Rivalry consequences of fighting. However, when the competition is not enough in sports and the tensions are high fighting may ensue. Rivalries may increase motivation, lead to greater effort, and better performance. It may also contribute to greater risk taking behavior among participants, and increase a propensity for unethical behavior. These difference may lead to poor decision making on the part of groups and individuals that may not otherwise take place in the absence of a rivalry. Examples examined in the literature include the 1994 attacks by figure skater Tonya Harding against her rival Nancy Kerrigan, the admission in court by
Tonya Harding with a broken skate lace, she was given a re-skate in the long program and finished in eighth place, far behind Oksana Baiul (gold) and Nancy Kerrigan (silver). In June 1994, Claire Ferguson, the President of the U.S. Figure Skating Association, voted to strip Harding of her 1994 title. However, the competition results were not changed and the title was left vacant rather than moving all the other competitors up one position. On , one day before the U.S. Figure Skating Championship first Ladies' Singles competition, Nancy Kerrigan was attacked after a practice session at the Detroit Cobo Arena. The