Everton's point deduction explained and the other harshest punishments in sports

Everton were recently handed a 10-point deduction by the Premier League for breaching their profit and sustainability rules following losses of over £124.5m, exceeding the upper limit set by the league.

The club has been open and honest in disclosing its financial situation but ultimately poor fiscal management and terrible self-scouting led to far less incoming revenue than expected.

The club was handed their points deduction on the 17th of November, sending them to the bottom of the Premier League table. The club has now appealed against the punishment claiming, “the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted”.

Everton should still be able to rescue their season and avoid relegation given the teams around them seem below the quality needed to compete in the Premier League. However, should they finish the season in the relegation zone, this punishment could be one of the harshest punishments in sports history. Let’s take a look at some of the other contenders…

Punishments have been handed out throughout the history of sports, to both teams and individuals. Sometimes, they have such an impact the recipient is never able to recover.

Wilson had a patchy career in the NFL, skirting various drug rules and paying the price with several suspensions during his time playing for the Bengals. It was on the eve of Super Bowl XXIII that it all came crashing down as Wilson was found passed out in his hotel room, strung out on crack. Not only did he miss the biggest game in football, but he was banned for life by the NFL.

Probably the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, Ali was punished for his refusal to fight in Vietnam claiming ‘conscientious objector’ status. He was punished with a three-year ban and was also stripped of his world title belts. He faced legal punishment too but that was later overturned in by the Supreme Court.

Amir, Asif, and Butt were three key cogs in the Pakistani cricket team. That was before they conspired to spot-fix in a match against England at the famous Lord’s Cricket Ground. All three were found guilty and were banned for five, seven, and ten years respectively.

Correa was the director of scouting at the St. Louis Cardinals when he used his knowledge of the Houston Astros’ database to access private information on players the Astros’ had already scouted. Correa was banned for life by the MLB and sentenced to 46 months in prison. The Cardinals were fined $2 million and lost two draft picks.

Puerto Rican boxer, Luis Resto was banned for 15 years from the sport and sentenced to three years in prison following his bout against Billy Collins Jr.. Resto and his cornerman Panama Lewis were found to have tampered with Resto’s gloves, making them lighter than allowed. That combined with the illegal use of illegal medical plaster saw Collins suffer horrendous facial wounds and eventually lose the bout.

Sterling was the long-term owner of the Los Angeles Clippers before his mistress secretly recorded him saying a series of racist remarks. These comments included the frequent use of the ‘n-word’ and comments about Magic Johnson. Sterling was banned for life by the NBA, fined $2 million, and forced to sell the Clippers. Unfortunately, he made nearly $2 billion from the sale.

Cronje was seen as a statesman-like captain of the South African cricket team before he was found guilty of match-fixing in 2000. He had set up over 70 bank accounts in the Cayman Islands in an attempt to hide the illegal payments he received. He was banned for life from cricket and unfortunately died in a plane crash just two years later.

Southern Methodist Univeristy was a powerhouse of college football during the 70s and 80s, their success was, however, built on the back of a ‘slush fund’ that paid players in a direct breach of NCAA rules. The team was banned for a year and unable to play home games for another year. Players chose to play elsewhere in the future and the program has never recovered to its former glory.

Once an inspirational figure in the world of cycling, returning from a cancer diagnosis to win Tour de France after Tour de France during the 90s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, his success was built on a sophisticated doping program and bullying to ensure those in the know were kept silent. Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and had to pay a $5 million settlement.

Harding was one of the best figure skaters in America when she organized for her rival, Nancy Kerrigan to be injured. A group, including Harding’s husband, attacked Kerrigan, injuring her knee the day before the 1994 U.S. Championship which Harding would go on to win. Harding was found guilty after admitting she knew of the attack before it happened and was banned for life from the sport and stripped of her World title.

Eight players from the Chicago White Sox conspired to lose the 1919 World Series as part of a conspiracy involving the mob and professional gamblers. Eight members of the infamous team were banned for life and the nickname ‘Black Sox’ stuck, marking the event as one of the darkest in MLB history.