Five incidences as examples that sports personalities were violated
1. Nancy Kerrigan: In 1994, American figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by a man who was hired by the ex-husband of her rival, Tonya Harding. Kerrigan was hit in the leg with a metal baton and had to withdraw from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. She later went on to win a silver medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
2. Monica Seles: In 1993, tennis player Monica Seles was stabbed by a fan during a match in Hamburg, Germany. The attacker, who was a fan of Seles' rival, Steffi Graf, stabbed Seles in the back. She was out of action for over two years following the incident.
3. Eduardo Nájera: In 2002, Mexican basketball player Eduardo Nájera was racially abused by fans during a game between his team, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Nájera, who is of Mexican descent, was called a "beaner" and a "wetback" by fans in the stands.
4. Colin Kaepernick: In 2016, American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick was subjected to criticism and backlash for kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest against racial inequality and police brutality. Some fans and commentators accused him of being unpatriotic and disrespectful to the flag.
5. Caster Semenya: South African middle-distance runner Caster Semenya has been subjected to scrutiny and discrimination due to her naturally high levels of testosterone. She was forced to undergo gender testing in 2009 and has been the subject of ongoing controversy regarding her eligibility to compete in women's events.