They may win championships, MVPs, land magazine covers, and sign multimillion contracts, but as soon as an athlete makes a mistake, his or her entire career may be jeopardized. Although being an icon in society has its perks, athletes still have to deal with the same issues that ordinary people have. Fans view their favorite players as heroes, but they are quick to deem them villains on the first sign of fallibility.
“I sometimes enjoy seeing athletes involved in scandals because many of them have become very self absorbed and have separated from their roots,” said senior Rolando Benavides.
Two recent sports scandals that have dominated headlines are former cyclist Lance Armstrong’s doping admission and double amputee Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius’ murder accusation. These two athletes at once dominated their respected sports in a seemingly positive manner with their backgrounds. But Armstrong and Pistorius have fallen from grace and will now be known for their misdeeds instead of their accomplishments.
Armstrong triumphantly recovered from testicular cancer that spread to his brain and lungs and become a symbol of inspiration through his cancer organization and his return to cycling. However, in 2012 the USDA banned Armstrong from cycling for due to accusations of performance-enhancing drug use.
After many months of denial, Armstrong finally admitted to his doping in January 2013, in an exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“Armstrong was once a role model, now he is just another disappointment in the sports world,” said junior Marco Tomaselli. “He is not the first cheater in sports, and he certainly will not be the last.”
Pistorius gained notoriety in the 2012 London Olympics when he became the first double amputee to participate in an Olympic race. Although his South African team did not medal, he still inspired many who heard about his illustrious story. Just months after his Olympic triumph, on February 14, 2013, Pistorius was charged with brutally shooting and murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Now awaiting trial, the Olympic runner’s story truly exemplifies the fact that the any athlete can commit transgressions.
Many individuals in society judge athletes solely by their “godly” skills, instead of taking into account the content of their character. The fact that these professionals are constantly in the public eye puts their private lives out in the open, and it becomes difficult for onlookers to ignore their immoral actions.