This list includes sportspeople who have been convicted of serious crimes (such as felonies in the United States). It comprises both professionals and those amateurs who have competed at the highest levels.
Association football English leagues Name Team when arrested Offence Sentence Notes Jimmy GauldEverton F.C.Conspiracy to defraud4 yearsSee 1964 British betting scandal.Rick Broadbent , The Times, July 22, 2006 Peter SwanSheffield Wednesday F.C.4 monthsTony KayDavid LayneJoey BartonNewcastle United F.C.Assault, affray6 monthsManchester City F.C.Assault4 months, 2 years suspendedGeorge BestRetiredDrunk driving, assaulting police, failing to answer bail3 monthsDanny SimpsonLeicester City F.C.Assault300 hours of community service|/ Replaced with a 22:00 to 06:00 curfew for 21 daysSteve BrookerBristol City F.C.Affray28 days Released after serving 14 days.Scott Brown120 hours' community service Brooker, Brown, Orr and Partridge were convicted for the same incident where they were involved in an assault on a doorman.Bradley Orr28 daysDavid PartridgeAffray and bodily harm2 months Released after one monthMarcus BentRetiredAffray and possession of a Class A drugSuspended 12-month prison sentence, a two-month curfew and 200 hours of compulsory unpaid workEric CantonaManchester United F.C.Assault2 weeks Released after 24 hours. Later overturned in favour of 120 hours community service after appeal.Kyle DempseyBolton Wanderers F.C.Assault18 MonthsKyle Dempsey spared jail after being handed 18 months suspended prison sentence Gary CharlesRetiredDrunk drivingPrison sentence not specifiedBreach of bail conditionsPrison sentence not specifiedIllegally removed electronic tag to go on holiday, therefore breaching court conditionsAssault occasioning actual bodily harm9 months suspended, 100 hours community serviceAssault12 monthsGary CroftBlackburn Rovers F.C.Driving while disqualified, perverting the course of justice4 monthsChed EvansSheffield United F.C.Rape5 years Released on licence in October 2014; conviction quashed in April 2016 and a retrial ordered. Evans found not guilty at retrialMads TimmManchester UnitedDangerous driving12 months Convicted for street racing with a team-mate. Jack Fountain York City Conspiracy to defraud 15 months See 1964 British betting scandal.Lee HughesWest Bromwich Albion F.C.Causing death by dangerous driving6 yearsGavin GrantBradford CityMurderLife imprisonment Eligible for parole after 25 years. Cleared of a 2005 murder in 2007. Murder he was convicted of took place in May 2004, before the start of his professional career.Adam JohnsonSunderlandRapeMarlon KingBarnet F.C.Wounding 80 hours community serviceFraudulent use of vehicle licence, theftFined £280Credit card fraudCommunity rehabilitation orderGillingham F.C.Obtaining property by deception and criminal damage6 months community rehabilitation orderHandling stolen cars18 monthsReduced to 5 months on appealAssault and unprovoked attackFined £1000Watford F.C.AssaultFined £300Wigan Athletic F.C.Sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm18 monthsJamie Lawrence n/aRobbery 4 years Released after 26 monthsGary MadineCarlisle United F.C.Actual bodily harm & grievous bodily harm18 monthsGuy MadjoRetiredSexual assault yearsPeter MendhamRetiredWounding with intent5 yearsJan MølbyLiverpool F.C.Reckless driving3 monthsLuke McCormickPlymouth Argyle F.C.Driving with excess alcohol, causing death by dangerous driving7 years 4 months Eligible for parole in three-and-a-half yearsBob NewtonHartlepool UnitedCausing death by reckless driving9 monthsJermaine PennantBirmingham City F.C.Drink driving whilst banned90 daysReleased after 30 days, served rest of sentence wearing electronic tag Brian Phillips Mansfield Town Conspiracy to defraud 15 months See 1964 British betting scandal. Tom Pope Crewe Alexandra Affray 200 hours community service and 6 months suspended jail sentenceMicky QuinnPortsmouth F.C.Driving whilst banned21 daysServed 14 daysGraham RixChelsea F.C.Underage sex, indecent assault12 monthsPlaced on sex offenders' register for 10 yearsLuke RodgersShrewsbury TownAffrayFines, cautions, community serviceWas denied a US work permit and therefore was unable to sign with the New York Red Bulls due to his conviction. Paul SugrueRetiredConspiracy to commit fraudTen yearsFour other conspirators also convictedMark AizlewoodSemi-retired (manager of Carmarthen Town, former player)Six yearsPeter StoreyRetiredRunning a brothel£700 fine and 6-month suspendedCar theft2 yearsCounterfeiting3 yearsSmuggling pornographic movies28 daysDisorderly behaviour28 daysMickey ThomasWrexham F.C.Counterfeiting18 monthsStig TøftingBolton Wanderers F.C.Assault4 monthsVinnie JonesQueens Park RangersAssault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage£300 fine plus 100 hours' community service RetiredAir rage80 hours community service, fined £500Mark WardRetiredPossession of drugs with intent to supply8 yearsReleased after serving four yearsMark Ward: 'I just don't understand why today's players go near drugs' The Independent.Dennis WiseChelsea F.C.Assault3 monthsLater acquitted on appeal Nile RangerSouthend UnitedConspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering8 monthsJames TomkinsWest Ham UnitedAssault of a police officerFined £7605Reece ThompsonGuiseley A.F.C.Damaging property, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm40-month plus 10 year restraining orderServed 9 monthsKurt ZoumaWest Ham UnitedAnimal cruelty180 hours community service
Scottish leagues Name v Team when arrested Offense Sentence NotesDuncan FergusonRangers F.C.Assault 3 months Served 44 daysCraig ThomsonHeart of Midlothian F.C.Lewd libidinous and indecent behaviour£4,000 fine and sex offenders' register entry for 5 years
French leagues Name v Team when arrested Offense Sentence NotesJérôme BoatengLyonAssault 2 months
Bundesliga Name Team when arrested Offence Sentence Notes Karim Adeyemi Borussia Dortmund Illegal possession of weapons 60 daily payments of €7,500 Christoph Metzelder Retired Distribution of child pornography 10 months (suspended)
Dutch Football League Name Team when arrested Offense Sentence NotesPatrick KluivertAFC AjaxCausing death by dangerous driving240 hours community serviceGerrit KeizerAFC AjaxCaught smuggling a substantial amount of foreign currency in to the countrySix-month prison sentence, plus a fine of 30,000 guildersDavid Mendes da SilvaRetiredCocaine trafficking and bribery7 yearsRonnie StamRetiredCocaine trafficking and money laundering7 yearsQuincy PromesSpartak Moscow / United FC DubaiAggravated assault and drug trafficking (separate cases)18 months (Aggravated assault) and 6 years (drug trafficking)Arrested in Dubai in March 2024 at the request of Dutch authorities while residing in the UAE. Previously convicted in the Netherlands in absentia. He later faced extradition proceedings and was transferred to the Netherlands. the case is subject to appeal proceedings.
Brazilian Football League Name Team when arrested Offense Sentence NotesBruno Fernandes de SouzaC.R. FlamengoMurder of former girlfriend, hiding body, kidnapping22 years Released February 2017RonaldinhoRetiredPassport forgery5 months Released August 2020
Iranian leagues Name Team when arrested Offense Sentence NotesSosha MakaniPersepolis F.C.Publishing pictures that lead to the spread of corruption and prostitution in society5 days
Turkish leagues Name Team when arrested Offense Sentence NotesMert Hakan YandaşFenerbahçe SKSee 2025 Turkish football betting scandal115 daysAlassane NdaoKonyasporSee 2025 Turkish football betting scandal115 daysMetehan BaltacıGalatasaray SKSee 2025 Turkish football betting scandal115 daysÜmit KaranRetiredSee 2011 Turkish football match-fixing scandal7 months 15 daysDrug trafficking and supplyingSentenced to 12.5 years in prisonİbrahim Akınİstanbul BBSee 2011 Turkish football match-fixing scandal1 year, 6 monthsMehmet YıldızEskişehirsporSee 2011 Turkish football match-fixing scandal1 year 3 monthsGökçek VedersonBursasporSee 2011 Turkish football match-fixing scandal5 monthsKorcan ÇelikaySivassporSee 2011 Turkish football match-fixing scandalPre-trial detentionZafer BiryolRetiredMembership in a terrorist organization (FETÖ/PDY)6 years 3 monthsÖmer ÇatkıçRetiredMembership in a terrorist organization (FETÖ/PDY)2 years 1 monthBekir İrtegünRetiredMembership in a terrorist organization (FETÖ/PDY)2 years 1 monthUğur BoralRetiredMembership in a terrorist organization (FETÖ/PDY)2 years 1 month
International football Name Team when arrested Offense Sentence NotesDani AlvesBrazilSexual assault4 1⁄2 years, €150,000 fineLater overturnedGuus HiddinkRussiaTax fraud6 months suspended, €45,000 fineGodwin OkparaNigeriaRape, torture, and enslavement of his adopted daughter10 yearsHope SoloUnited StatesDriving while intoxicated30 daysShep MessingUnited StatesFederal Wire Fraud5 years probation, $2,000 fine, barred from securities industry
Spanish leagues Name Team when arrested Offence Sentence Notes Hugo Mallo Celta Vigo Sexual abuse €6,000 fine Santi Mina 4 years in prison, €50,000 fine
Australian rules football Name Offense Sentence NotesArthur BrennanBigamy12 monthsBrett CooperDrug offences5 yearsGeelong Advertiser,"Cousins lucky he had the talent" , 27 August 2010, Simon TownleyBen CousinsStalking, drug and driving offenses1 year"fox sports", David DenchFraud4 monthsMerv DihmAssault occasioning actual bodily harm3 yearsDidn't serve the full sentenceSydney Morning Herald, "Benzedrine As Cause Of Assault" , 30 March 1954. P. 4 Daniel Kerr Arson 2 years Andrew KrakouerAssault16 monthsServed his sentence at the Wooroloo Prison FarmNeville LinneyBurglary2 yearsThe Age, "Ex-Footballer Blames Trip For Crime" , 27 September 1961, p. 4Paul TilleyIntentionally causing serious injury18 months12 of the 18 months were suspendedHerald Sun, "Jail for footy punch", 19 October 2006, Shelley Hodgson
Aquatics