What was the penalty for cheating at the ancient Olympics?

Cheating was punished very severely. In the ancient Summer Games, there were rules for every game contested for. Those, who cheated or violated the rules, were disqualified from the contest. Along with the contestant, the trainer and the sponsoring city-state were also fined. Cheaters could be punished by whipping or fines. The money from these fines was used to construct bronze statues of Zeus. These statues were placed along the tunnel that leads to the stadium. Each statue's inscription told the cautionary tale of the offense. The athletes walked past these statues as a reminder of the importance of obeying the rules.