Top 10 Most Controversial Sports Figures

A footballing god who cheated with his hand, battled cocaine addiction publicly, was banned from a World Cup, and remained worshipped like a deity in Argentina until his death.

Threw a dolly through a bus window, attacked an elderly man in a pub, faced assault allegations, and somehow remained the biggest pay-per-view draw in combat sports.

A Hall of Fame running back whose double-murder trial became the most watched court case in American history — acquitted criminally, found liable civilly, forever polarizing.

The youngest heavyweight champion in history bit off Evander Holyfield's ear, served prison time for rape, and later reinvented himself as a beloved cultural figure.

The greatest female tennis player faced constant scrutiny over her body, her emotions, and her confrontations with umpires — particularly the explosive 2018 US Open final.

The Special One won everywhere he went but left scorched earth behind — eye-gouging a rival coach, feuding with his own players, and getting sacked from almost every job.

A 50-0 record, multiple domestic violence convictions, and a defensive style that made him the most skilled and most unwatchable champion in boxing simultaneously.

Three biting incidents on the pitch, a deliberate handball to deny Ghana a World Cup semi-final, racial abuse charges — yet still one of the most brilliant strikers of his generation.

A figure skating prodigy from a working-class background whose involvement in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan turned the 1994 Olympics into a media circus that still captivates.