Most Disliked Athletes of 2013 Named
Forbes magazine has compiled a list of the top 10 most-disliked athletes of 2013 on Friday.
The assessment was based on public surveys from Nielsen Sports as well as market research from E-Poll, and candidates were limited to those scoring a minimum of 10 percent public awareness.
Topping the list is disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong. The former 7-time Tour de France winner was stripped of his cycling accolades after admitting to doping. The 41-year-old had long denied the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs, and his admission to Oprah Winfrey left many fans crestfallen and outraged.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Armstrong's no. 1 spot makes him the most disliked athlete in the U.S., and Nielsen reps reportedly indicated that his interview with Oprah only made him appear "pompous, arrogant, and unapologetic," according The Los Angeles Times.
Next on Forbes' is Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, who recently claimed he had been tricked by an online girlfriend. Furthermore, the person posing as the athlete's girlfriend tricked Te'o into thinking she had died of cancer.
While rumors suggested that Te'o had only pretended to fall for the online hoax in order to gain publicity during the draft, the football star did play up his heartache when the imaginary girlfriend "died of cancer."
"The story was just so creepy," Nielsen's senior vice president of sports Stephen Master explained. "And even when he knew he'd been duped he stuck with the story for a while, and he'd told people he had met the woman in person."
Also among the list of unpopular athletes is Tiger Woods. The iconic golfer remains in poor favor with the public following his divorce from Elin Nordergren over infidelity.
Likewise, Jay Cutler is also among Forbes' top ten unfavorable athletes at number four. The Bears' quarterback is perceived as standoffish to both teammates and the public, according to the magazine.
New York Yankee's third baseman Alex Rodriguez placed as America's sixth-most disliked athlete. Known as A-Rod, the MLB star is perceived as "dramatic," according to the survey's findings.
Other members on the list include NFL stars Michael Vick and Tony Romo, NASCAR driver Kurt Busche, as well as two Lakers players- Metta World Peace who came in at no. 6 and Kobe Bryant at no. 10.
