8. Sean Avery
In 2008, ice hockey player Sean Avery left his vile mark on the NHL when he became aware that two of his ex-girlfriends were allegedly dating fellow players. He declared: "It's become a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds." The NHL deemed the comment "not conducive" to their image. Avery received a six-game suspension.
7. Bobby Riggs
In 1973, 55-year-old Bobby Riggs, a former Wimbledon and US Open singles champion, challenged the world's best women players in singles. He beat Margaret Court in May and then, before a September meeting with Billie Jean King at the Houston Astrodome, said: "She's one of the superstars ... but she doesn't stand a chance against me, women's tennis is so far beneath men's tennis." Riggs lost 6-4 6-3 6-3. King pocketed the $100,000 prize.
6. Fuzzy Zoeller
Tiger Woods was on the receiving end again in 1997 when he won his first major, the Masters, at Augusta. Veteran Fuzzy Zoeller congratulated Woods but, remembering the incumbent champion decides the menu for the following year's Champions Dinner, told media to advise Woods not to serve "fried chicken" - a dish derogatorily associated in the United States with black people. It was Zoeller who got fried instead.
5. Darren Lockyer
The Brisbane Broncos and Kangaroos star put up a verbal bomb that he had to catch in 2004 when his sport was in damage control over Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs rape allegations at Coffs Harbour. Lockyer told a public function in Brisbane: "St George, they won 11 premierships with one Raper [the immortal Saints loose forward Johnny]. Imagine how many Canterbury will win."
4. Tony Greig
England cricket captain Tony Greig ensured West Indies' motivation to succeed in the test series of 1976 was undiminished by saying: "You must remember that the West Indians, if they get on top, are magnificent cricketers. But if they're down, they grovel, and I intend to make them grovel." Ouch. The word "grovel" had sinister connotations for West Indians, many of whom had slave ancestors. England lost the five test series 3-0.
3. Dennis Conner
The Big Boat America's Cup challenge of 1988 between Michael Fay's KZ1 monohull and America's Stars and Stripes catamaran, skippered by Dennis Conner, descended into acrimony at the final media conference. The win brought out the worst in Conner, who whined in New Zealand designer Bruce Farr's ear: "You need to get the chip off your shoulder, you're full of s***, you're a loser, get lost, get off the stage."
2. Mike Tyson
In a 2000 interview, long before his Lennox Lewis match-up two years later, Mike Tyson spoke about Lewis and expressed a desire to "eat his children". Another reference, "I want your heart", also didn't enthral organisers. It followed a chunk of Evander Holyfield's ear being found in the ring after Tyson's third round disqualification in "The Sound and the Fury" match-up of 1997, two years after his release from prison for rape.
1. Ron Atkinson
Referring to the underwhelming performance of French defender Marcel Desailly in a football match for Chelsea in 2004, former player, Manchester United manager and television pundit Ron Atkinson said: "He's what is known in some schools as a f***ing lazy, thick n**ger." Atkinson's diatribe was picked up by microphones that were meant to be switched off post-broadcast. He was sacked the next day.
