Winter Olympics: Six of the best and worst moments in the games’ history

Anyone who regards the Winter Olympics as just the chillier, smaller sibling of the Summer Games would do well to remember not only how long and how hard the athletes and their countries work to get there, but how spectacular and often bizarre the results can be.

From physical attacks to failed self-funded semi-pros to come-from-behind gold medals, almost anything can happen. As the world prepares for the spectacle of the Beijing games, here are some of the strangest moments from recent years.

There is no story in the history of the Olympics, winter or otherwise, quite like the notorious attack on Nancy Kerrigan, specifically her right thigh.

The brutal assault itself, which was carried out by an inept associate of one of Ms Harding’s acquaintances, occurred in Detroit in January 1994 at the arena where Kerrigan was practising for the US Figure Skating Championships. She ultimately recovered in time for the games in Lillehammer (the first time the winter games were held in a different year from the summer ones).

In the end, Kerrigan’s performance netted her a silver medal – defying the doomy predictions for her career after her injury, but in the process “tarnishing” her image with her perceived petulance, as The Independent wrote in 1994. “She left Norway before the closing ceremony of the Winter Games, called her own performance flawless, criticised the judging and made other less-than-gracious comments,” we said.

Harding, who would later be banned from skating over her supposed role in the attack, came in eighth after a struggle with a bootlace.

The sight of Australia winning a gold medal in speed skating was one thing, but the circumstances were quite another. Steven Bradbury spent most of his race lingering in fifth