Haven't these athletes ever heard the old adage "cheaters never prosper"? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the infamous times athletes and coaches who allegedly violated the rules of their sport on television.
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00:00 It wasn't until Dequelle Jackson intercepted a pass that questions were raised about an
00:04 unfair advantage.
00:05 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the infamous Times athletes
00:09 and coaches who allegedly violated the rules of their sport on television.
00:16 While there are two sides to every story, there's at least some evidence for each case
00:19 to suggest that cheating intentionally occurred.
00:22 #20.
00:23 Taj Gibson
00:24 Athletes will use anything to win, but sometimes it can get a bit ridiculous.
00:27 In 2018, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Sacramento Kings.
00:31 After Taj Gibson scored at one end with a left hook, his shoe came off in the process.
00:35 Yet before he could put it back on, the Kings began attacking.
00:38 Rather than sit out and get the footwear on, Gibson got creative.
00:41 The trainer in hand, he attempted to defend.
00:46 As the Kings' Nemanja Bielica went for a shot, Gibson tried using his singular sneaker
00:50 for extra blocking coverage.
00:52 While he didn't touch the ball, instead Carl Anthony Towns made the save.
00:56 Using a foreign object to defend is a no-no.
00:57 #9.
00:58 Baron Davis
00:59 For a bit of fun, the NBA hosts the Slam Dunk Contest over the All-Star Weekend.
01:03 And in 2001, then-Charlotte Hornets player Baron Davis participated.
01:08 But he decided to channel his inner Cedric Sabalos with his final dunk by using his headband
01:12 as a blindfold and calling the attempt the blind man's buck.
01:14 However, his deception was clear to see with holes in the headband.
01:23 With this level of cheating, you'd expect Davis to slam the ball in the hoop, but nope.
01:26 Attempting a windmill dunk, the point guard fell, well, short, both in distance and height.
01:30 Yikes.
01:31 If he had dunked it normally, he probably would have won.
01:34 Instead Desmond Mason took the contest.
01:37 #18.
01:38 Sergio Busquets
01:43 Undoubtedly, Sergio Busquets will go down as one of the best midfielders for Spain and
01:47 Barcelona.
01:48 However, there's also another side to him that has dampened his stellar reputation.
01:51 In 2010, Barcelona faced Inter Milan in the second-leg semifinal of the UEFA Champions
01:56 League.
01:57 After losing the first game 3-1, Busquets decided to give his side an advantage by any
02:02 means necessary.
02:03 In the 28th minute while competing with Milan's Thiago Mota for the ball, the Brazilian lightly
02:07 touched the Spaniard's face and Busquets went down dramatically.
02:11 Then the Barca icon peeked through his hands to check his performance was being bought.
02:15 It was.
02:16 Mota was sent off.
02:17 However, Barcelona was still knocked out of the competition that Milan went on to win.
02:22 #17.
02:23 Maximum Security
02:24 The 2019 Kentucky Derby, the 145th edition, should have been a celebration of horse racing.
02:29 Instead, it was doused in controversy.
02:31 The horse Maximum Security and jockey Luis Saez dominated the race and crossed first.
02:37 However, there were immediate objections.
02:42 At the final turn, Maximum Security went across the lane and blocked the paths of multiple
02:46 horses, nearly resulting in a pileup that could have caused major injuries.
02:50 The winner of the race was disqualified to 17th, and the iconic trophy was handed to
02:54 Country House, who was unaffected by the blocking.
02:57 Saez claimed his horse was startled by the crowd noise and veered outwards.
03:00 Regardless, the jockey was suspended for not controlling his mount.
03:03 #16.
03:19 Sal Alosi
03:20 Sports coaches are often seen as being competitive yet fair.
03:23 However, in 2010, the actions of the head strength and conditioning coach at the New
03:27 York Jets, Sal Alosi, proved to break that mold and then some.
03:30 As the Jets took on the Miami Dolphins, Alosi spotted Nolan Carroll running down the sideline.
03:35 Seemingly forgetting about all the TV cameras in the stadium, the coach used his knee to
03:39 trip Carroll.
03:40 It was then discovered that Alosi told inactive players to form a wall on the sidelines to
03:49 block the opposition's plays.
03:50 As a result, the Jets suspended the coach indefinitely, and he was fined $25,000.
03:55 The NFL also fined the Jets $100,000.
03:58 Not long after, Alosi resigned from his position.
04:01 #15.
04:03 Max Scherzer
04:06 It's strange how often baseball stars try to break the rules with something sticky.
04:09 And in 2023, it was the time for New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer.
04:13 Facing the Los Angeles Dodgers, the umpires conducted a routine inspection of Scherzer
04:17 and found his hand coated in something.
04:19 After being told to wash his hands and change gloves multiple times, eventually the umpires
04:23 ejected Scherzer from the game.
04:38 While the pitcher argued it was rosin, a substance allowed in the MLB, the officials didn't
04:43 buy it.
04:44 As a result, Scherzer was suspended for 10 games and fined $10,000 initially, for it
04:48 was reduced to $5,000.
04:50 While he appealed the decision, Scherzer withdrew it shortly after.
04:53 #14.
04:54 Andre Goota
04:55 Before Mike Tyson was nibbling opponents in a boxing ring, there was Poland's Andre
04:59 Goota.
05:00 Better known as Andrew Goota, the heavyweight hitter faced off against Samson Pahua in 1995
05:05 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
05:06 The then-undefeated Goota was in the driving seat for most of the bout.
05:10 However, after Pahua connected with a heavy strike which dazed the Polish boxer, several
05:14 more punches battered Goota.
05:21 So in his desperation, he did something sneaky.
05:24 Goota got close to Pahua and bit down on his neck, earning him a bit of recovery time.
05:29 On top of this, the referee didn't see it happen, and Goota went on to win via TKO.
05:40 #13.
05:43 Rosie Ruiz
05:44 At the 1980 Boston Marathon, something remarkable happened.
05:47 Having only started competing in the sport a year prior, Rosie Ruiz shocked the nation
05:51 by winning the women's division of the iconic endurance race and setting a Boston record.
05:56 But something fishy was going on when Ruiz appeared in interviews, showing little tiredness
05:59 and was vague about her experience.
06:02 An investigation was launched that examined video and photographs of the races.
06:11 Strangely, Ruiz seemingly didn't appear until the end.
06:14 On top of this, witnesses came forward that Ruiz had used the subway for the New York
06:18 Marathon the year prior.
06:19 Both Boston and New York officials stripped Ruiz of her results.
06:25 #12.
06:35 LeBron James, David West, and Lance Stevenson
06:37 Flopping or diving in sport is one of the worst things you can do.
06:41 Fans hate the dishonest practice, mostly, unless it gives your side an advantage.
06:45 In 2013, then playing for the Miami Heat, LeBron James participated in Game 4 of the
06:49 NBA's Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers.
06:52 However, in the fourth quarter, James and David West of the Pacers flopped on the court
06:56 during the same play, and the Pacers' Lance Stevenson had already dramatically clashed
07:00 with Ray Allen in the first quarter.
07:02 As a result of the mass exaggeration, each player was fined $5,000 by the NBA, while
07:07 the media referred to the game as a "flop fest."
07:10 #11.
07:11 Brian Carrasco
07:12 Football and exaggeration, for better or worse, is a match made in heaven.
07:15 It happens a lot, far more than most fans like to admit.
07:18 But one of the most outrageous took place in 2011, with the under-20s team of Chile
07:22 and Ecuador facing off in the South American Youth Championship.
07:26 Brian Carrasco did something the referee missed, but the commentators spotted and laughed loudly
07:30 at the audacity.
07:38 In the 76th minute, the Chilean midfielder grabbed the arm of Ecuador's Edson Montano
07:43 and smacked himself in the head with it before falling on the floor.
07:46 It was bonkers, yet it worked.
07:49 Carrasco got a free kick for his side.
07:51 However, Chile ended up losing 1-0, so it wasn't a perfect plan.
07:55 #10.
07:56 Alex Rodriguez
07:57 It's not every bit of cheating that contributes to the riot police being deployed to restore
08:01 order with the fans.
08:02 But that was what happened in 2004 when the New York Yankees took on the Boston Red Sox
08:06 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
08:09 Alex Rodriguez didn't get a great connection on a pitch, hitting the ball along the first
08:13 baseline.
08:27 As Boston's Bronson Arroyo collected the ball and tried to tap A-Rod out, Rodriguez
08:31 slapped his hand away, causing the ball to fall to the ground.
08:34 A startled Boston watched on as the umpires called Rodriguez safe, but after a lot of
08:38 complaints the officials had a meeting.
08:39 In the end, Rodriguez was deemed to have interfered and was called out.
08:43 #9.
08:45 Jacob Runyon and Chase Kaminsky
08:47 With a whopping collected prize of $28,760, fishing professionals Jacob Runyon and Chase
08:53 Kaminsky were desperate to get their mitts on the oversized check in 2022.
08:57 So much so that they got creative with the weight of their cash.
09:00 After the aptly named director of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Tournament, Jason Fisher
09:05 became suspicious of the weights of the smaller sized fish.
09:08 He cut up the catch.
09:09 He found they had been stuffed with lead balls, fish fillets and other items.
09:17 On top of being disqualified, the duo were arrested.
09:20 Kaminsky and Runyon are also at risk of losing the chance to enjoy fishing, even just as
09:26 a pastime.
09:27 In 2023, Runyon and Kaminsky agreed to a deal to plead guilty to cheating and unlawful ownership
09:40 of an animal.
09:41 They received 10 days in jail, 6 months of probation and fined $2,500 each.
09:46 #8.
09:47 J.R. Smith
09:48 As far as cheating goes, J.R. Smith's shenanigans are perhaps the most petty yet hilarious in
09:51 sporting history.
09:52 In 2014, the NBA legend found himself in the crosshairs of the league's authority.
09:57 While playing for the New York Knicks, he was seen on TV untying the shoelaces of Sean
10:01 Marion and Greg Monroe in separate games.
10:03 While the NBA let the first one go and warned him, the second incident saw the league take
10:07 action against Smith.
10:08 In the end, he was fined $50,000 for his dastardly antics.
10:12 But after the fine, Smith retired from his lacy actions.
10:15 He confirmed he would have continued had the NBA not come down hard on him.
10:21 #7.
10:24 Mark Schlereth
10:25 There's probably never been an instance of an athlete being so defiant about their
10:28 rule-breaking.
10:29 Legendary NFL guard Mark Schlereth proudly spoke later about his cheating, describing
10:34 it as being "creative."
10:35 In 1998, Schlereth's Denver Broncos took on the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Playoffs.
10:40 However, the Chiefs struggled to hold on to some of the players, including Schlereth.
10:44 After they spoke to the ref, Schlereth was ordered off the pitch to have the slimy substance
10:47 he was coated in removed.
11:02 As it turned out, it was Vaseline.
11:04 While the Broncos went on to win the game, the slippery players involved, Brian Habib,
11:08 Gary Zimmerman, and Schlereth, were fined $5,000 each by the NFL.
11:13 #6.
11:14 Clint Boyer
11:15 The NASCAR and stock car racer Clint Boyer has had a decorated career on the track, but
11:19 he put his legend in jeopardy with some hijinks in 2013.
11:22 Near the end of the Richmond International Raceway, Boyer suddenly spun out in his vehicle.
11:26 This caused a final caution of the race.
11:28 The required pit stop changed the order, giving his Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Martin
11:33 Truex Jr. an advantage to qualify for the chase for the Sprint Cup.
11:42 While Boyer denied the allegations, the evidence of code words said over his radio suggested
12:00 it was intentional.
12:04 NASCAR investigated and docked him and the MWR drivers 50 points each and fined the team
12:09 $300,000.
12:10 #5.
12:11 George Brett
12:12 When people argue about the greatest baseball player, George Brett's name is always mentioned.
12:16 But on top of his astonishing career, he's also connected to one of the most controversial
12:20 cheating incidents in the sport.
12:22 In 1983, Brett's Kansas City Royals faced the New York Yankees.
12:26 With the Royals trailing, Brett struck a two-run home run to take the lead.
12:35 However, the Yankees questioned the amount of pine tar smeared over his bat.
12:45 The umpires investigated and found the substance covered more than the rules allowed.
12:49 As such, Brett's impressive hit was crossed off and he was called out.
13:10 However after the Royals protested, the homer was reinstated and the game was replayed 25
13:15 days later from Brett's controversial strike, which the Royals won.
13:18 #4.
13:19 Madeline and Margaret DeJesus
13:21 For everyone who's watched WWE and seen Twin Magic by Nikki and Brie Bella, it's
13:25 easy to think that this doesn't actually happen in real life.
13:40 But it has.
13:41 At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, Madeline DeJesus was set to represent
13:46 Puerto Rico in the women's 4x400 meter relay qualifier.
13:50 However, she'd gotten injured while competing in the long jump, so she asked her identical
13:54 twin sister Margaret, who was there as a spectator, to pretend to be her on the track.
13:58 And it worked.
13:59 The Puerto Rico team ended up qualifying.
14:01 However, the truth was soon discovered.
14:03 When the nation's Olympic head discovered the ruse, he pulled the racers from the final
14:06 and banned the DeJesus sisters.
14:08 #3.
14:09 Morhad Amdouni
14:10 It's one thing to cheat to give yourself an advantage, but another to negatively affect
14:14 other competitors to get ahead.
14:16 And that's what Frances Morhad Amdouni did at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
14:20 While competing in the men's marathon, Amdouni did something sneaky and petty at the 28km
14:25 mark.
14:26 When the runners approached a water table, he leaned over and knocked over a row of bottles
14:29 before grabbing the final one, essentially denying athletes behind him for cleanly getting
14:33 hydrated.
14:34 Amdouni claimed that being fatigued and the bottles being slippery after resting in ice
14:38 caused him to accidentally topple them.
14:40 But that doesn't explain the coincidence of Amdouni easily taking the last drink.
14:44 Suspicious.
14:45 #2.
14:46 Romano Finati
14:47 Some cheaters go way too far, and motorcycle racer Romano Finati is one such person.
14:52 In 2018, he competed at the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Motorcycle Grand Prix for Moto2.
14:58 While competing with fellow Italian racer Stefano Manzi, at around 120mph, Finati reached
15:03 over and pulled the brake on Manzi's bike.
15:06 This idiotic move would have resulted in serious injury had Manzi fallen.
15:09 Immediately, the black flag went up for Finati, disqualifying him from the race.
15:13 He was later banned for two races and then had his motorcycle racing license revoked
15:17 for the rest of the season.
15:19 Then Finati's team, Marinelli Snipers, fired him for his reckless actions.
15:23 However, he returned the next season in Moto3.
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15:41 #1.
15:42 Tom Brady While his work on the gridiron has gone
15:45 down in NFL lore, Tom Brady's reputation has taken a couple of knocks, with 2015 perhaps
15:50 being the most significant.
15:52 During halftime in the AFC match between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis
15:55 Colts, NFL officials checked the balls that Brady had used and discovered several were
16:00 underinflated, making it easier for the quarterback to handle.
16:03 "This is the play that led to the discovery of what is being dubbed 'deflategate'.
16:08 This second quarter play has led to many questioning the integrity of the AFC champs."
16:13 The Patriots and Brady heavily denied the allegations that they purposely let the air
16:17 out, and the 'deflategate' scandal lasted nearly two years.
16:20 "Let's do remember this fact.
16:22 They brought in properly inflated footballs in the second half, and the Patriots were
16:26 more dominant in that half than they were in the first half."
16:28 The Patriots refined $1 million and docked two draft picks, while Brady was suspended
16:33 for four games.
16:34 After appealing, winning the appeal, then having that overturned, he served the ban
16:38 in 2016.
16:39 "But now some say this punishment is sending a very clear message to the rest of the league."
16:45 What's the best piece of good sportsmanship you've ever seen on live TV?
16:48 Let us know below!
16:49 Did you enjoy this video?
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16:57 [Outro]