Tonya Harding’s scandal centered on an attack against fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan , who was struck in the knee by an assailant in January 1994.

What Happened?

  • On January 6, 1994, Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan was attacked after a practice session at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit.
  • The attacker, Shane Stant, hit Kerrigan on the right knee with a baton, aiming to injure her badly enough to keep her out of competition.
  • The plot was organized by Tonya Harding’s ex‑husband Jeff Gillooly and her bodyguard Shawn Eckardt, who hired Stant to carry it out.

So, in response to “who did Tonya Harding hurt?”:

  • The intended and actual victim of the scheme was Nancy Kerrigan, who suffered a knee injury but ultimately recovered and competed again.
  • Harding herself did not physically strike Kerrigan; instead, she later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution for her role in covering up the attack after the fact.

Consequences for Harding

  • Harding received three years of probation, community service, and fines after pleading guilty to hindering the investigation.
  • The U.S. Figure Skating Association banned her for life and stripped her of her 1994 national title, effectively ending her elite skating career.

Quick recap

  • Who was hurt? Nancy Kerrigan.
  • How? A planned knee attack meant to damage her skating career.
  • Tonya Harding’s role? Not the attacker, but she admitted to obstructing justice and was punished and banned from the sport.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.