When you look at ancient competitions like jousting or Aztec Death Soccer, sports today are relatively tame by comparison. Stringent safety rules ensure that injuries – at least life‑threatening ones – are kept to a minimum; players are heavily padded down to their toes; and spectators are fenced off far from anything moving faster than a nacho vendor. Even “combat” sports like MMA rarely result in anything more serious than some scratches and a nosebleed. Yet there exists a whole realm of contests where the word “danger” is practically printed on the entry form. Below we count down ten of the most perilous, pulse‑pounding competitions that people actually sign up for each year.

10 Incredibly Dangerous Competitions

10 Valparaiso: Cerro Abajo Bike Race

This annual downhill bike race in Valparaiso, Chile, is a full‑speed plunge through the city’s chaotic streets. Riders barrel down tight turns, plummet 15‑foot drops, and even launch off flights of stairs, all while sharing the road with everyday traffic and the occasional stray dog that loves to chase wheels. The event, which began in 2003, runs as a time‑trial rather than a head‑to‑head sprint, meaning each cyclist rides the course alone against the clock. Because the route is laid out on public streets, organizers can’t set it up until just a day or two before the start, giving competitors virtually no chance to rehearse. As one veteran rider confessed, “we are basically going into the jumps blind since they probably won’t even test them until the day of the race.”

9 Basant: Kite Flying Festival

The Basant festival, held each February in north‑western Pakistan, is billed as a Sufi celebration and the world’s largest kite‑flying gathering. What sounds like a breezy afternoon of colorful kites quickly turns lethal when participants coat their strings with powdered glass or razor‑shaped wire, turning each line into a deadly blade. The goal is to cut the strings of rival kites, and in the process, the razor‑tipped lines slice through anything they touch – including power lines, which can electrocute the kite‑hander. The danger is real: in 2009 alone, eleven people lost their lives, and the government has repeatedly tried to ban the festival because low‑flying kites have become a public‑safety nightmare. Bikers who weave through the sky are especially at risk, as the metallic strands can cut through helmets and skin with terrifying ease.

8 Shockfighting

Imagine mixing mixed‑martial‑arts with a high‑voltage taser. That’s the premise behind shockfighting, a fringe sport invented by Michael Alexander. Competitors step into a boxing ring wearing gloves that conceal stun‑gun electrodes. When punches land, a jolt of up to three million volts surges through the opponent, temporarily stealing neuromuscular control. The spectacle looks like a cross between a sci‑fi movie and a dangerous prank, and it’s been outlawed in every U.S. state and most of the civilized world. The official website has vanished, but footage online shows fighters delivering electrified blows while trying to stay on their feet – a terrifying blend of pain and precision that leaves both participants and viewers on edge.

7 Cooper’s Hill: Cheese Rolling Competition

Every spring, the English village of Cooper’s Hill in Gloucester becomes a battlefield for cheese‑loving daredevils. A massive wheel of cheese is set rolling down a steep, uneven hill, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph. Participants sprint, tumble, and somersault after the cheese, hoping to be the first to cross the finish line at the bottom. The hill’s gradient is so severe that many competitors end up sliding uncontrollably, colliding with each other, and even being struck by the runaway cheese itself as it veers off course into the crowd. Injuries are commonplace – broken bones, concussions, and lacerations occur each year, and the event remains a chaotic, adrenaline‑fueled tradition that attracts thrill‑seekers from around the globe.

6 Green River Narrows: Kayak Race

White‑water kayaking reaches its most lethal form on the Green River Narrows, a Class V stretch near Asheville, North Carolina. Over roughly half a mile, the river drops about 250 feet, delivering a gauntlet of ferocious rapids. The most infamous feature is the “Gorilla,” an 18‑foot waterfall that immediately drops into another 10‑foot plunge, a combination responsible for the majority of fatalities in the race. Participants launch their kayaks into these unforgiving currents, often with little to no safety crew on standby. The competition is unofficial, meaning there are no mandated rescue teams, medical personnel, or safety nets – just raw skill, nerves of steel, and a willingness to gamble with the river’s fury.

5 Castrillo De Murcia: Baby Jumping

In the tiny Spanish village of Castrillo de Murcia, an annual ritual known as “baby jumping” (salto del bebé) takes place during the Corpus Christi festivities. Newborns – typically five or six at a time – are laid out on mattresses in the middle of a street while men dressed as devils leap over them, sometimes performing acrobatic flips. The tradition is said to cleanse the infants, acting as a symbolic baptism that wards off evil spirits. Although the spectacle looks absurdly dangerous, locals consider it an essential part of their cultural heritage, and the event proceeds with a mixture of reverence and nervous anticipation each year.

4 World Sauna Championships

Finland may be famous for its saunas, but the World Sauna Championships turned a relaxing steam bath into a lethal showdown. Held in Heinola since 1999, competitors sit in an increasingly scorching chamber, starting at a searing 230 °F. The last person able to walk out unassisted claims victory. Participants frequently suffer third‑degree burns, severe dehydration, and heatstroke. In 2010, Vladimir Ladyzhensky collapsed and died during the final round, prompting officials to permanently shut down the competition. The event’s grim legacy serves as a reminder that even something as benign as a sauna can become a deadly arena when pushed to extremes.

3 Angola Prison: Rodeo

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola, hosts the country’s oldest prison rodeo. Established in 1964, the event features inmates confronting a raging bull in a series of brutal contests. One highlight is “Convict Poker,” where four prisoners sit around a table in the arena’s center; the last man still seated wins. Meanwhile, bull‑riding, “Guts & Glory” (snatching a poker chip off a charging bull), and “Wild Cow Milking” test the inmates’ mettle. With 5,000 inmates spread across 18,000 acres, the rodeo blends entertainment with genuine peril, as participants often face serious injuries while trying to out‑maneuver the angry beasts.

2 Freestyle Alligator Wrestling Competition

Alligator wrestling has long been a symbol of raw, rugged masculinity, but James Holt decided to formalize the chaos with the Freestyle Alligator Wrestling Competition in 2010. Contestants plunge into a water‑filled arena and grapple with a wild alligator for ten minutes, aiming to wrestle the reptile out of the water. Judges award extra points for daring stunts performed while holding onto the massive predator. The event showcases a blend of bravery, skill, and sheer audacity, as participants risk serious bites, clawing, and the ever‑present threat of a sudden splash‑back that could send them sprawling.

1 World BASE Race

Wingsuits allow humans to glide like birds, but the World BASE Race turns that graceful flight into a high‑stakes sprint. Initiated by Paul Fortun in 2008, the biannual race pits daredevils against each other as they leap head‑first from a 1,300‑meter (4,265‑foot) platform, racing to be the first to hit the ground. The competition is a head‑to‑head showdown of speed, precision, and nerves of steel, with the victor earning the title “World’s Fastest Flying Human Being.” Despite the inherent danger of jumping from such heights, the race has, remarkably, not recorded any injuries, making it a breathtaking spectacle of human daring against gravity.

Humans love a good rivalry, and the world is full of weird ways to turn everyday actions into a showdown. Below you’ll find the 10 strangest competitions that will make you question what people will do for glory, cash, or just pure fun. From ironing on cliffs to a marathon in high heels, these contests prove that imagination (and a bit of madness) knows no bounds.

10 Strangest Competitions Overview

10 The Championship of Extreme Ironing

The inaugural Extreme Ironing Championship burst onto the scene in 1997 in Leicester, England. Contestants were tasked with pressing shirts in the most perilous settings imaginable – perched on mountain ledges, frozen on ice sheets, or even submerged underwater. Victory demanded a rare blend of rock‑climbing prowess, scuba‑diving skill, and the ability to produce a perfectly crisp crease under pressure.

9 The Championship on Crawling

In 2005 Colombia hosted the inaugural “Marathon of Toddlers,” drawing 1,122 children aged eight to eighteen months. Little ones were challenged to crawl a five‑metre stretch, a feat that proved too much for many participants. The event, organized by the Ministry of Health, was designed to promote physical activity and healthy habits from the earliest age.

8 The Football Championship in the Mud

Fast forward to 2008, when a thousand men and women waded into a massive Finnish bog for the tenth annual Mud Football Championship. The natural marsh was transformed into twenty‑two fields, each measuring roughly 60 × 35 meters, turning the sport into a slippery, gritty spectacle.

Matches consisted of two 25‑minute halves, with six‑player squads battling through 340 commands per game. The visual chaos resembled a carnival: participants donned tape‑wrapped sneakers, white hospital gowns, superhero capes, pink wigs, and even formal ties, all in a desperate scramble for victory.

7 The Championship of Throwing Eggs

Since 2006, Sutton, England has hosted an annual Egg‑Throwing Championship that treats the humble breakfast staple as a serious sport. Competitors vie across four distinct disciplines, each offering generous cash prizes to the most accurate and creative egg‑tossers.

6 The Championship on Climbing to Palm Trees

Indonesia celebrates its Independence Day on August 17th with a host of traditional festivities, one of which is a daring palm‑tree‑climbing contest. Teams of four tackle a slick, oil‑coated trunk, turning the race into a test of balance, teamwork, and sheer grit.

Participants often form human ladders, scaling each other’s shoulders to reach the summit. Prizes at the top range from practical items like towels and clothing to high‑value rewards such as mountain bikes and cash vouchers. If a team reaches the apex too quickly, organizers douse them with water, forcing a frantic re‑climb.

5 Feet Wrestling

The inaugural World Feet‑Wrestling Championship took place in 1976 inside a Derbyshire pub, England. Competitors lock big toes in a fierce grapple that, at its peak, was even pitched for Olympic inclusion in 1997 – a proposal that ultimately fell flat. The sport is notoriously risky, often resulting in sprained ankles and broken toes.

4 Championship on Inflating Hot Water Bottles

Georgia’s 18‑year‑old prodigy Jamal Tkeshelashvili shocked the world in 2009 by shattering the hot‑water‑bottle inflation record. He burst three bottles in rapid succession – 23 seconds, 16 seconds, and a blistering 13 seconds – even inflating one while a person sat atop it. His 13‑second feat eclipsed the previous 51.98‑second benchmark.

3 The Championship on Whistle

In 2009, Ireland hosted its first “Wolf Whistle” Championship in the tiny town of Irvinstown. Contestants competed to impress a fair‑lady with the most melodic, persuasive whistle. Local butcher Stephen Millar emerged victorious, earning the grand prize for his superior lung‑power and tonal control.

2 Marathon on High Heels

Races on high heels have popped up in metropolises from Sydney to Paris, but Milan stole the spotlight when 300 contestants sprinted 80 meters in shoes no lower than 7 cm and no thicker than 1.5 cm. The grueling challenge tested balance, endurance, and sheer willpower.

Three triumphant runners crossed the finish line wearing a pair of luxurious Manolo Blahnik sandals, a prize that turned a painful dash into a glamorous victory.

1 The Championship on Unemployment

When the 2009 financial crisis hit, a group of New York job‑seekers refused to stay idle. On March 31st, they organized the “Olympic Games of the Unemployed,” a tongue‑in‑cheek competition conceived by a recently laid‑off programmer. Twenty athletes faced off in events like “Accuse the Boss,” office‑phone throwing, and “You Are Discharged” boxing, turning hardship into hilarity.

From ancient Greek Olympics to casual card games, humanity has forever sought fresh ways to pit skill against rival. In today’s ever‑shifting culture, ten quirky competitions have sprung up, each more bizarre than the last, and yes—they really exist.

Ten Quirky Competitions That Capture Our Imagination

10 Mobile Phone Throwing

Forget javelin or discus—traditional field events look dull when you consider the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships. The sport was born in Savonlinna, Finland, back in 2000, thanks to the translation firm Fennolingua, which wanted a lively way to let people vent frustration while promoting phone recycling. Sponsors supplied a stash of refurbished handsets, so no beloved smartphones met the turf in pieces.

What began as a quirky Finnish pastime quickly went global. Today, throwers of all ages line up on tracks across Europe and beyond, competing for national titles. The event now boasts two main divisions: Original/Traditional, where competitors launch a phone over‑the‑shoulder for pure distance, and Freestyle, judged on visual flair and artistic impression.

One standout is Taco Cohen, a 19‑year‑old circus performer from the Netherlands, who seized the Freestyle gold in 2007 with a routine that blended juggling, acrobatics, and pure showmanship. The distance crown belongs to a Belgian champion who hurled a handset a staggering 110 meters (about 360 feet) at the 2021 championship held in Belgium.

9 Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest

It may sound like a bridal‑shower game, but the Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest is a bona‑fide competition staged annually in New York City. Designers are challenged to craft a full wedding gown and headpiece using only toilet paper, tape, glue, and needle‑and‑thread. While the concept conjures images of mummy‑style wraps, the final creations are surprisingly sophisticated, rivaling haute‑couture in elegance.

From a flood of photo submissions, twelve finalists are chosen and their garments shipped to New York (complete with a massive “Handle With Care” sticker). A runway showcase then displays these crisp, fitted masterpieces, and the winner walks away with a $10,000 prize.

8 Hobby Horsing

Hobby horsing has captured the hearts of pre‑teen and early‑teen girls in Finland and is now galloping into other nations. Imagine a traditional equestrian event, but instead of a live horse, each rider grips a stick‑handled hobby horse—think the wooden steeds from Enid Blyton stories, upgraded with soft‑material heads for modern competition.

Participants race their hobby horses through obstacle courses, leap over hurdles, and even perform canter‑style gaits. In the dressage arena, the emphasis shifts to graceful, music‑driven prancing while keeping the upper body still, mirroring real‑world dressage standards.

The movement sprouted privately among Finnish teenagers, later surfacing on online forums. Filmmaker Selma Vilhunen discovered these boards in 2012, inspiring her 2017 documentary The Hobby Horse Revolution, which showcases the community of riders, coaches, judges, and local contests that now surround the sport.

7 High Heel Drag Queen Race

Imagine sprinting three city blocks in sky‑high heels while dressed in flamboyant drag attire—that’s the spectacle of the 17th Street High Heel Race in Washington, D.C., held each pre‑Halloween weekend. The event celebrates LGBTQI diversity and freedom, drawing crowds who cheer on participants as they clomp down the street.

What started as a spontaneous 1980s gathering among friends has evolved into a city‑backed affair, organized by the Mayor’s Office. While a few die‑hard athletes train rigorously in heels, most participants enjoy the light‑hearted, clumsy fun, with first‑aid teams on standby for any accidental tumbles.

6 Ugliest Dog Contest

The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, a beloved highlight of the Sonoma‑Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, has been drawing crowds since the 1970s. Its mission is simple yet heartfelt: promote rescue, love, and adoption for canines of every shape and size, regardless of conventional beauty standards.

The idea sprang from local resident Ross Smith, who originally organized a small‑town event for kids. He never imagined it would balloon into a global media sensation, showcasing a parade of uniquely charming, often mis‑shapen dogs.

Recent champions include Zsa Zsa, a bulldog with a spectacularly crooked grin and a tongue that nearly kisses the floor, and Scamp the Tramp, a dog with dreadlocked fur and bug‑eyed stare. Both rescued pups have since toured New York for media appearances, proving that every dog can be a star.

5 Air Guitar Playing

Don’t be fooled—air‑guitar contests don’t require a physical instrument. “Airheads,” as participants are affectionately called, take to stages worldwide, pretending to shred invisible guitars with flamboyant moves, elaborate costumes, and theatrical flair.

The crown jewel is the Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, Finland, held each August. National winners converge to perform two 60‑second sets: one to a chosen song and another to a surprise track. While props are allowed, actual instruments are banned, though “air roadies” may join the act. The victor walks away with a custom‑carved, hand‑made guitar.

Though the concept dates back to Joe Cocker’s iconic air‑riff at Woodstock in 1969, the modern competitive scene launched in 1996 as part of the Oulu Music Video Festival, thanks to Finnish musician Jukka Takalo. The event champions world peace with its motto “Make Air Not War.”

4 Bed Racing

Who says beds are solely for sleeping? Every June, the Yorkshire town of Knaresborough, U.K., hosts the Great Knaresborough Bed Race, a whimsical 3.8‑kilometre (2.4‑mile) dash that mixes a parade of decorated beds with a high‑energy sprint.

Ninety teams, each comprising six runners, navigate grassy slopes and village streets while pushing a wheeled bed that carries a passenger. The passenger dons a helmet and shouts directions, acting like a coxswain in a rowing crew. After weaving through town, the team must “swim” the bed across the icy River Nidd to the finish line.

Since 1966, the race has raised money for charity, with bed designs meticulously engineered for specific dimensions and wheel configurations. Handymen craft the frames, while local dressmakers stitch themed costumes. Despite Yorkshire’s fickle weather, the race has persisted, only pausing river crossings in 1972 and 1998 due to severe flooding.

3 Chess Boxing

Picture a sport where you alternate between rapid‑fire chess and three‑minute boxing rounds—that’s chess boxing, the ultimate paradox of mind and muscle. Competitors switch from headphones and gloves to a table and chessboard, aiming for either a checkmate, knockout, or points victory.

The concept emerged in the early 2000s as performance art. Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh adapted French comic‑book writer Enki Bilal’s imagined championship from the 1992 Nikopol Trilogy, turning it into a real‑world sport.

The inaugural Chess Boxing World Championships unfolded in Amsterdam in 2003, and the sport has since spread globally, with national tournaments and a notable pay‑per‑view event streamed from London in mid‑2020 during the pandemic.

2 Santa Claus Championships

The Santa Claus World Championships, affectionately known as Clau Wau, take place each November at the Samnaun Ski Resort in Switzerland, marking the start of the ski season. Since 2001, teams of costumed Santas compete over two days in a series of festive challenges.

Highlights include a chimney‑climbing trial, where participants scale a towering brick structure, present a gift, and then slide the present down a chimney. Other events feature sleigh driving, snowmobile rallies, gingerbread decorating, and a mechanical reindeer rodeo.

1 Extreme Ironing

When you think of extreme sports, ironing isn’t the first thing that comes to mind—unless you’re an “Extreme Ironer.” These thrill‑seekers pack up their ironing boards and venture to remote locales—from mountain peaks to sky‑diving planes—to press garments in the most unlikely settings.

The movement sparked in the late 1990s in a Leicester backyard, when Phil Shaw, nicknamed “Steam,” convinced his housemate Paul “Spray” to try ironing outdoors for a change of pace. Their antics quickly grew into an international phenomenon, with a world tour in 1999 and the inaugural Extreme Ironing World Championships held in Munich, Germany, in 2002.

Since then, ironists have pushed boundaries worldwide, even setting a Guinness World Record for the most people extreme‑ironing underwater—173 participants in the Netherlands in March 2011, who ironed for ten minutes beneath the surface.

Athletes don’t get banned for no reason. The common denominator for all bans is cheating. For various reasons, some athletes cheat and, by doing so, ensure that the competition is skewed in their favor. This insults clean athletes who have spent years dedicating themselves to their chosen sport only to find that the playing field isn’t level.

Some athletes cheat for glory and some for money, but you have to wonder how they could feel satisfied when they know they “competed” unfairly.

There are few, if any, sports free from cheats who often use sophisticated methods to get around the rules. The authorities have to be equally sophisticated. So let’s look at ten athletes who were banned from competition.

10 Fred Lorz

Fred Lorz won the marathon at the 1904 Olympic Games held in St Louis, Missouri. Or so people briefly thought. He started the race with the best intentions but pulled up after nine miles because he was exhausted. His manager picked him up in his car and drove him the next 11 miles. In 1904, cars weren’t particularly fast, but Lorz’s vehicle was fast enough to outstrip the rest of the field. He managed to finish the marathon under his own power and, not surprisingly, broke the finishing tape ahead of the competition.

The race attracted many spectators, and many saw Lorz and his manager driving by. The witnesses were quick to tell officials who confronted Lorz with the truth. He admitted the deception but claimed that it was a practical joke.

Not impressed, the officials awarded the race to the runner-up, Thomas Hicks. Hicks’s trainers had dosed him twice with strychnine to control muscle contractions during the race and had carried him part of the way—so he wasn’t a worthy winner either. In fact, Hicks was too weak to collect his medal and never competed again.

9 Ben Johnson

The rivalry between the American sprinter Carl Lewis and the Canadian Ben Johnson was one of the fiercest in athletics. Before 1985, Lewis was undoubtedly the world’s best 100-meter sprinter, but that year, Johnson beat him after losing their eight previous meetings.

In 1987, at the World Championships in Rome, Johnson beat Lewis again to become the world-record holder, setting the best time ever. Lewis hinted that certain gold-medal winners were taking performance-enhancing drugs.

At a pre-Olympic meeting in Switzerland, Lewis won with Johnson in the third position. Lewis claimed nothing could stop him from winning gold at that year’s Olympics in Seoul. He didn’t win; Johnson did, even bettering his own world record.

A subsequent urine test revealed that Johnson had taken an anabolic steroid called stanozolol. Johnson and his trainer claimed that they had to use drugs because everyone else did. It finally came out that Johnson had used steroids since 1981. He received a ban for his trouble.

8 Marion Jones

Marion Jones’s career in athletics was always tainted by accusations that she used performance enhancers right from the beginning. Perhaps this was not entirely her fault. From a very young age, her trainers pushed drugs at her.

In the early 1990s, the teenage Jones was banned for four years for missing a drug test. She claimed that she had never received the test notification, and the authorities lifted the ban.

In 2006, a urine sample tested positive for the performance-enhancer Erythropoietin, but as a second test showed a negative result, there was no further action.

In 2007, Jones admitted to taking steroids and, as she had lied to federal authorities, a court sentenced her to six months in jail. The athletic authorities deleted all her records, and she received a suspension.

7 Sinning Soccer Player

Sports betting is an enormous industry, and many of us wager a few dollars, test our knowledge, or try our luck. Nowadays, sophisticated controls monitor betting activity to try and discover suspicious results or trends. Back in the 1960s, things weren’t so advanced.

Jimmy Gauld had spent most of his soccer career playing in the English leagues for lower-tier clubs. Although he never made the big time, he knew many people and decided he could make quite a bit of money by fixing matches. But he would need inside help.

At a former club, Gauld had gotten to know David Layne, who was now playing for Sheffield Wednesday. Gauld asked Layne to choose a match they could bet on and ensure the outcome. Layne roped two other players—Peter Swan and Tony Kay—into the deal. The syndicate picked a match that Wednesday would lose 2-0, with the three players ensuring the result. It wouldn’t be an unusual score, so it wouldn’t attract attention. But also, as the score was reasonable, the winnings were not very large.

Ironically, the result was 2-0, but the other team won the game fair and square. The Sheffield Wednesday players didn’t have to do anything untoward.

Gauld extended his activities to other teams, involving other players, but his activities quickly came to light. He sold his story to a Sunday newspaper and named the three Sheffield Wednesday players involved in fixing one match. All the players involved received jail sentences and a ban from professional soccer.

6 Rob Sloan

Known as Britain’s most beautiful marathon, The Kielder race attracts athletes from all over the world. A good finishing position or time is a badge of honor.

It wasn’t surprising then that in 2011, Steve Cairns was happy to be placed third as the runners were well into the second half of the race. Cairns knew he wouldn’t be able to catch up with the two runners in front of him, but he had opened quite a gap between himself and the pack behind him. He was running comfortably and confident that he could keep going and clinch an honorable third place.

The race seemed to play out as Cairns expected. The front runners placed first and second, and Cairns crossed the line in third place. Imagine his surprise when the marshals announced his fourth place position. Cairns asked who had come in third, and the marshals (who could only see the last section of the course) pointed at Rob Sloan. Cairns knew him as the winner of a 10k race the previous day and asked when he had overtaken him.

In fact, no runners could remember Sloan, and there were no photos that showed him running. Sloan didn’t collect his medal and never appeared at an event again—not that he would be allowed to.

5 Boris Onishchenko

Boris Onishchenko, a member of the Soviet team, had taken part in the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics. It was now 1976, and Onishchenko was on the team again.

Britain was in the gold medal position in the pentathlon after the first event. The second event was fencing, and Britain and the Soviet Union faced each other in what was sure to be a closely fought event.

In fencing, sensors in the weapon (an épée) depress when the fencer hits its target. The target then registers a strike and, therefore, a point. The British team complained that Onishchenko was scoring points without hitting anything. A close examination of the fencer’s épée showed that it had a trigger that Onishchenko could press to register a hit.

The authorities banned him for life, the Soviet Communist Party expelled him, and he got a personal reprimand from the Soviet leader.

4 Ekaterini Thanou

The Summer Olympics in 2004 took place in Athens, and the Greeks had a strong contender for a medal in the 100 meters in Ekaterini Thanou. There was intense competition, but with the home crowd urging her on, Thanou had a very good chance of winning.

The day before the opening ceremony, the authorities summoned Thanou and her training partner to take a routine drug test. They didn’t turn up. Instead, they booked themselves into a hospital and claimed they had had a motorcycle accident. The pair immediately came under suspicion because this was their third violation that summer. Thanou withdrew from the games. A Greek commission quickly concluded that no accident had occurred, and the pair had staged the whole thing as an excuse.

Thanou was suspended from athletics. When she returned to competition in 2006, she never regained a competitive level, and crowds booed her when she appeared.

3 Petr Korda

Korda was a very good tennis player. He reached the world rank of number 2 in February 1998 and was one of the favorites for that year’s Wimbledon tournament. Although he was only 30, Korda had announced that he would retire. He had won the Australian Open in 1998; perhaps he wanted to add a Wimbledon title before he stepped away from tennis.

Whatever his reasons, Korda tested positive for the steroid nandrolone after his quarter-final match. A long process of appeals ran its course, and the International Tennis Federation banned him for 12 months in September 1999. He did compete in more tournaments in his native Czechoslovakia after his ban ended, but his career at the top was over.

2 Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez is one of the world’s top soccer stars. A truly gifted player, he started his career in his native Uruguay with local side Nacional. He soon moved to Europe, where he played for some of the best clubs in Holland, England, and Spain. He moved from the Dutch side Ajax to Liverpool, then on to Barcelona, before moving to Atlético Madrid. He is now finishing his professional life back at Nacional. Certainly a star, but a controversial one.

A Dutch newspaper called Suarez the “Cannibal of Ajax” after his club suspended him for biting an opponent. Once at Liverpool, Suarez earned a ban for racially abusing a Manchester United player. Then, in 2013, he returned to putting teeth into his game. He bit a Chelsea player and received a 10-game ban for his trouble.

When he moved to Barcelona, he couldn’t start the 2014 season with them because he was serving another ban—this time for biting an Italian player at that year’s World Cup.

Suarez showed good taste but should never have been allowed to continue playing.

1 Dennis Mitchell

Dennis Mitchell, a track and field athlete, had a successful relay and sprinting career. But, in 1998, he ran into trouble. The International Association of Athletics Federations handed him a two-year ban after a test showed a high testosterone level in his sample. His explanation didn’t cut much ice with the board.

Mitchell claimed that his wife’s birthday had fallen just before the test. To celebrate, he had drunk five beers and made love to her five times; it was not, he said, surprising that the test showed too much testosterone. It’s perhaps surprising that he could walk, let alone run.