It is fair to say that, to some people, Netflix is their lifeline. There is so much to watch on there to escape from our sometimes dull realities. Whether it’d be fantasy like Fate: The Winx Saga, science fiction like Lost in Space or a documentary on FIFA; there is something for everyone. So, what are the best sports documentaries on Netflix?
From basketball to motorsport to sporting scandals, there are documentaries truly on everything you could think of.
Bad Sport
Sport is not always glamorous. Sports can be hard especially when you take it above the sport as a hobby. Bad Sport follows different sporting scandals in the last 30 years. It follows the 1994 Arizona State University point shaving scandal. With the players from the time giving interviews, you can really see and understand what went down.
The series also deals with Randy Lanier’s motorsport scandal and how he paid for his motorsport career. Bad Sport also looks at the controversy over the judging of the 2002 Winter Olympics Pair skating competition. These are just a few out of the 10 different scandals that the series looks into.
It is a great way to understand why these scandals happened and how we could possibly prevent them from happening in the future.
See also: Winter 2022 Movies We Can’t Wait To See
FIFA Uncovered
FIFA Uncovered is possibly one of the most relevant documentaries today with the Qatar World Cup in progress. This stunning documentary follows FIFA from its early days, its creation, its organisation of World Cups. It then follows on to talking about the corruption scandal that FIFA faced in 2015.
An incredible documentary that gives an incredible insight of what it is like behind the scenes of FIFA.
The Last Dance
The Last Dance is one of those documentaries that is a must-watch. In short, we can’t talk about the best sports documentaries on Netflix and not mention it. The classic follows the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan as they soar in NBA. The series interviews some of the key players in the story like Michael Jordan himself and basketball star Scottie Pippen.
The show starts off with the early days of Michael Jordan in college and in his early NBA days. We follow the bulls on the way to dominate the sport and write their names in the legends of the sport. A beautiful documentary which will make you want to watch more NBA.
Schumacher
The name Schumacher is a household name. Not only because his son Mick was in Formula One but because he is a legend of the sport. He is a 7 times world champion, a record only Lewis Hamilton equals and has yet to beat. The documentary paints an intimate picture of the World Champion on his time in Formula One and all that he has achieved.
If you are a Formula One fan waiting for the season to pick up and don’t really know what to do than Schumacher is a great way to pass the time and learn more about the legend that is Micheal Schumacher.
Drive to Survive
Another great documentary for the fans of Formula One missing the sport during the winter break. This program follows the Formula 1 circuit as they race around the world. Netflix crews have been following the sport since the 2018 season. It’s only a matter of time before Netflix announce the release date for season 5 now that the season has wrapped.
Drive to Survive follows the drivers on the grid, the teams and the team principles as they compete in one of the most elite motor racing sport: Formula 1.
Icarus
Icarus is another of the documentaries that you must add to your list. This stunning documentary by Bryan Vogel, follows the controversy surrounding Russia’s Olympic doping program. It is so well done. It truly lifts the veil on the Kremlin’s role in state sponsored cheating.
This amazing tell-all documentary won Best Documentary feature at the 2018 Academy Awards. If that doesn’t make you want to watch, then what will? The Paris Olympics of 2024 are coming rapidly. Who knows how relevant the scandal will be in 2024.
Rising Phoenix
Everyone loves watching the Olympics. The sports, the atmosphere and the team spirit. But people often forget about the Paralympics even if they begin just after the Olympic events. Rising Phoenix sets a light on the often forgotten Paralympic athletes.
This documentary is a beacon of hope and rises awareness for Paralympic athletes. They deserve recognition just as much as any other athletes. Rising Phoenix does just that.
Athlete A
T.W: this documentary explores the abuse young gymnasts faced at the hands of Larry Nassar.
This documentary follows the gymnasts on Team USA as they recall the abuse they faced at the hands of team doctor Larry Nassar. It is an investigative documentary started by the Indiannapolis Star as they found evidence of abuse in USA Gymnastics.
It encouraged many gymnasts like Olympic medalist Aly Raisman, Madison Kocian and legend Simone Biles, to name a few, to come out about the abuse that they faced by the team doctor, and how the officials covered up the issue.
Athlete A is a beautiful documentary and an eye opener as to what happens behind closed doors.
These are the best sports documentaries on Netflix and are sure to keep you busy for months.
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