The Melbourne Storm now joins a not-so-illustrious list of sporting teams that have been caught and punished for taking part in illegal activities. Of course this isn't the first time its happened in the NRL, with the Canterbury Bulldogs fined heavily and docked 37 premiership points in 2002, also for salary cap offences.

Here are a few other famous team scandals, though the annals of history are littered with plenty of examples:

1919 Chicago White Sox

The team now known as the "Black Sox" is at the heart of baseball's - and possibly US professional sport's - most infamous scandal. Eight players from the squad, including the great "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, were accused of intentionally losing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Some admitted their involvement, though all were acquitted in a court of law.

Punishment: All eight were banned from baseball for life.

1985 Tulane University basketball

Star player John "Hot Rod" Williams, two teammates and a number of Tulane students were arrested on a "point shaving" scheme, where they allegedly bet against their own team. Nothing was ever proven, but further investigation revealed cocaine dealing by players and illegal payments by coaches.

Punishment: Tulane dropped its basketball program for three years.

1986 SMU football

This is still the most severe penalty ever handed down to an athletic program at a major university in the United States. Southern Methodist University (SMU) was found guilty of multiple NCAA violations, including the utilisation of a "slush fund" that illegally paid players.

Punishment: Called the "death penalty," the NCAA cancelled SMU's entire 1987 football schedule. The school voluntarily cancelled the 1988 schedule as well, and is to this day still rebuilding the football program.

2000 Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor did an illegal and secret deal with forward Joe Smith to try and circumvent the salary cap.

Punishment: The NBA took away Minnesota's first round draft picks from the 2001-2005 drafts, and fined the club $3.5 million.

2003 Baylor University basketball

One of the most shocking scandals in sports history occurred when Baylor player Carlton Dotson murdered teammate Patrick Dennehy. That horrific act opened a can of worms at the small, Baptist university, with the head coach at the time, Dave Bliss, found guilty of breaking NCAA recruiting violations and telling players to lie to investigators.

Punishment: Baylor was put on probation for seven years, with no television exposure and no lucrative post-season play. Bliss still cannot be hired by any other college until 2015.

2009 Harlequins rugby union

The incident now called "Bloodgate" saw winger Tom Williams use fake blood to come off the ground for a tactical substitution.

Punishment: Director of rugby Dean Richards was banned for three years, the club physio for two years, and Williams got a four-month ban.