1. Banned For Life From Figure Skating
Tonya Harding’s story is one of spectacular athletic highs and devastating public lows, forever marked by the notorious events of 1994. Yet, life continued after the scandal, taking the former figure skater down many unexpected paths.
Following the conclusion of the criminal investigation into the attack on Nancy Kerrigan, the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) imposed a lifetime ban on Tonya Harding on June 30, 1994. Harding was stripped of her 1994 U.S. National Championship title, and her membership in the association was revoked permanently. This decision effectively ended her career in competitive and professional figure skating, as the ban prevented her from competing in or coaching any USFSA-sanctioned events. The USFSA panel found that Harding had prior knowledge of the plot to injure her rival and had significantly hindered the subsequent prosecution, despite her plea of guilty only to conspiracy to hinder prosecution. This permanent ban meant she could never return to the professional skating world that had been her life since childhood.
2. Pleaded Guilty to Felony Conspiracy
On March 16, 1994, Tonya Harding accepted a plea bargain in which she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to hinder prosecution. As part of the agreement, she avoided jail time, but received three years’ probation, was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine, and had to complete 500 hours of community service. By pleading guilty to the felony, she avoided prosecution for racketeering, which could have resulted in a significant prison sentence. Although she initially maintained her innocence regarding prior knowledge of the attack, the plea acknowledged her role in the cover-up after the fact. The conviction was the legal basis for the USFSA’s subsequent decision to ban her from figure skating for life.
3. Began a Brief Professional Boxing Career
After being ostracized from figure skating, Harding sought out a new, high-profile athletic career, turning to professional boxing in the early 2000s. Her debut was actually a televised “Celebrity Boxing” event in 2002 against Paula Jones, which she won. She then pursued a professional license, making her official pro debut in 2003. Her career was brief, lasting until 2004, and she compiled a professional record of 3 wins and 3 losses. Chronic asthma, a condition that had also affected her figure skating, was cited as a major contributing factor to her decision to retire from the sport, as the cardiovascular demands proved too challenging.
4. Attempted a Music Career in a Band
In an unusual pivot to the entertainment world, Harding attempted to launch a career as a rock musician in 1995. She formed a band called the Golden Blades, though the short-lived musical endeavor was largely unsuccessful. The band’s debut performance in Portland, Oregon, was famously marred by boos and a reported bomb threat, leading Harding to leave the stage after a very brief set. This short and tumultuous attempt at reinventing herself as a rock star highlighted her continued, albeit difficult, struggle to maintain a public profile and generate income outside of her banned athletic career.
5. Married and Had a Son
In 2010, Tonya Harding married her third husband, Joseph Jens Price, a man who reportedly worked in air-conditioning installation at the time. The couple welcomed a son, Gordon, in 2011, and Harding has since prioritized a quiet, stable family life. She has often spoken about motherhood being a life-changing and grounding experience, finally giving her a sense of normalcy and purpose away from the constant spotlight of scandal. She has since adopted the name Tonya Price in many aspects of her private life, reflecting a desire for a fresh start.
6. Sold a Sex Tape in 1994
Following the intense media frenzy of the 1994 scandal, Harding’s life became a target for those looking to profit from her notoriety, including her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly. Gillooly sold a sex tape that he and Harding had made during their marriage to a tabloid, which then circulated the highly controversial footage. This incident further sensationalized her public image and became another difficult aspect of her post-scandal life that was intensely scrutinized by the media and public alike. Harding expressed regret over the tape’s release, stating it was a private act that was exploited.
7. Appeared on the Reality TV Show ‘The Weakest Link’
Harding made several early appearances on reality television and game shows to earn money and maintain a presence in the public eye. One such appearance was on the celebrity edition of the game show The Weakest Link. Her participation in these kinds of shows highlighted her transition from a top-tier athlete to a public figure whose notoriety was now her main professional asset. These appearances often showcased her competitive nature and her willingness to engage with the media, despite the persistent focus on her past.
8. Became a Welder and Other Odd Jobs
In between her public stints, Harding worked a series of regular, non-celebrity jobs to support herself, reinforcing her blue-collar background. She worked as a deckhand on a fishing boat and, most notably, became a professional welder and house painter. This return to manual, labor-intensive work stood in stark contrast to the glamorous world of figure skating and demonstrated her perseverance in earning a living after her ban from her sport and the public shaming she endured.
9. Subject of the Critically Acclaimed Film ‘I, Tonya’
In 2017, Harding’s life story was dramatized in the dark comedy biopic, I, Tonya, which was met with critical acclaim and sparked a renewed interest in her life. The film, starring Margot Robbie as Harding and Allison Janney as her mother, presented a more sympathetic, nuanced, and complex perspective on her difficult upbringing and her side of the 1994 scandal. The movie brought Harding back into the public conversation, allowing her to attend red carpet events and participate in interviews related to the film’s release, providing a new layer to her complicated legacy.
10. Competed on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Following the success of I, Tonya, Harding was invited to compete on the 26th season of the popular reality competition, Dancing with the Stars, in 2018. The season was an all-athlete edition, allowing her to return to a competitive, athletic environment, albeit a very different one. Paired with pro dancer Sasha Farber, she placed third in the competition. Her time on the show was generally well-received, and it provided a new generation of viewers a chance to see her tenacity and vulnerability in a non-scandal-related context.
11. Won the ‘Worst Cooks in America’ Celebrity Edition
Harding continued her career in reality television by participating in and winning season 16 of Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition in 2020. She competed for her chosen charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, winning $25,000 for the cause. This victory marked another instance of Harding using her celebrity status to find success outside of figure skating and contribute to a charitable cause, showcasing a lighter, more determined side of her personality to a wide audience.
12. Publicly Reconciled with Coach Dody Teachman
Years after the professional fallout, Harding reconnected with her former figure skating coach, Dody Teachman, who had guided her to her 1991 U.S. National title. This reconciliation was a significant personal milestone, as Teachman was a pivotal figure in Harding’s competitive life before the scandal. The reunion was chronicled in later media coverage, symbolizing a degree of personal healing and a revisiting of the only world where Harding truly felt she belonged, even if she couldn’t compete professionally.
13. Subject of Multiple Documentaries
The saga of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan has been the subject of numerous documentaries over the years, demonstrating its enduring grip on popular culture. Notable examples include ESPN’s 30 for 30: The Price of Gold (2014) and the two-hour ABC News special Truth and Lies: The Tonya Harding Story. These programs continually re-examine the events, often interviewing Harding, her associates, and investigators, ensuring the scandal and its aftermath remain a recurring topic in sports history and media studies.
14. Returned to Auto Mechanics
Drawing upon skills from her childhood, Harding has periodically returned to her interest in cars and auto mechanics, which she learned from her father. In various interviews, she has mentioned working on vehicles, sometimes even as a way to earn extra money. This connection to a practical, non-glamorous trade is a consistent part of her life narrative, offering a grounding activity away from the public eye and reaffirming her working-class roots.
15. Attempted to Coach Amateur Skaters
Despite her lifetime ban from the USFSA, Harding has sought ways to engage with the sport she still loves by coaching amateur skaters informally and on a small scale. Since the ban only applies to USFSA-sanctioned events and clubs, she has sometimes offered private lessons at non-affiliated rinks. This endeavor is a testament to her technical knowledge of the sport, especially jumping, and her enduring, if complicated, passion for figure skating, even if it is far removed from the elite level.
16. Arrested Multiple Times on Minor Charges
The years immediately following the scandal were difficult for Harding, with a few run-ins with law enforcement for various minor offenses. These incidents included arrests for domestic violence and a DUI. These events were widely reported in the tabloids, further fueling the narrative of a troubled athlete struggling to cope with life outside of the structure of professional sports. She later spoke about these periods being symptomatic of her difficult transition and emotional struggles.
17. The Land Speed Record Attempt in 2009
In 2009, Tonya Harding attempted a new kind of athletic endeavor by training to become a professional land-speed racer. She worked with the Southern California Timing Association to attempt to set a record in a vintage roadster at the Bonneville Salt Flats. While she did not ultimately achieve the official record, this effort highlighted her enduring thirst for adrenaline-fueled competition and her willingness to tackle physically demanding, high-speed challenges outside her traditional sports.
18. Returned to Skating for Public Shows
Although banned from competing, Harding has participated in a few non-USFSA-affiliated ice shows and one-off public skates. These sporadic returns to the ice allowed her to perform for an audience and revisit her former athletic passion. These non-sanctioned performances served as a reminder of her technical skill and her connection to the sport that made her famous, providing a rare opportunity for fans to see her on the ice without the pressure of competition.
19. Has Lived a Private Life in Washington
After years of media scrutiny and moving around, Harding eventually settled into a relatively private life in Vancouver, Washington, with her husband and son. She has been very deliberate about protecting her family’s privacy, choosing to live a domestic life away from the constant tabloid attention that plagued her for years. This quiet existence represents a significant departure from the tumultuous celebrity and athletic competition that defined her early life.
20. Working as a Custodian in Recent Years
In recent years, Harding has worked in manual labor jobs to support her family, including taking on a role as a custodian for a corporation. This work, which she has openly discussed, is a clear sign of her commitment to a stable, blue-collar existence outside of the media machine. It shows a determined effort to lead a regular life, finding dignity in consistent, non-celebrity employment rather than relying solely on her complicated past for income.
Life after a major public scandal can take many unforeseen turns, and Tonya Harding’s journey is a compelling testament to perseverance, reinvention, and the struggle for a second chance. Yet, it ultimately reflects a deep desire for stability and peace away from the spotlight that both elevated and shattered her career.
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This story Whatever Happened to Tonya Harding After the Scandal? was first published on Daily FETCH
