The real scandal was the 10-year ban she received from her own swimming bosses, although she was about to retire anyway.
4) The Aussie cricketers' sandpaper/ball tampering scandal
The digital age revved up the outrage in a way not possible decades ago.
Test rookie Cameron Bancroft was nabbed by television cameras roughing up the ball with a bit of sandpaper in South Africa during the 2018 tour.
The official culprits and/or casualties included captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner but suspicion remains to this day that others – notably some bowlers – must have known about it. The fallout has been massive.
A trans-Tasman firestorm erupted when Australian captain Greg Chappell ordered his brother Trevor to bowl an underarm delivery in Melbourne, to deny New Zealand the remote chance of hitting a last ball six to win the 1981 ODI.
The delivery was legal in those days but never used. The Aussies were condemned by one and all and Chappell's decision in the finals match will live on as the most famous act of bad sportsmanship in this part of the world.
2) Israel Folau's bigoted raves
The cross-code superstar put Australian rugby in an impossible situation a couple of years ago with bigoted Bible-linked rants which included attacking same sex marriage. He even reckoned bushfires were the work of a wrathful of God.
Fragile Australian rugby was put under huge financial stress – it's doubtful that any sport in the world has taken such a big hit from so few poorly chosen words by one of its stars.
Israel Folau of Australia. Photo / Getty Images.
1) Novak Djokovic, Covid and the Australian Open
Easily the greatest Aussie sports controversy – involving one of the biggest names in sports history, one of the world's most famous tournaments and a history-changing worldwide pandemic.
Modern controversies have a life of their own, in a way that those from the pre-digital age just can't match.
An unvaccinated Djokovic's attempt to play in the Melbourne tournament has led to vicious reactions around the world, making it an Australian sports scandal like no other.
