Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed in the knee with a collapsible police baton at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, less than two months before the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. The attack was planned by two men close to rival skater Tonya Harding -- her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, and bodyguard, Shawn Eckardt. They hired a man named Shane Stant to break Kerrigan's right leg.
Kerrigan's leg was only bruised though and, through vigorous training, she was able to recover well enough to join the Olympic team and compete in Lillehammer seven weeks later. Despite her involvement in the attack, Harding managed to keep her place on the Olympic team as well. Kerrigan took home the silver medal (losing to Ukrainian Oksana Baiul). Harding finished eighth.
Weeks later, Harding entered a plea bargain for her involvement. She received three years probation, 500 hours of community service and was fined $160,000. Furthermore, she was forced to resign from the USFSA, was stripped of her title, and banned for life from participating in USFSA-run events, either as a skater or a coach. Gillooly (who later changed his name) and the other conspirators were all given prison time.
While Kerrigan went on to earn millions in endorsements, Harding has struggled to make a living and has become a staple on reality television.
READ MORE: Wikipedia (Nancy Kerrigan)
READ MORE:: Wikipedia (Tonya Harding)
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