While the BBC prepares to honour athletic heroes at its Sports Personality of the Year ceremony, a darker narrative unfolded across the global sporting landscape in 2025. From ancient board games to icy ski jumps, a series of cheating scandals has tarnished competitions, proving that the pursuit of victory sometimes overrides fair play.
High-Tech Deceit and Diplomatic Rows in Ancient Games
The serene world of Weiqi, known as Go or Baduk, was rocked by two major controversies. First, Chinese prodigy Qin Siyue, 19, was caught using AI and a hidden phone to plot her moves during the ninth round of the Chinese Team Championship in December 2024. The scandal was suppressed for months before emerging, leading to Qin being stripped of her ranking and banned for eight years.
Then, in January 2025, a diplomatic storm erupted at the Baduk world championship final. China's Ke Jie lost to Korea's Byun Sang-il after organisers introduced confusing new scoring rules mid-tournament. "I felt like I was trapped in endless darkness," a devastated Ke said, describing the episode as a "huge psychological trauma."
Fabricated Equipment and Bizarre Modifications
In Norway, where skiing is a national obsession, a scandal embroiled five ski jumpers and three officials at the Nordic World Championships in Trondheim. The group had used reinforced thread to modify the crotches of their ski suits, aiming to improve aerodynamics. The illicit modifications were exposed when suspicious organisers literally tore the suits open.
Team coach Magnus Brevig admitted: "It was a deliberate act. Therefore, it is cheating... We regret it like dogs." The scandal prompted retired jumpers to confess to past transgressions, with one stating the quiet part out loud: "The norm in sport has been that if you don't get caught, you haven't cheated."
In a vaguely related story of anatomical enhancement, Juan Bernabe, trainer of the Lazio football club eagle mascot, was fired in January for posting boastful photos online after undergoing penile prosthesis surgery.
Balls, Stones, and Broom Scandals
The World Pool Championship in Jeddah descended into farce with the outbreak of 'Waxgate'. Multiple players, including world number three Aloysius Yapp, accused opponents of using wax or silicone lubricant on the cue ball to alter its behaviour. Accusations flew, with one player complaining rivals were "massaging that cue ball like it's a just-born baby."
Despite the World Pool Association asserting that ball-waxing was cheating and would be punished under unsportsmanlike conduct rules, no public sanctions were issued in the six months following the $1m tournament.
The quaint world of British eccentric sports was not immune. After 2024's conker controversy, the World Stone Skimming Championship on Easdale Island faced its own scandal. Organisers discovered competitors had doctored stones, creating "suspiciously circular" projectiles or inserting notches for better grip. Several participants were disqualified after admitting their "transgressions."
Meanwhile, China's curling team caused consternation at the World Championship in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They were accused of "burning a rock" (deliberately touching a stone with a broom) against Norway and "kicking a stone" versus Germany. A former Canadian curler called it the "worst thing I ever seen or heard of in my 42 years in this sport." China lost their semi-final and bronze medal match.
Bites, Gouges and Spits: The Physical Fouls
On the rugby field, Axelle Berthoumieu of France earned a nomination for biting Ireland's Aoife Wafer during the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, resulting in a 12-match ban (reduced to nine on appeal).
In a separate incident, South African lock Eben Etzebeth received a 12-match ban for gouging the eye of Wales's Alex Mann. He called it a "big mistake" but insisted it was "never intentional."
Serial offender Luis Suárez made headlines again, though this time for spitting. The Inter Miami striker was banned for three matches in September for spitting at a Seattle Sounders security director after a cup final loss, blaming "a moment of much tension and frustration."
As the sporting year closes, these stories serve as a stark reminder that for every moment of celebrated glory, there often lies a shadowy tale of deception, desperation, and outright rule-breaking.
