The Summer Olympics are a time of pride and joy. Representing one’s country and winning medals are the highlights of many athletes' careers and make them national heroes. Unfortunately for some other Olympians, it is a two-way street. Mess up on the world’s biggest stage and you can gain pariah status in a heartbeat. The list of Olympians who have disappointed in one way or another is lengthy and often the failures are more memorable than the winners.
From doping to poor sportsmanship to everything in between, the Summer Olympics have brought out the best and worst of the world’s greatest athletes. We collected the best of the worst and here are the 50 Biggest Fails in Summer Olympics History.
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50. Lochte Blows 4x100 Swimming Lead
49. Bring Back the Swimming Obstacle Course
48. The Judges Award Style Points
47. Tennis Player Hits Partner in Face
46. Baseball and Softball Dropped
45. Cauldron Re-Lit with Cigarette Lighter
44. Wrestler Tosses Away Bronze Medal
43. Members of US 4x400 Team Test Positive
42. Photography 101 Failure
41. "Because I'm From Russia, Not From America"
40. Stacey Augmon Loses Bronze Medal
39. No Women Allowed in First Games
38. Marathon Heartbreak
37. “Fresh as a Buttercup”
36. Underage Chinese Gymnasts
35. No Love for Slashers
34. Jewish Long Jumper Didn't Compete on Sunday, Punched Rival Who Did
33. US Men Win Bronze in Seoul
32. Greg Louganis Hits Head on Diving Board
31. The Worst Marathon Time EVER
30. The Original Marathon Cheater
29. First Loss in Three Years
28. 2008 US Softball Team Loses Final Game
27. Real Life Juwanna Men
26. Crying and Quitting the Marathon
Who: Paula Radcliffe
Olympics: Athens 2004
After setting a world record in the marathon seven months before the 2004 Games, Paula Radcliffe entered Athens as the decided favorite. Things didn't go quite to plan, however, as she dropped out of the race when she was trailing at the 23-mile mark. Some said it was because of the heat, but Radcliffe dismissed that theory by saying she felt "empty." She famously sat on the curb and cried while the other competitors finished. Hey, there's no crying in baseball running!