The Badminton World Federation announced Wednesday 8 Olympic players have been expelled from the London games for purposely trying to lose matches so they could play easier opponents. The federation said the four pairs of players are being punished for “not using one's best efforts to win a match” and “conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport.”
The matches in question were held Tuesday night. The audience booed and officials issued warnings when it became clear the teams were trying to throw games.
International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams told the Associated Press the IOC approves of the federation’s decision. ''We applaud the federation for having taken swift and decisive action,'' Adams said. ''Such behavior is incompatible with the Olympic values.''
IOC Vice President Craig Reedie also spoke out about the decision. “Sport is competitive. If you lose the competitive element, then the whole thing becomes a nonsense. You cannot allow a player to abuse the tournament like that, and not take firm action. So good on them,” he said.
Two of the teams were from South Korea and the other two were from China and Indonesia. The players have been identified as South Korea’s Jung Kyun-eun, Kim Ha-na, Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung, China’s Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang, and Indonesia’s Meiliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii.
The BWF said both South Korean teams and the Indonesian team have appealed.
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