Sports

The landmark suspensions in sports history

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was walloped with a lifetime ban from the NBA on Tuesday, mere days after the release of audio recordings on which Sterling was heard making racist comments.

Lance Armstrong, lifetime

The seven-time Tour de France champion was stripped of all his titles and banned for life for his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Black Sox, lifetime

The Chicago White Sox star and seven of his teammates were kicked out of baseball after allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, which the heavily favored Sox lost, 5-3. Jackson hit .375 and committed no errors in the series.

Pete RoseAP

Pete Rose, lifetime

The all-time hit king, like Jackson, was banned for life and prohibited from being listed on Hall of Fame ballots. Though he denied it for years, Rose eventually admitted he bet on baseball games as manager of the Reds.

Art Schlichter, lifetime

The former Colts quarterback was suspended indefinitely in 1983, reinstated, and then released again. He pleaded guilty to illegal gambling in 1987, after which commissioner Pete Rozelle refused him to re-enter the league.

George Steinbrenner, lifetime

The Yankees owner was banned in 1990 by commissioner Fay Vincent for conspiring with gambler Howie Spira to unearth “dirt” on outfielder Dave Winfield. The combustible Boss returned to manage the club in 1993.

Muhammad Ali, 3 1/2 years

Ali, the undisputed and undefeated heavyweight champion of the world in 1967, was stripped of his title and initially banned from boxing for life after refusing to be drafted into the Army.

Billy Coutu, 2 1/2 years

During the 1927 Stanley Cup Finals, Coutu started a bench-clearing brawl at the behest of Boston Bruins coach Art Ross, assaulted one referee and tackled another. The suspension was lifted in 1929, but he never played in the NHL again.

Mariano Puerta, 2 years

Puerta initially received an eight-year ban in 2005 — the longest in tennis history — after a second doping violation, which was later reduced.

Alex Rodriguez, 162 games

The Yankees third baseman was suspended for all of this season for his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs and his role in the Biogenesis scandal. Arbitration reduced the initial suspension of 211 games.

Eric Cantona, 8 months

In January 1995, the Manchester United star was sidelined after attempting to land a kung-fu style kick at a fan in the stands during a match at Crystal Palace.

Ron Artest, 73 games plus playoffs

The Pacers were title favorites at the beginning of the 2004-05 season when Artest — now Metta World Peace — charged into the stands and fought fans after being hit with a beer during a game against the Pistons, sparking the Malice at the Palace.

Latrell Sprewell, 68 games

A star guard on the Warriors, Sprewell was suspended for the duration of the 1997-98 season after choking and  threatening to kill coach P.J. Carlesimo.