Most athletes train their entire lives for one minute of glory. But there are those who choose a shortcut, turning the Olympics into a circus of deception. History is filled with cheats so brazen, it’s hard to believe they thought they’d get away with it.
It started back in 1904 in St. Louis, during a hellish marathon run in blistering heat. Fred Lorz, an American runner, appeared at the stadium first, looking suspiciously fresh after 26 miles of grueling terrain.
Alice Roosevelt, the President’s daughter, was already holding the laurel wreath to crown him. The crowd went wild, hailing a hero who had conquered the course with a record time. But suddenly, a spectator burst from the stands.
“He didn’t run! I saw him in a car!” the witness screamed, pointing an accusing finger at the “champion.” Fred’s face went pale as officials began asking uncomfortable questions about his pristine uniform.
It turned out that at mile nine, Fred got tired and hopped into his manager’s car. He rode in comfort for eleven miles, waving at spectators, until the car broke down just a few miles from the stadium.
The 1976 Olympics. Soviet pentathlete Boris Onishchenko was a favorite and a fencing legend. But his opponents complained that he was scoring hits faster than the human eye could physically register.
During a bout with the British team captain, something impossible happened. Onishchenko lunged, his sword clearly missing the opponent’s body by six inches, yet the electronic scoreboard light buzzed a “hit.”
The Brit ripped off his mask, shouting at the judges. The judges blamed a technical glitch, but the British team demanded an inspection of the weapon.
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