Great Sporting Mishaps - Three Centuries of Slip-Ups and Cock-Ups by Geoff Tibballs

Large format paperback in excellent, near new condition. Inscribed as a gift on fep. Published by Robson Books (2004). 282pp. Happy to combine multiple purchases.

Misfortune is never far away on the field of sport. Just when everything seems to be going to plan, the fickle finger of fate can strike without warning to turn celebration into a commiseration.

Will Carling, Roy Keane, Hansie Cronje, Mike Tyson, Glenn Hoddle, Tonya Harding and Michael Schumacher are not only known for their sporting prowess, but have all been at the centre of some of the most newsworthy scandals in history. Carling's gaffe was to refer to the executive of the Rugby Football Union as '57 old farts'; Tanya Harding was banned from skating for life after an attack on her rival; while Ferrari blatantly fixed the result of the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix when Rubens Barrichello was ordered to allow team-mate Michael Schumacher to win. Geoff Tibballs relates the most contentious and intriguing sporting scandals from the past two centuries. Including stories that have long since faded into obscurity, and others that are still debated heatedly today, he recounts tales including Bobby Moore's arrest on suspicion of stealing a bracelet in Columbia in 1970; the outrage caused to members of the All-England Tennis Club in 1949 by Gussie Moran's daring lace-trimmed panties at Wimbledon; and the 1844 Derby Winner, Running Rein, who was discovered to be a 'ringer'. At one time or another every sport has had its moment of contention - including allegations of bribery, professionalism, match-fixing drug-taking and cheating - and Great Sporting Scandals features all the most important and compelling controversies from the last three centuries of passionate and exciting sporting endeavour.