Top Ten Celebrity Athlete Sex Scandals

Famous for their athletic prowess, these athletes have one other thing in common. Each was involved in some type of sex scandal. False allegations, bad-boy behavior and deeper social issues provide further insight into what makes these scandals so scandalous.

Wilt Chamberlain

When beloved basketball star Wilt Chamberlain's autobiography "A View from Above" came out, a hush fell across the world. Followed by major public outcry. Encyclopedia of World Biography explains that the tidbit that caused the commotion was the confession that the celebrity athlete had slept with 20,000 women during the course of his career. For some, the image they had of Wilt Chamberlain was shattered. Wilt Chamberlain passed away in October 1999.

Jack Johnson

A disgrace from another time, this celebrity athlete sex scandal involved prostitution, federal charges and racism. Noted as the first black to win the heavyweight boxing title, this scandal began when race riots followed Jack Johnson's win in 1910 against white boxer, Jim Jeffries. According to the Famous Texans website, the FBI was called in to investigate what is now known to be false charges that Jack Johnson violated the Mann Act by transporting white women across state lines for sex/prostitution. One of the women was his white girlfriend.

Jack Johnson fled the country, but later returned and carried out one year and one day of jail time in Leavenworth. Despite his return and the positive things he did while incarcerated, his career and good name were ruined. He only boxed in several exhibition matches after being released from Leavenworth. He died in a car accident in 1946.

As of the date of the publication of this article, the Mann Act (of 1910) remains 'on the books' as law.

Minnesota Vikings

December 2009, two Minnesota Vikings team members, Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian, made news when they were busted, separately, for driving at excessive speeds (109 in a 55 mph zone; 104 in a 60 mph zone, respectively). This is not the first time the team has made scandalous headlines.

An MPR article details the events of the scandal. According to the report, in October 2005, seventeen members of the professional football team were caught up in a sex scandal involving two chartered boats and multiple public sex acts. Witness accounts of the events stunned and shocked fans.

In the end, four Vikings players were charged over the incident. Only one player, Moe Williams, was found guilty of any charges. Two other players, Bryant McKinney and Fred Smoot, pled guilty to charges related to the incident. Charges against the remaining player, Daunte Culpepper, were dropped.

Tiger Woods

Multiple outlets have reported every fact and rumor related to the troubled Tiger Woods. Beloved 'golden boy' of golf, the onslaught of one scandal after another associated with him and his household tainted his image. The scandal began to unfold when in the early morning hours of November 27, 2009, he was involved in a car accident in front of his home, with his wife being reported as being at the scene with a golf club.

In the days following, reports of arguments over mistresses, almost a dozen women coming forward claiming to be among his mistresses and a blonde woman (his mother-in-law) being rushed to the hospital from his home added to the scandal and intrigue.

Later reports included rumors that the couple was relocating to an island by Sweden - and that wife, Elin, was renegotiating their prenuptial agreement.

NOTE: As of the date of the publication of this article, the Tiger Woods scandal was ongoing.

Dennis Rodman

From dressing like women to the 10-day annulled Vegas wedding to Carmen Electra, celebrity athlete Dennis Rodman has a history of scandalous headlines. Dressing as a bride and proclaiming he was marrying himself; revelations about his sexual exploits with pop icon, Madonna; and posing nude for his biography book cover are only a few of the scandalous tidbits this former Chicago Bulls basketball star has been involved in, as reported by the Times Online.

Kobe Bryant

Though the charges were later dropped when the alleged victim refused to testify, claims of rape made against basketball star Kobe Bryant made the headlines - USA Today being one outlet that reported on the scandal. Kobe issued an apology, admitting to having sex with the woman, but stating he believed it was consensual, but acknowledged that his accuser did not view it the same way. The alleged rape victim filed a civil suit against Bryant, which was later settled. USA Today reported that the terms of the settlement were undisclosed.

Oscar De La Hoya

In 2007, images were posted online of a cross-dressed Oscar De La Hoya, posing with a woman who was not his wife. The boxing champion denied the authenticity of the images, but it did not stop the scandal from growing. Hollywood Gossip was one several sources that reported the conclusion to this case. Eventually, experts verified that the images had been digitally altered - De La Hoya had been vindicated.

Boris Becker

Tennis star Boris Becker was involved in several sex scandals over the years, one of the most notable being a 1999 restaurant broom closet encounter that later resulted in a pregnancy and his initial claim that she stole his sperm to become pregnant. According to a Contact Music report, the restaurant in which the encounter took place got so much publicity due to the scandal, they welcome Becker back with open arms.

Magic Johnson

It was an announcement that changed the world. Kevin Ball of ESPN reports that on November 7, 1991, Lakers basketball star Magic Johnson not only announced that he was retiring from basketball, but he explained why. The much-loved athlete had contracted the HIV virus - attributed by him to his promiscuous lifestyle.

Though scandal ensued, much changed in regards to HIV, including the taboo being lifted to a degree in regards to talking about it. Education about the illness increased and Magic Johnson became a spokesperson for fact over fiction in regards to the virus.

Shawn Kemp

An ESP article by Kevin Ball details a variety of celebrity athlete scandlals, including one surrounding Shawn Kemp. The article relates that a 1998 Sports Illustrated article states that basketball star Shawn Kemp is father to seven out-of-wedlock children by six different women. It goes on to state that he was subject to at least one paternity suit. Though celebrity athlete sexual misconduct was becoming almost a norm at this period in time, it was still worthy of scandalous status because of the numbers and children involved.

Resources:

Jack Johnson. Famous Texans.

The Long, Colorful History of the Mann Act. Eric Weiner. NPR. March 11, 2008.

'Sex boat' allegations rock Vikings. Brandt Williams. Minnesota Public Radio. October 12, 2005.

The top 10 Dennis Rodman moments. Dave Hannigan. TimesOnline. January 8, 2006.

Wilt Chamberlain. Encyclopedia of World Biography.

Judge dismisses Bryant rape case. Tom Kenworthy and Patrick O'Driscoll. USA Today. September 1, 2004.

Kobe Bryant, accuser settle her civil lawsuit. Patrick O'Driscoll. USA Today. March 2, 2005.

Milana Dravnel Drops Defamation Lawsuit; Oscar De La Hoya Drag Photos Revealed as Fake. Free Britney. June 11, 2008.

Boris Becker - Becker Rewarded for Sex Scandal. June 8, 2005.

Wiping the smile off the face of athletes. Kevin Ball. ESPN. Updated November 10.