The biggest losers of the sporting year 2016
Lies, doping, relegation, sackings. For some in the world of sports, 2016 was a year to forget, and many, but not all, had nobody but themselves to blame.
Tale spinner
For a few days in the summer it seemed that you couldn't avoid seeing this guy's picture. In September, the US Olympic Committee handed Ryan Lochte a 10-month ban for cooking up a story that he and three other US swimmers had been robbed at gunpoint in Rio. Lochte, who won gold in the 4x200-meters relay, later admitted having "over-exaggerated" in his tale about being held up after a party.
Wish granted
When Julian Draxler signed his first contract at Schalke at the age of 17, he was regarded as an outstanding prospect. However, he never really settled in after moving to Wolfsburg in the summer of 2015 and just a year after his move, he publicly demanded a transfer. Still, Paris Saint-Germain are willing to take a punt on the now 23-year-old German national team player.
Knocked out
Super-middleweight boxer Felix Sturm won his title fight against Russia's Fedor Chudinov in February, but then tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol. German prosecutors are continuing a probe against him as a law that came into force in late 2015 made doping a criminal offence. Sturm, who was born as Adnan Catic to Bosnian parents in Germany, has denied any wrongdoing.
Whistleblower
Yulia Stepanova blew the whistle on doping in Russia, helping investigators uncover what Canadian sports lawyer Richard McLaren said in his two WADA reports was an institutional doping conspiracy. Now, Stepanova lives somewhere in the United States, and despite the fact that her own doping ban had expired, she was not allowed to compete in Rio. Her conclusion: "The truth isn't worth it."
Dual relegation
May 14, 2016: VfB Stuttgart, a club who have won the Bundesliga championship three times in addition to their three German Cups are relegated for just the second time in their history. Not only that, but their reserves also got relegated - to the fourth tier. The silver lining there, was that this meant there would be local derbies against the Stuttgarter Kickers, who also got relegated.
Overcome by euphoria
In Rio, Christoph Harting succeeded his brother Robert as Olympic champion in the discus, however he may be better remembered for his behavior during the medal ceremony. He folded his arms in front of himself, whistled and grimaced. The 25-year-old, who refused to give interviews before his Rio win, told German public broadcaster ARD that the euphoria of his first major title had gone to his head.
From hero to zero
In 2015 Viktor Skripnik saved Werder Bremen from relegation to the second division. However, the problems remained, particularly in terms of the team's defense. In the moments immediately following Bremen's 4-1 loss in Mönchengladbach on Matchday 3, sporting director Frank Baumann said the Ukrainian still had his support. Skripnik was sacked on the bus ride home to northern Germany.
Lack of transparency
The big sporting organizations remained prime examples of a lack of transparency. FIFA wasn't able to resolve its problems, despite changes at the top in 2016. New allegations emerged about how Germany won the right to host the 2006 World Cup. IOC President Thomas Bach declined to ban Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics, passing the buck instead to the sporting federations.