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The most famous forfeits in sports history

The most famous forfeits in sports history

The history of forfeits in sports features plenty of memorable events and scandals. The following gallery features the most famous forfeits.

 

2011: Syracuse Men's Basketball

2011: Syracuse Men's Basketball
Marc Squire / Getty Images

Head coach Jim Boeheim's team vacated 34 games in 2011 and 108 total wins from 2000-12 due to "lack of institutional control." This included improper benefits, academic misconduct, and failure to enforce the school's drug policy.

 

2010: Ohio State Football

2010: Ohio State Football
Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

The Buckeyes had to vacate all 12 wins in 2010 due to improper benefits and a subsequent suspension in 2011 involving starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The issue eventually cost head coach Jim Tressel his job.

 

2008-09: North Carolina Football

2008-09: North Carolina Football
Grant Halverson / Getty Images

The Tar Heels vacated their entire 2008 and 2009 seasons following allegations of academic fraud and improper benefits. Head coach Butch Davis was fired after the NCAA's findings.

 

2008: Memphis Men's Basketball

2008: Memphis Men's Basketball
Joe Murphy / Getty Images

Head coach John Calipari had to vacate a Final Four appearance for the second time in 2008, and it was also the second Final Four vacated by Memphis in their history. The Tigers lost the National Championship against Kansas and officially had a 0-1 record during the second due to star Derrick Rose's infractions.

 

2006-07: Florida State Football

2006-07: Florida State Football
Marc Serota / Getty Images

Wins from 2006 and 2007 were vacated by the Seminoles for an academic cheating scandal. Head coach Bobby Bowden lost 12 wins from his record.

 

2005-07: Alabama Football

2005-07: Alabama Football
Chris Graythen / Getty Images

The Crimson Tide vacated 21 wins from 2005-07 under head coaches Mike Shula and Nick Saban after students improperly obtained textbooks.

 

2005: Reggie Bush forfeits Heisman Trophy

2005: Reggie Bush forfeits Heisman Trophy
Michael Cohen / WireImage

USC running back Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy in 2005. After it was discovered that he accepted money from a sports marketer, Bush voluntarily forfeited the award.

 

2004-05: USC Football

2004-05: USC Football
Steve Grayson / WireImage

The Trojans were forced to vacate their 2004 BCS National Championship after star running back Reggie Bush was ruled ineligible for receiving extra benefits from a sports marketer. The team also vacated all 12 wins in their 2005 season that ended in a BCS Title Game loss to Texas.

 

2000: Marion Jones forfeits Olympic medals

2000: Marion Jones forfeits Olympic medals
Phil Walter / Getty Images

Named in the BALCO steroids scandal, Jones pled guilty to lying to federal prosecutors several years after she won three gold and two bronze medals in the 2000 Summer Olympics. The track and field star was sentenced to six months in jail.

 

1999-2005: Lance Armstrong forfeits Tour de France titles

1999-2005: Lance Armstrong forfeits Tour de France titles
Doug Pensinger / Getty Images

Armstrong's doping scandal was arguably the most publicized in United States sports history. The cancer survivor won seven consecutive Tour de France titles, but was later forced to forfeit them, along with one Olympic gold medal.

 

1999: Ohio State Men's Basketball

1999: Ohio State Men's Basketball
Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images

The Buckeyes advanced to the National Semifinal in 1999, but their 1999-2002 seasons were wiped out after it was found that Aleksander Radojevic was given money to play for the team.

 

1997: Minnesota Men's Basketball

1997: Minnesota Men's Basketball
Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

An academic scandal at Minnesota caused the Golden Gophers to vacate the 1997 NCAA Tournament appearance in which they advanced to the National Semifinal along with all games played from 1993-94 and 1998-99

 

1996: UMass Men's Basketball

1996: UMass Men's Basketball
Boston Globe

Head coach John Calipari and star Marcus Camby led the Minutemen to the National Semifinal in 1996, but the five tournament games were later vacated after Camby was found to have accepted gifts from sports agents.

 

1993: Michigan Wolverines Men's Basketball

1993: Michigan Wolverines Men's Basketball
Mitchell Layton / Getty Images

The Wolverines had the college basketball world abuzz in the 1992-93 season after starting five freshman known as the Fab Five. The team advanced to the NCAA Tournament Final, losing to North Carolina. The squad was later forced to vacate their entire season, as well as two tournament games from the previous year, after it was uncovered that a booster paid several players.

 

1988: Ben Johnson forfeits gold medal

1988: Ben Johnson forfeits gold medal
Tony Duffy / Getty Images

Johnson won the gold medal and broke the world record in the 100-meter sprint during the 1988 Summer Olympics. However, he tested positive for stanozolol and was stripped of the gold and world record.

 

1985: Memphis Men's Basketball

1985: Memphis Men's Basketball
Collegiate Images

The Tigers lost in the NCAA Tournament National Semifinal, but year's tournament appearance along with three more tournament appearances were vacated due to star Keith Lee's NCAA violations.

 

1980: UCLA Men's Basketball

1980: UCLA Men's Basketball
Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Images

The Bruins lost to Louisville in the 1980 National Championship under head coach Larry Brown. However, their six tournament games were vacated after players Kiki Vandeweghe and Rod Foster were found to have received money from a booster.

 

1971: Villanova Men's Basketball

1971: Villanova Men's Basketball
Sam C. Pierson Jr. / Houston Chronicle

Nova star Howard Porter signed a contract in the ABA prior to the Wildcats advancing to the Final Four, resulting in the team's four tournament wins and one loss being vacated.

 

1971: Western Kentucky Men's Basketball

1971: Western Kentucky Men's Basketball
College Heights Herald

Western Kentucky finished third place in the NCAA Tournament, but the result was vacated as star Jim McDaniels was found to have signed a professional contract and accepted money during the season.

 

1967: Muhammad Ali stripped of heavyweight championship

1967: Muhammad Ali stripped of heavyweight championship
Bettmann

Ali was stripped of the WBO heavyweight championship and banned from boxing in 1967 after refusing to fight in Vietnam. He would win back the title by beating George Foreman in 1974.

 

1961: St. Joseph's Men's Basketball

1961: St. Joseph's Men's Basketball
Bettmann

Head coach Jack Ramsey's team finished third place in the NCAA Tournament, but all four of their tournament games were wiped off the books after an NCAA investigation involving impermissible benefits from gambling.

Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.

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