2014: A year of great action and nasty scandals for world of sport

The world of sport saw some great action and some nasty scandals in 2014. We look at some of the HIGHS & LOWS...
HIGHS OF 2014
ROGER FEDERER WINS DAVIS CUP, FINALLY: Roger Federer is considered the greatest tennis player of all time and the manner in which he has collected a record 17 Grand Slams over the years proves it. However, there was one frontier he had not conquered till 2014 and that was the Davis Cup.Federer scaled this summit this year when Switzerland beat France last month to win the tournament in Lille. To make things even sweeter, it was Federer who won the reverse singles tie against Richard Gasquet to seal the deal 3-1.
DOUBLE DELIGHT: FOR 'CELTIC TIGER' Who says break-ups are bad? Atleast Rory McIlroy proved it otherwise after parting ways with Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. The Northern Irishman roared back to the World No. 1 spot winning two Majors this year after a heartbreaking 2013, where he failed to win a single title on both the USPGA and European Tours. McIlroy clinched the British Open and PGA Championship in dominating fashion prompting experts to call him the 'Celtic Tiger' - equating him with golfing superstar Tiger Woods. McIlroy's British Open title also helped his dad win a longtime bet over his friend upon his son grabbing the Claret Jug before he turns 25.
SAN ANTONIO END MIAMI'S REIGN: San Antonio Spurs snapped Miami Heat's streak of 11 straight playoff series win record besides registering a 70-point differential and 52.8% shooting from the field to end the latter's two-year reign in NBA. It was an inspiring display of teamwork and skill, relentless ball movement and dedicated defence. Having players like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in their side, it was easy for Spurs to score some big wins. Kawhi Leonard was named Finals MVP.

Roger Federer celebrates with Switzerland's captain Severin Luthi after beating France's Richard Gasquet in the Davis Cup final. (AFP Photo)
KOBE BRYANT SURPASSES MICHAEL JORDAN: When basketball superstar Kobe Bryant scored his 32,293rd point during an NBA game between Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves on December 14, he surpassed Michael Jordan's record for points and put himself in third place on the list of top-scorers. The players who lead him at the moment are Kareem AbdulJabbar (38,387 points) and Karl Malone (36,928 points). "Jordan's been such a huge part of my success and career in giving me advice. The relationship has meant everything to me," said Bryant after the game.
INDIA OPENS ITS DOORS TO SUPERSTARS: 2014 was also the year when sporting superstars descended on the subcontinent. First to make headlines was golf legend Tiger Woods, who came in February on invitation from Hero Motocorp. It was then the turn of Swiss ace Roger Federer and current World No. 1 Novak Djokovic to display their skills in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL). Other tennis legends Pat Cash, Martina Hingis and Venus Williams also regaled Indian aficionados in the Vijay Amritraj-backed Champions Tennis League (CTL).
LOWS OF 2014
LEE CHONG WEI'S DRUG BAN: Badminton fans were taken by surprise when Malaysia's World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei was provisionally suspended last month after the shuttler tested positive for the illegal anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone at the World Championships in August. The panel set up by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) will conduct an enquiry in early 2015 and the silver medallist of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics is confident he will clear his name.

Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in action against Chen Long of China during the Li-Ning BWF World Badminton Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Getty Images)
FAVOURITES RUSSIA FREEZE IN SOCHI: Russia have always been the favourites to win gold in ice hockey and there was tremendous pressure on the team to deliver as hosts for the Sochi Winter Olympics. However, the Russians had an unimpressive preliminary round which saw them play Norway in a do-or-die qualifier, only to come up trumps later. They won four games in five days thereon till their dreams of claiming gold were crushed by Finland, who defeated them 3-1 in the quarterfinal.
F1 SAFETY UNDER SPOTLIGHT: Formula One endured its most dreaded moment this October when Marussia driver Jules Bianchi suffered severe head injuries and went into coma for more than a month. Bianchi's car skidded off a wet Suzuka track during the Japanese Grand Prix and rammed into a tractor that was recovering Adrian Sutil's Sauber. Bianchi's injury brought the issue of safety under spotlight once again in F1, 20 years after Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna's death at Imola in 1994.
VETTEL FAILS TO GET GOING: While Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg went from strength to strength this year, winner of four consecutive Formula One titles with Red Bull - Sebastian Vettel - flopped in 2014. Vettel remained winless for the entire season despite pocketing the last nine races of 2013. An underperforming Renault engine and issues of reliability in the team seemed possible reasons behind the German driver's dismal show.
AUSTERITY AT INCHEON ASIAD: For long, cities hosting mega-sporting events have struggled to justify the enormous expenses they incur. So Incheon, which hosted the Asian Games this year, conducted the Games with a modest budget. However, the hosts took thriftiness to such lengths that most people concerned with the Games were left complaining about a host of issues.
NEWSMAKERS
JAMES RODRIGUEZ: Rodriguez's stunning goal for Colombia against Uruguay at the World Cup in Brazil made him an overnight sensation and this strike went a long way in helping him finish the year as Google's most searched sportsman. The striker is now showcasing his skills for Real Madrid in Spain.
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: Formula One legend Michael Schumacher hit his head on a rock while skiing in the French Alps on December 29 last year. So severe was the impact that it sent him into a medically induced coma. Schumi is making slow recovery and the last bit of information that came about his recovery was through his friend and former racing driver Philippe Streiff who recently claimed: "He is getting better but everything is relative. It's very difficult. He can't speak. Like me, he is in a wheelchair paralyzed."
JULES BIANCHI: Marussia driver Jules Bianchi (25) crashed in wet conditions into a recovery vehicle at the Japanese GP on October 5 and suffered severe head injuries. This accident once again turned the spot light on F1's safety standards. According to latest reports, Bianchi is no longer in artificial coma. "Following a challenging period of neurological intensive care, we are able to announce Jules has made an important step," his parents Philippe and Christine Bianchi said last month. Bianchi was sufficiently stable and was taken to his native France.
MICHAEL PHELPS: Swimming legend Michael Phelps was in the spotlight this year for his arrest on September 30 in Baltimore for drunken driving. The 18-time gold medallist pleaded guilty to this charge on December 19 and was handed a one-year suspended prison sentence and 18 months of supervised probation. In 2008, shortly after winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, Phelps was photographed smoking from a bong during a party at the University of South Carolina.
RAY RICE: American football star Ray Rice hit the headlines when celebrity gossip website TMZ released footage of Rice punching his wife in an Atlantic City elevator earlier this year. The blow knocked her unconscious. What outraged observers more was the NFL's decision to hand the player a two-match ban. Later, his team Baltimore Ravens terminated the running back's contract and he is now a free agent.
Text: Dhananjay Roy, Rohit Bhardwaj
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