From India-Pakistan to Hamilton-Rosberg saga, 5 famous incidents when sportsmen refused to shake hands
From India-Pakistan to Hamilton-Rosberg saga, here is a look at five famous incidents when sportsmen refused to shake hands. The list of controversies also includes Maxi Lopez and Mauro Icardi saga when the latter married the former’s wife.
1. India vs Pakistan (Asia Cup 2025)
Just months after the Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Kashmir, Suryakumar Yadav’s Indian cricket side faced Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup. With outrage on top, the Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistani players after the match on 14 Sep 2025.
2. Lewis Hamilton-Nico Rosberg (Monaco GP 2016)
In 2016, Nico Rosberg regained the lead in the Formula One world championship with his second win of the season. But a clearly upset Lewis Hamilton was convinced that Rosberg should have been penalised for the incident, which led to the German winning a crucial pole position in the Monaco GP. Despite finishing one-two, neither driver offered to shake hands on the podium.
3. Victoria Azarenka-Elina Svitolina (Wimbledon 2023)
Belarusian Victoria Azarenka was booed off by the crowd inside Court 1 at Wimbledon because she did not shake hands with her opponent, Elina Svitolina. Svitolina, who is Ukrainian, had previously refused to shake hands with any Russian or Belarusian players since the nations launched an invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
4. Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra (2012)
Luis Suarez's second game back after an eight-match ban for alleged racial abuse on Patrice Evra was an away game at Manchester United on 11 Feb 2012. Suarez caused controversy from the start by refusing to shake hands with Patrice Evra before kick-off. At half-time, Suarez viciously struck the ball at the Manchester United dugout and there was said to be a scuffle between the two sides in the tunnel during the break.
5. Maxi Lopez-Mauro Icardi (2016)
In 2016, Sampdoria striker Maxi Lopez pointedly refused to shake the hand of Inter forward Mauro Icardi prior to their clash in Serie A. The two were teammates last season when Icardi played for Sampdoria, but were driven apart by a romantic controversy that has occupied Italy’s gossip columns for months. Icardi married Lopez’s wife, Wanda Nara, causing the controversy to take centre stage in Serie A.
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