Ice queens' bitter feud: Nancy Kerrigan, 47, says she'll never forgive rival Tonya Harding for kneecapping her at the 1994 Olympics

  • Nancy Kerrigan is not able to forgive Tonya Harding for having her kneecapped
  • Harding arranged for her teammate and rival to be attacked at 1994 Olympics
  • Images of Kerrigan in immense pain after she had been hit shocked the world 
  • The ice-skating champion had been crippled by a baton at the end of practice 
  • In an interview on Sunday night's 60 Minutes Kerrigan is yet to let go of the event

By Fiona Connor For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

It was one of the most bitter feuds in sporting history, and former ice-skater Nancy Kerrigan says she still cannot forgive her rival Tonya Harding for kneecapping her.

At the 1994 Olympics, Kerrigan was attacked with a baton as part of a plan by Harding, her ex-husband and bodyguard, and cost the promising athlete a gold medal.

More than 20 years since images of Kerrigan in agony sent shock-waves through the sporting world, the now 47-year-old has not forgiven her former teammate.

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Memorialised as one of the most bitter feuds in sporting history Nancy Kerrigan (pictured) says she is unable to forgive Tonya Harding 

Memorialised as one of the most bitter feuds in sporting history Nancy Kerrigan (pictured) says she is unable to forgive Tonya Harding 

On January 4 1994 images of Kerrigan (pictured) in immense pain sent shock waves through the world as she tightly held her knee while fighting against the agony she was in

On January 4 1994 images of Kerrigan (pictured) in immense pain sent shock waves through the world as she tightly held her knee while fighting against the agony she was in

Initially  despite the involvement of her former partner and bodyguard, Harding denied she played a part in the incident and the pair both made the Olympic team

Initially  despite the involvement of her former partner and bodyguard, Harding denied she played a part in the incident and the pair both made the Olympic team

She told 60 Minutes on Sunday evening that she had never really spoken to Harding since the event - which left her with a bruised leg and forced her to pull out of the national championships.

'I don't think I've ever really spoken to her,' Kerrigan said. 

'She may think she has (apologised) … she has said things like, ''I'm sorry that happened to her.'' But strangers have said that to me, so yeah it's not really owning up to her part in it.' 

Harding dodged jail-time after the Olympic Games however she was smacked with a $100,000 fine after she plead guilty to standing in the way of the prosecution following the event. 

She lost her championship titles while her former husband and bodyguard were sent to prison, but Kerrigan has yet to forgive her fellow stand-out ice skater.  

Harding's involvement in the kneecapping scandal cost Kerrigan, now 47, her chance at Olympic gold

Harding's involvement in the kneecapping scandal cost Kerrigan, now 47, her chance at Olympic gold

In the attack Kerrigan was crippled by a baton, at the end of practice ahead of the American Figure Skating championships. 

'If I was hit just a little below, my kneecap would've been shattered, just a little above, the whole muscle would've been calcified,' she told Peter Stefanovic. 

Later, the ambush was ruled to have been a carefully executed plan by fellow US national figure skating Olympics teammate Tonya Harding, her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard. 

Initially however, despite the involvement of her former partner and bodyguard, Harding denied she played a part in the incident and the pair both made the Olympic team.

Their first training together following the attack was in Norway at a practice, which Kerrigan remembers was full of awkward tension. 

Later, the ambush was ruled to have been a carefully executed plan by fellow US national figure skating Olympics teammate Tonya Harding, (pictured), her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard

Later, the ambush was ruled to have been a carefully executed plan by fellow US national figure skating Olympics teammate Tonya Harding, (pictured), her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard

The biopic, I, Tonya, is expected to be released next year with Margot Robbie (pictured) starring as Harding

The biopic, I, Tonya, is expected to be released next year with Margot Robbie (pictured) starring as Harding

The pair's first training together following the attack was in Norway at a practice, which Kerrigan remembers was full of awkward tension

The pair's first training together following the attack was in Norway at a practice, which Kerrigan remembers was full of awkward tension

'... It was pretty tense, was ridiculous and that first practice you have to, you have to skate. So, I get out there and talk about distracting - 300 cameras at a practice. That never happens.'

The biopic, I, Tonya, is expected to be released next year with Margot Robbie starring as Harding.     

Kerrigan says she is unsure if she will see it, saying: 'I have already lived through it,  I feel like, so why would I need to watch it.'

She lost her championship titles while her former husband and bodyguard were sent to prison but Kerrigan has yet to forgive her fellow stand-out ice skater 

She lost her championship titles while her former husband and bodyguard were sent to prison but Kerrigan has yet to forgive her fellow stand-out ice skater 

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