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Sylvia Ma

While the Olympics are celebrated for their spirit of camaraderie and fair competition, they have also played host to some of the most contentious and dramatic incidents in sports history.
From doping scandals to controversial rulings, these moments have left indelible marks on the legacy of the Olympics, revealing the complex web of human drama beneath the glittering facade of gold medals.
As Paris gears up for the next thrilling chapter of this global spectacle, let’s revisit five of the most controversial moments that have defined – and at times, defied – the Olympic spirit.


Ben Johnson – 1988 Seoul
At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson captivated the world by winning the gold medal in the 100-metre final, setting a new world record of 9.79 seconds.
But just three days after this victory, Johnson tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol, immediately disqualifying him and stripping him of the medal.
His fallout exposed the pervasive issue of doping in athletics, and the 100m final in Seoul was also dubbed the “dirtiest race in history”.
Shockingly, six of the eight finalists, including Carl Lewis and Linford Christie, eventually failed drug tests or were implicated in doping during their careers.
Roy Jones Jnr – 1988 Seoul
The Seoul Olympics also witnessed American boxer Roy Jones Junior’s most controversial defeat.
In the men’s light middleweight final, Jones delivered a dominant performance against South Korean boxer Park Si-hun. Despite clearly outboxing Park – landing 86 punches to Park’s 32 – Jones lost in a controversial 3-2 decision by the judges.
The decision was met with instant disdain and condemnation, as it appeared blatantly biased. Jones was later awarded the Val Barker Trophy for being the outstanding boxer of the Olympics, indicating widespread recognition of his exceptional performance in the ring.
One of the judges who voted for Park later admitted that his ruling was intended to placate the South Korean spectators.

@fortisfight Roy Jones Jr was robbed... #boxing #fightnight #boxingfight #fyp #royjonesjr #royjones #olympics #olympicsboxing #parksihun #viral ♬ original sound - Fortis

In 1997, an investigation conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) concluded that although the offending judges had been wined and dined by Korean organisers, there was no conclusive evidence of corruption in the boxing events in Seoul.
Park retired from boxing after the Games and never turned professional. Jones went on to win titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight categories and is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Pairs figure skating – 2002 Salt Lake City
The 2002 Winter Olympics were overshadowed by a major figure skating scandal.
In the pairs competition, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia beat Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada, despite the latter’s seemingly flawless performance.
The decision sparked controversy over the long-criticised subjectivity of scoring in figure skating, largely contributing to the revamp of the judging system by the International Skating Union (ISU).

The situation was heightened by French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne admitting to being pressured to favour the Russian pair, although she later retracted the claim. Allegations of corruption within the competition further fuelled the controversy.
To address the international outcry, the ISU and IOC eventually decided to award gold medals to both pairs.
Chinese gymnasts – 2008 Beijing
Despite winning several medals, including the team gold, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese women’s gymnastics team faced scrutiny regarding the eligibility of several members over their ages.
The controversy arose as some online records suggested several team members appeared to be under 16, the minimum age requirement set by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), while their passports showed they were 16.

The IOC and FIG investigated this matter, with the Chinese officials providing documentation to verify the gymnasts’ birth dates.
The investigation results ultimately cleared the athletes of any wrongdoing, citing the provided documentation as sufficient proof of their eligibility.
Badminton – 2012 London
In the women’s doubles, eight female badminton players – two pairs from South Korea and one each from China and Indonesia – were disqualified by the Badminton World Federation.
These pairs were charged with “not using best efforts” and “conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport”, according to the federation.

During their matches, basic errors such as shots going long and serves hitting the net suggested the players deliberately lost matches to secure more favourable draws in the knockout stage, causing anger among the audience.
The Chinese authorities accepted the decision and apologised, while the Indonesian and South Korean pairs appealed, but these were respectively rejected and later withdrawn.


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Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson (far left) signals victory in the 100m final with a world record of 9.79 seconds. Calvin Smith (US) in the next lane was fourth, with Linford Christie third, and Carl Lewis (far right) second. Photo: AFP

Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia (left) and Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada with their gold medals at a special awards ceremony. Photo: AP

The Chinese team on the podium after winning gold in the team final at the Beijing Games. Photo: AFP

(From left, top): South Korea’s Kim Ha Na, Ha Jung-eun, Kim Min-jung, Jung Kyung-Eun. Bottom row: Indonesia’s Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari; China’s Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang. Photo: AFP

Paris Olympics: From ‘female applause as a reward’ to gender parity – the 128-year journey

Paris 2024 will be the first Olympic Games to feature as many women as men competing in the events. Photo: Reuters

Michele Davis, left, and Jane Millspaugh Serues competed in first marathon to include women at Olympics in 1984. Photo: TNS

Poland’s Irena Szewinska, centre, dominated women’s athletics in 1976, where women’s events made up only a quarter of Olympic programme: AP

Paris Games: what to know, who to watch during possibly the last Olympic boxing competition

Cuba’s Julio Cesar La Cruz is taking a shot at joining the exclusive club of three-time gold medalists in boxing. Photo: AP

Ireland’s Kellie Harrington, the lightweight champion in Tokyo, is back to try for a second gold. Photo: AP

Great Britain’s Galal Yafai (left) beat the Philippines’ Carlo Paalam for the flyweight title in Tokyo. Photo: Xinhua

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Paris Olympics 2024

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A look back at five of the most controversial moments that have defined, and at times, defied the Olympic spirit


A look back at five of the most controversial moments that have defined, and at times, defied the Olympic spirit.


IOC (International Olympic Committee)