal after testing positive for anabolic steroids. The fallout was swift, with Johnson becoming a pariah in the sporting world.

This was one of the first high-profile doping scandals in Olympic history, and it opened the floodgates for more stringent drug testing. Johnson’s fall from grace was a harsh reminder of the temptations athletes face to gain an edge, and it set the stage for future doping controversies.

5. The 2002 Salt Lake City Figure Skating Scandal

Judging in sports is always subjective, but sometimes it goes beyond human error and slips into the realm of corruption. That’s exactly what happened at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

In the pairs figure skating event, Russia's Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze were awarded the gold medal, despite making a noticeable error in their routine. Meanwhile, Canadian skaters Jamie Salé and David Pelletier delivered a near-flawless performance but were only given silver.

The controversy erupted when it was revealed that a French judge had been pressured to favor the Russian pair in exchange for reciprocated support for a French ice dancing team. The scandal grew so large that the IOC eventually awarded dual gold medals to both the Russian and Canadian duos.

This moment exposed the darker side of Olympic judging and led to significant changes in how figure skating events were scored.

6. The “Blood in the Water” Match (1956 Melbourne)

Sports can get heated, but the 1956 water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union took things to another level. Known as the "Blood in the Water" match, this semi-final game at the Melbourne Olympics wasn’t just about athletic competition—it was a microcosm of the Hungarian Revolution that had been crushed by Soviet forces just weeks earlier.

Tensions boiled over in the pool, and the match became violent. Punches were thrown, and Hungarian player Ervin Zádor famously left the pool with a bloody face after being struck by a Soviet player. The crowd was incensed, and the game had to be stopped before it escalated further.

Hungary won the match 4-0 and went on to win the gold medal, but the game remains one of the most politically charged moments in Olympic history.

7. Marion Jones and the BALCO Scandal (2000 Sydney)

Marion Jones was America’s golden girl at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, winning five medals (three gold, two bronze). However, her success was short-lived when it was revealed that she had been part of the infamous BALCO doping scandal.

Jones initially denied any wrongdoing, but in 2007, she admitted to using steroids before the Sydney Games. She was stripped of all her medals, and her career was left in ruins. The scandal also implicated other top athletes and shone a spotlight on the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports.

This controversy forced the IOC to reconsider its approach to drug testing and led to more rigorous anti-doping measures.

8. The 1976 East German Doping Program

The 1976 Montreal Olympics were dominated by East German athletes, particularly in swimming. But their success didn’t come without suspicion. Many of the female swimmers looked unusually muscular, and it was later revealed that the East German government had been running a state-sponsored doping program.

The athletes themselves often had no idea they were being given performance-enhancing drugs, as they were told the pills were vitamins. The program was designed to boost East Germany’s standing on the world stage during the Cold War.

Years later, many of the athletes suffered long-term health effects from the drugs. This scandal remains one of the most egregious examples of institutionalized doping in sports history.

9. The Strange Case of the 1904 Marathon (St. Louis)

The 1904 Olympic marathon in St. Louis was nothing short of a circus. The race was plagued by poor organization, extreme heat, and bizarre incidents that turned it into one of the strangest events in Olympic history.

One runner, Fred Lorz, was disqualified after it was discovered that he had hitched a ride in a car for part of the race. Another competitor, Félix Carvajal, stopped mid-race to eat some apples from an orchard, which turned out to be rotten and caused him to suffer stomach cramps. To top it all off, the winner, Thomas Hicks, was given a mixture of brandy and strychnine (a type of poison) by his trainers to help him finish the race!

The marathon was so chaotic that it raised questions about the legitimacy of the competition and the overall organization of the Games.

10. Jim Thorpe’s Stripped Medals (1912 Stockholm)

Jim Thorpe is often regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, but his Olympic career was marred by controversy. At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, Thorpe dominated both the pentathlon and decathlon, winning gold in both events.

However, in 1913, it was discovered that Thorpe had briefly played semi-professional baseball before the Olympics, which violated the strict amateurism rules of the time. As a result, the IOC stripped him of his medals.

The decision was widely criticized, and many felt that Thorpe had been unfairly punished. Decades later, in 1983, the IOC finally restored his medals, recognizing Thorpe’s extraordinary achievements.

Conclusion

The Olympics, while a celebration of human achievement, have always been intertwined with politics, personal ambition, and sometimes even outright scandal. These controversial moments remind us that behind the glitz and glory, there are real people, real stakes, and real consequences. Whether it’s a protest, a doping scandal, or a tragic event, these moments have left an indelible mark on Olympic history.

As fans, we often focus on the triumphs and record-breaking feats, but the controversies — for better or worse — are just as much a part of the Games' legacy.