Whatever Happened to DISQUALIFYING CHEATERS?

There was a time when cheaters caught in competitions were "Disqualified," or "Suspended" from future competitions. And if a cheater won the competition they were 'Stripped" of the championship medal. So, what has changed over the years? Why is it we make so little of cheating today, letting them off the hook with a slap on the wrist? Do we expect embarrassment of being caught cheating enough to deter future cheating by them or others? 

In politics we need look no further than George Santos, an incessant lying and cheating republican Congressman from New York, who is facing possible expulsion from Congress. Better yet, how about former president trump who's been caught lying and cheating over and over, and yet continues to lie while facing conspiracy charges for promoting the "Big Lie" during and after the 2020 Election.

Here’s Every Single Lie Told by George Santos (nymag.com) 11/28/2023

We expect lying in politics, it seems to come with the territory. But sports we somehow hold to a higher standard. Sure, there's the old saying "if you ain't cheating you ain't trying," but that's a motto usually used as an excuse when caught cheating, and not as a winning motto. 

This year's sports cheating scandal has the spotlight on one of the country's darling college football programs, the Michigan Wolverines. Under coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has been caught cheating not in one game or one season, but over multiple seasons. 

“these were not isolated or haphazard incidents. The violations were pervasive, systemic, and occurred over multiple years.”   yahoo.com sports

Harbaugh was suspended for three of the final regular season games, however, he is allowed to coach in the upcoming College Football Playoffs of which Michigan currently holds the #2 ranking. I don't think a three-game suspension for gaining advantage over opponents by cheating is a fair-minded punishment. We must conclude that lucrative NCAA earnings from college football are simply too influential, causing the organization to choose profit over principle. 

One of my favorite biblical verses shows contentment with competing in life: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  This verse is not stating he won the fight or the race, but clearly states he finished the race while keeping true to his faith. In other words, more important than winning is finishing with Christian principles still intact. 

Here's a biblical breakdown on cheating by renown pastor-teacher Charles R. Swindoll,

from the book "Living the Proverbs":

Better is a little with righteousness

Than great income with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8)

In the 1980 Boston Marathon, a previously unknown amateur runner named Rosie Ruiz stunned the running world by completing the 26.2-mile race in a remarkable time, just under 2 hours and 32 minutes - then, the fastest woman's time in the race's history. She labored the last several hundred yards looking visibly fatigued, crossed the finish line, and then collapsed into the arms of race officials. The media swarmed around the unexpected winner, who acknowledged training hard on her own to prepare for the historic event.

Unfortunately, Rosie didn't run the entire course. She started, ran a portion of the first few miles, hopped a subway, waited a couple of hours, and then rejoined the race half a mile from the finish. Race officials became suspicious because of her dramatic improvement on her time in the New York Marathon (2 hours, 56 minutes, 33 seconds) just one year earlier. As it turned out, however, she hadn't run that course either. She had taken the bus.

I simply don't understand what one gains from cheating! How can anyone possibly enjoy the spoils of victory knowing he or she could - and probably would - get caught? Rosie Ruiz will always be known among runners as "the marathon cheater."

Nothing obtained by injustice will bring satisfaction. The sage declared that his honest gain, meager though it might be, gave him greater satisfaction than ill-gotten riches ever could.

note: story of a winner forgiving a cheater