The grand and tragicomic story of Fred Lortz's sports cheating at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics. There are plenty of high-profile stories of cheating in the history of the Olympic Games. After all, sometimes many people are so hungry for victory and glory that they are ready for the sake of it even to cheat and dishonest struggle. Such was the American Fred Lortz.

The American city of St. Louis hosted the Olympics in 1904. Many members of the IOC opposed the idea, but after the unsuccessful Games-1900 in Paris, they still agreed. If initially it was planned that the competitions would be held in New York or Chicago, the planned World Expo in the Missouri city put an end to the disputes.

It was a historic event, because for the first time in history the Olympics were held in America, not in Europe. At the same time, it became a problem because less than 60 athletes were able to cross the ocean. At that time, there were not many Olympic disciplines, and the most popular was considered to be the marathon. And the 1904 Olympic marathon really made history, albeit because of a scandal.

The level of organization in those days left much to be desired. In particular, several gross mistakes were made, which made it much more difficult for the marathon runners to complete the course. The route along the dusty road ran along seven hills. Farms were encountered along the way, and one athlete, for example, was even chased by local dogs. And all this in 30-degree heat. It's hard to imagine such a thing now. There was a watering hole in the middle of the route, and the coaches, of course, tried to help their charges in every possible way. But still, less than half of the 32 runners who started finished the race.

American Frederick Lortz was the first to finish the race. The tribunes gave the winner a standing ovation and the daughter of the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, presented him with a well-deserved prize. Another American, Thomas Hicks, crossed the finish line second, but only after 20 minutes.

Lortz was smiling and happy to accept congratulations. The celebrations went on until a catch was discovered. Eyewitnesses reported that Fred cheated by using automobile transportation.

In fact, Lorz ran only a third of the distance (about 14 kilometers), and leg cramps prevented him from continuing. Dehydration also complicated the situation. He was picked up by a local man passing by in a car (according to another version - his manager). But the car broke down after a while, so he had to get to the finish line by himself, and Lortz rested during the ride. The crowd mistook the cheating athlete for the winner. But soon the truth was revealed.

After the revelation, Lortz hurriedly hid in the crowd. However, he soon apologized, calling his actions a joke. Hicks was named the winner. However, the distance of 42 kilometers also gave him a hard time. Closer to the finish line, the athlete's well-being deteriorated, requiring medical attention. His coach gave the runner an injection. In addition, he drank a mixture of strychnine (rat poison) and raw eggs. What's more, he was drinking brandy. Today, WADA would probably disqualify this athlete. But it was such actions that helped him save his life and led to Olympic gold in the 1904 marathon. By the way, these competitions were the last for him. Hicks decided to end his sports career.

After a high-profile scandal, the American Athletic Union decided to expel the cheater. But Lortz did not want to give up his favorite business, fought for permission to perform. At first, the appeal was rejected. However, Fred achieved his goal. The very next year Fred took part in the Boston Marathon - one of the most popular and prestigious races in the world. Moreover, he won the race - he ran the distance in 2:38.25.

Also on his account of participation in other prestigious marathons. In Chicago, he finished fourth, and was also second in the Yonkers Marathon. Lortz died at the age of 29 from pneumonia.