[sureLoss]

8 badminton players get expelled for tanking matches in attempts to get more favorable match ups

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/...heating-right/

The case was heard Wednesday morning, and in very short order, the Olympics were finished for world champions Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang of China, and their South Korean opponents, Jung Kyun-eun and Kim Ha-na — both sides were trying to lose that contest — as well as South Korea’s Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung and Indonesia’s Meiliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii, who responded in kind in the next match.


Basically, it was all about the world champs not wanting to finish at the top of their group so that they could avoid meeting their No. 2-ranked Chinese compatriots until the final.


The Koreans, who were already through to the next round, had their own reasons for trying to lose, and the second Korean team took up the cause against Indonesia, which then began tanking, as well.


The non-action was so flagrant, it was almost funny. But not to the crowd, not to the badminton federation and not to either the London organizing committee or the IOC. The phrase “spirit of Olympism” was tossed about a good deal, and it was pointed out by everyone from LOCOG chief Sebastien Coe to former Olympic doubles silver medallist Gail Emms from Great Britain that the minimum requirement of an Olympic competitor is his or her maximum effort.