![\"Biggest](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Biggest-Olympics-Scandals-Ever.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=400%2C225&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Look Back at the Biggest Olympics Scandals Ever<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tThe Olympics may be an event that is all about athletics, but that doesn\u2019t mean that the most shocking things happen during the tournaments. Throughout the years, incidents from doping scandals to terrorist attacks have made headlines for the Olympics beyond the Games. Perhaps one of the most famous scandals came out of the 1994 [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Jim Thorpe<\/h3>\n
Thorpe made history as the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. During the 1912 games, he earned the gold for the decathlon and pentathlon.<\/p>\n
The athlete lost his Olympic titles after it was learned that he had been paid for playing two seasons of semi-professional baseball before competing in the Olympics. At the time, the Olympics had amateurism rules in place so pro athletes were forbidden from participating.<\/p>\n
Thorpe died in 1953 and 30 years later, the IOC restored his Olympic medals with replicas after the organization ruled that the decision to strip him of his medals occurred past the required 30 days.<\/p>\n
Rick DeMont<\/h3>\n
The swimmer won gold in the men\u2019s 400-meter freestyle at the 1972 Olympics. Following the race, the IOC stripped DeMont of his medal after he tested positive for traces of the banned substance ephedrine, which was present in his asthma medication. (DeMont previously declared he was taking the medication on his medical forms, but the U.S. Olympic Committee had not cleared it with the IOC\u2019s medical committee.)<\/p>\n
DeMont was subsequently barred from competing in additional events at the 1972 games.<\/p>\n\n![\"Team](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Team-USA-Athletes-Who-Have-Been-Stripped-of-Olympics-Medals-Marion-Jones-e1723487621860.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>
\n Marion Jones.<\/span> David Madison\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMarion Jones<\/h3>\n
The track star won three gold and two bronze medals at the 2000 Olympics. During the games, her ex-husband, C.J. Hunter<\/strong>, tested positive for steroids. In 2004, Hunter testified under oath that he saw Jones also inject herself with steroids at the Olympic Village. However, Jones denied the allegations as she never failed a drug test.<\/p>\nSeven years later, Jones admitted she lied to federal agents under oath about her steroid use prior to the 2000 Olympics. She pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to making false statements in two separate cases, one being the investigation of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (which was distributing steroids to athletes) and another being a check-counterfeiting scheme that involved Jones endorsing a fraudulent $25,000 check.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Jones served six months in a federal prison and was required to surrender both her U.S. and Belizean passports.<\/p>\n
Following Jones\u2019 confession, the U.S. Olympic Committee called for Jones to return her medals. The organization formally stripped Jones of her medals and banned her from 2008 games.<\/p>\n
Antonio Pettigrew and Jerome Young<\/h3>\n
Pettigrew and Young were members of the 2000 Olympics relay team who won gold. However, the duo lost their medals in 2008 after coach Trevor Graham listed Pettigrew as one of his athletes who used performance-enhancing drugs. Pettigrew admitted to using the substances and voluntarily returned his medal.<\/p>\n
Following Pettigrew\u2019s confession, Young\u2019s medal was also stripped. Young, for his part, also committed a doping offense dating in 1999. He was ultimately banned from the sport.<\/p>\n
Lance Armstrong<\/h3>\n
The legendary cyclist lost his three bronze medals from the 2000 games following his doping scandal. After years of speculation, the U.S. federal prosecutors pursued allegations against Armstrong in 2010.<\/p>\n
The case led to an investigation which lasted for two years. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) released details of their findings against Armstrong in a 200-page report. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency did not appeal the USADA\u2019s report.<\/p>\n
In 2013, the IOC ultimately requested the return of Armstrong\u2019s bronze medal. That same year, Armstrong confessed to using performance-enhancing drug and apologized.<\/p>\n\n![\"Team](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Team-USA-Athletes-Who-Have-Been-Stripped-of-Olympics-Medals-Tyler-Hamilton.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>
\n Tyler Hamilton.<\/span> Alexander Hassenstein\/Bongarts\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTyler Hamilton<\/h3>\n
The cyclist won a gold medal in the individual time trial at the 2004 Olympics. After winning, Hamilton received a positive result for doping. Since the athlete\u2019s backup testing sample was frozen, a doping offense could not be proven. Hamilton kept his medal at the time.<\/p>\n
Later that year, Hamilton tested positive again and was suspended from the sport. In 2008, he returned to the sport. However, Hamilton failed a doping test in 2009 and was banned from the sport for eight years. He subsequently retired.<\/p>\n
In 2011, Hamilton confessed that he did use banned substances throughout his competitions and returned his gold medal.<\/p>\n
Tyson Gay<\/h3>\n
The sprinter earned a silver medal in the 4\u00d7100-meter relay during the 2012 Olympics. The following year, Gay tested positive for a banned substance, and he subsequently withdrew from the world championships in Moscow. The USADA suspended him for a year and stripped him of his medal.<\/p>\n\n![\"Team](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Team-USA-Athletes-Who-Have-Been-Stripped-of-Olympics-Medals-Jordan-Chiles-e1723487645165.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>
\n Jordan Chiles.<\/span> Naomi Baker\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nJordan Chiles<\/h3>\n
At the 2024 Olympics, Chiles initially came in fifth place before Team USA asked the judges to reexamine the gymnast\u2019s score based on the level of difficulty for a specific leap. The inquiry was granted which upped Chiles to third place, knocking B\u0103rbosu down to fourth.<\/p>\n
Days later, Team Romania filed an inquiry<\/a> with the CAS about the validity of Team USA\u2019s challenge. The CAS found that the U.S.\u2019s inquiry was filed four seconds after the 1-minute deadline. Following the decision, Chiles was ultimately stripped of her medal<\/a> by the IOC.<\/p>\n\n
<\/div>\n Marion Jones.<\/span> David Madison\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Marion Jones<\/h3>\n
The track star won three gold and two bronze medals at the 2000 Olympics. During the games, her ex-husband, C.J. Hunter<\/strong>, tested positive for steroids. In 2004, Hunter testified under oath that he saw Jones also inject herself with steroids at the Olympic Village. However, Jones denied the allegations as she never failed a drug test.<\/p>\n Seven years later, Jones admitted she lied to federal agents under oath about her steroid use prior to the 2000 Olympics. She pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to making false statements in two separate cases, one being the investigation of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (which was distributing steroids to athletes) and another being a check-counterfeiting scheme that involved Jones endorsing a fraudulent $25,000 check.<\/p>\n Ultimately, Jones served six months in a federal prison and was required to surrender both her U.S. and Belizean passports.<\/p>\n Following Jones\u2019 confession, the U.S. Olympic Committee called for Jones to return her medals. The organization formally stripped Jones of her medals and banned her from 2008 games.<\/p>\n Pettigrew and Young were members of the 2000 Olympics relay team who won gold. However, the duo lost their medals in 2008 after coach Trevor Graham listed Pettigrew as one of his athletes who used performance-enhancing drugs. Pettigrew admitted to using the substances and voluntarily returned his medal.<\/p>\n Following Pettigrew\u2019s confession, Young\u2019s medal was also stripped. Young, for his part, also committed a doping offense dating in 1999. He was ultimately banned from the sport.<\/p>\n The legendary cyclist lost his three bronze medals from the 2000 games following his doping scandal. After years of speculation, the U.S. federal prosecutors pursued allegations against Armstrong in 2010.<\/p>\n The case led to an investigation which lasted for two years. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) released details of their findings against Armstrong in a 200-page report. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency did not appeal the USADA\u2019s report.<\/p>\n In 2013, the IOC ultimately requested the return of Armstrong\u2019s bronze medal. That same year, Armstrong confessed to using performance-enhancing drug and apologized.<\/p>\n The cyclist won a gold medal in the individual time trial at the 2004 Olympics. After winning, Hamilton received a positive result for doping. Since the athlete\u2019s backup testing sample was frozen, a doping offense could not be proven. Hamilton kept his medal at the time.<\/p>\n Later that year, Hamilton tested positive again and was suspended from the sport. In 2008, he returned to the sport. However, Hamilton failed a doping test in 2009 and was banned from the sport for eight years. He subsequently retired.<\/p>\n In 2011, Hamilton confessed that he did use banned substances throughout his competitions and returned his gold medal.<\/p>\n The sprinter earned a silver medal in the 4\u00d7100-meter relay during the 2012 Olympics. The following year, Gay tested positive for a banned substance, and he subsequently withdrew from the world championships in Moscow. The USADA suspended him for a year and stripped him of his medal.<\/p>\n At the 2024 Olympics, Chiles initially came in fifth place before Team USA asked the judges to reexamine the gymnast\u2019s score based on the level of difficulty for a specific leap. The inquiry was granted which upped Chiles to third place, knocking B\u0103rbosu down to fourth.<\/p>\n Days later, Team Romania filed an inquiry<\/a> with the CAS about the validity of Team USA\u2019s challenge. The CAS found that the U.S.\u2019s inquiry was filed four seconds after the 1-minute deadline. Following the decision, Chiles was ultimately stripped of her medal<\/a> by the IOC.<\/p>\nAntonio Pettigrew and Jerome Young<\/h3>\n
Lance Armstrong<\/h3>\n
<\/div>
\n Tyler Hamilton.<\/span> Alexander Hassenstein\/Bongarts\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTyler Hamilton<\/h3>\n
Tyson Gay<\/h3>\n
<\/div>
\n Jordan Chiles.<\/span> Naomi Baker\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nJordan Chiles<\/h3>\n