> At a Glance
> – Jan. 6, 2024 marks 30 years since Nancy Kerrigan was attacked after practice at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships
> – Tonya Harding was later banned for life from the U.S. Figure Skating Association for hindering the investigation
> – Both women have since returned to the spotlight through TV competitions and skating shows
> – Why it matters: The scandal forever altered Olympic history and both athletes’ lives; here’s how they’ve rebuilt
Three decades after the infamous knee-whack that shocked the sports world, Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding are living starkly different but equally public lives.
The 1994 Attack & Fallout
On January 6, 1994, Kerrigan was clubbed in the knee, forcing her out of the Nationals and putting her Lillehammer Olympic dream in jeopardy. Investigators soon revealed the plot was hatched by Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard Shawn Eckardt, who hired Shane Stant to carry out the assault.
Harding denied direct involvement but pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution. She received:
- 3 years probation
- 500 hours community service
- $160,000 fine
- Lifetime ban from U.S. Figure Skating Association
Nancy Kerrigan Today
Kerrigan, 54, overcame injury to win silver at the 1994 Games and was inducted into the Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004. She has since:
- Skated in touring ice shows
- Served as an Olympic TV correspondent
- Competed on Dancing with the Stars (season 24, 2017)
- Released children’s book Stronger Than She Thinks (Dec. 2023)
- Performed in Holiday Spectacular on Ice (Dec. 2025)
> Kerrigan told ABC in 2017: “My job is being with my kids after school and asking them how their day was.”
Tonya Harding’s Path Forward
Harding, 53, has faced ups and downs since the scandal:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Fox Celebrity Boxing vs. Paula Jones |
| 2008 | Told PEOPLE she feels “guilty” but must “go on living” |
| 2010 | Married Joseph Jens Price; son born 2011 |
| 2017 | I, Tonya biopic renewed public interest |
| 2018 | DWTS: Athletes; finished 3rd |
| 2019 | Won Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, donating $25,000 to St. Jude |
| 2024 | Revealed she works as a custodian for two businesses |
> Harding told ABC in 2018: “The media had me convicted… before I had even done anything at all.”
Key Takeaways
- Kerrigan and Harding both competed on televised dance shows, placing 7th and 3rd respectively
- Neither woman has reconciled; Kerrigan says she never received a “direct” apology
- Harding resumed skating with former coach Dody Teachman and posts routines online
- Both emphasize family: Kerrigan juggles three kids; Harding calls her son “a miracle”
Thirty years on, the scandal’s legacy lingers, yet both Olympic-era rivals continue carving out new chapters-on ice, on screen, and off.
