1. Lance Armstrong

The 7 time winner of the cycling Tour de France is among the most controversial athletes of all time. After dominating the world of cycling for almost 10 years during the 2000s, allegations of performance enhancing supplement use came to the surface, and, by 2013, the American cyclist was stripped of all his winnings.

2. Mike Tyson

A highly skilled and well-known boxer who is better known for his illegal and controversial activities, Mike Tyson is now famous for his fight against Evander Holyfield in 1997, when he bit off about an inch of his opponent's ear. Tyson was also charged and sentenced for rape a few years earlier.

3. Diego Maradona

Considered by many to be the second greatest soccer player of all time, after Brazil's Pele, Argentinian midfielder Diego Armando Maradona has also been reported to lead an extremely controversial life, having been linked to drug abuse and fighting incidents. One of his most controversial acts, however, was the illegal goal he scored with his hand in a semifinal against England at the 1986 World Cup that secured an historic win for Argentina.

4. Tonya Harding

While most of the controversial athletes were male, Tonya Harding seems to have been one of the most famous exceptions. The famous figure skating champion was constantly late for important events, was involved in knee clubbing her rival, Nancy Karrigan, and pleaded guilty to a conspiring charge in 1994.

5. Luis Suarez

A few years after Maradona retired, a lesser known Uruguayan player named Luis Suarez took the spotlight for his bad behavior. He was repeatedly banned from matches after biting his opponents, pulling their hair and racially abusing them during his career in the British Premier League.

6. Tiger Woods

Sex scandals aren't something new in sports, but when the main protagonist is the greatest golf legend who ever lived, you can expect the media to take notice. Tiger Woods' extramarital affairs have earned him a reputation that tainted his outstanding career to the point where even South Park dedicated an entire episode to parodying the controversies associated with the athlete.

7. Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds was often described as one of the best baseball players who ever lived. However, steroid scandals, his trial for perjury and allegations that he may have lied under oath overshadowed his many great performances - and kept his name from being added to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

8. Dale Earnhardt

“The Intimidator” and “The Man in Black” were only two of the nicknames associated with Dale Earnhardt, one of the most notorious athletes in NASCAR history. The racing legend's highly aggressive driving and cruel strategies actually led to the rise in NASCAR's popularity in the 1980s and 90s. He is best known for having spun out race leader Terry Labonte on the final lap of a Bristol Motor Speedway race. Labonte's car crashed into a wall, causing outrage among fans and audiences.

These are just a few of the most famous cases of athletes stirring up trouble during their careers. Have you heard of any other infamous and unbelievable acts performed by sportsmen?

Sources:
sporteology.com
cheatsheet.com
worldofcontroversies.wordpress.com