20 Of The Biggest Refereeing Blunders You’ll Ever See in a Professional Game

2. Three Seconds

Image Source: Sports on Earth

The United States is nearly unbeatable in international basketball. The men’s team suffered its first loss in a highly controversial fashion. Heading into the 1972 Olympics, the United States had won the previous seven gold medals. After rolling through its first eight games, the Soviet Union stood in its way of gold. The U.S. held a one point lead with three seconds to play. In a suspect string of events, officials put time back on the clock twice in the final seconds — giving the Soviet Union three chances to win. The Soviet Union won 50-49.