Eight female badminton players were thrown out of the Olympics on Wednesday for trying to lose matches the day before, the Badminton World Federation announced after a disciplinary hearing.
"After a hearing this morning before the BWF’s Disciplinary Committee the following pairs were disqualified: Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang (China); Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari (Indonesia); Jung Kyung Eun and Kim Ha Na (Korea); and Ha Jung Eun and Kim Min Jung (Korea)," read a statement from the Badminton World Federation.
The players from China, South Korea and Indonesia were accused of playing to lose to face easier opponents in future matches.
How group stages may tempt athletes to throw games
The Indonesian and South Korean pairs appealed the decision, the BWF said, and a decision on their appeals is expected later on Wednesday.
The eight players concerned had all already qualified for the quarterfinals of the tournament before the final matches of the group stage on Tuesday night.
But the results of the last group matches mean the Chinese pair, Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang - ranked No. 1 in the world - avoid potentially facing another top Chinese duo until the final on Saturday.
The two lackluster contests in London angered the watching crowds.
British sports fans going into the Olympic Park on Wednesday called it "shocking" after seeing parts of the matches on television.
"It's not in the spirit of the thing," said Kevin Button, from Ashford in Kent, just outside of London.
"And it's so disappointing for the people who came to see it," his wife Tina said. "It leaves a bit of a sour taste."
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China: West being petty over swimmer
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playing badminton on a video game console should be a sport
What the hell is badminton doing in the Olympics anyway?
I was wondering the same thing, it's as bad as curling in the Winter Olympics.
It is funny that they are derided if they win too much and then derided when they lose. that is athletes in general and not just any one country. Shame for all this to happen, by the way..was the committe that handed down the punishement a set of athletic peers or a bunch of rich nothing-to-do-ers that think they know it all about sport by watching only? I am just curious.
Sure....every woman with her hair cut short is a lesbian.
Thanks for your valuable input Mr. Romney.
He didn't, did he? Wow!
If this was well within the rules, why are the teams being banned? Teams do this all the time in every sport. Tennis players even do this to avoid harder opponents in round robin matches. I did the same in high school soccer tournaments.
That's sad AND disgusting. There really is no honor anywhere, anymore. PERSONAL HONOR. All right, that's not true, there is some in some people but we're fast becoming a minor minority.
And rightly so. Cheating and trying to manipulate the rules especially in the Olympics is WRONG in every way, shape and form....
dui lian
Slower...Weaker...Lower
The new Olympic motto
Philip...why are you so anti-American?
Did someone fly a drone over your mud hut again?
Everybody should calm down. They were only kicked out because they didn't entertain the audience enough. If Olympians stopped entertaining people, than the Olympics would lose the paying audience and sponsors. That's what the Olympics is all about!
Oh yes, why they're just EVERYWHERE....downright taking over.
Another person who comes crawling to the US when their country needs help.
LOL...Phelps can't keep up because he is getting old. Stop getting all bent out of shape and throwing out assumptions that you can't back up just because the people from your country don't try their best everytime. Really? Fat jokes? Your country has so much more ammunition for jokes but I'm above that. You have a great day!
Whats the difference when a swimmer or tarck runner slows down towards the end...is teh expectation that all athletes trying 100% all the time...
I also noticed that although players from China, South Korea and Indonesia were expelled for losing on purpose, every American media is using the photos of the two Chinese player to cover the story. Along with the endless speculation of Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen's tests after tests, I smell something fishy in the way information is presented to the public. Are we in the Cold War era, or are we planning on another Cold War?