Olympic GDT - 1 August

[GirlySports]

Why DQ players at the biggest event in the world. How about a warning? Or I'm sure the same format has been used on the Badminton Tour or World Championships and players/teams have tanked, why not DQ them there?

The singles bracket makes sense.. 16 groups of 2 or 3 players, win the group to get to last 16. I guess nobody really cares about doubles.

So the 4 teams being DQ'd would have played each other. I really don't understand.. they were avoiding each other? I guess the #1 team wanted to avoid the #3 team in the quarters but how do the lower two teams get DQ'd?

So now the other teams get promoted. There's a Canadian team named BRUCE/LI

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Why DQ players at the biggest event in the world. How about a warning? Or I'm sure the same format has been used on the Badminton Tour or World Championships and players/teams have tanked, why not DQ them there?

The singles bracket makes sense.. 16 groups of 2 or 3 players, win the group to get to last 16. I guess nobody really cares about doubles.

So the 4 teams being DQ'd would have played each other. I really don't understand.. they were avoiding each other? I guess the #1 team wanted to avoid the #3 team in the quarters but how do the lower two teams get DQ'd?

So now the other teams get promoted. There's a Canadian team named BRUCE/LI

I didn't watch it, but did they play so bad that everyone could tell? Serves them right. No pity for the stupid.

[Senator Clay Davis]

When one of the best teams in the world misses 3 serves in a row, you know its fixed. The probably wouldn't miss 3 serves in a month.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

I didn't watch it, but did they play so bad that everyone could tell? Serves them right. No pity for the stupid.

Yes, it was beyond obvious. CTV has highlights of the last few "rallies" and both teams were missing serve after serve.

Players like that don't deserve to be in the Olympics, so I'm glad they were kicked out.

[carom]

So the weightlifting was awesome. Such a crazy sport. The Canadian Marie Beaucimen (sp?) did amazing. Her first clean and jerk was more than the final lift for all the other women she was up against. Definitely keep an eye on her in the final.

I walked right by James Harden and Kevin Durrant as i was leaving the ExCeL, they must have been going to an event.

Im at a pub now about 5 min from Wembley, going to the Gabon Korea football match. I got some photos but wont be able to upload until later tonight. Come on Gabon!

[nfotiu]

I can't really get behind that ruling. Intentionally losing a match in an effort to win the tournament just seems like strategy to me. Haven't Olympic hockey teams done this as well? Cyclists sacrifice their own race to help their teammates. How about the other sports where teams aren't playing their best players, or going easy in their heats. Is it really that different. Seems to me to just be a flaw in the tournament. From what I read it started as the two Chinese teams did not want to face each other earlier, meaning only one could get a medal I guess.

[ma-skis.com]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

So the 4 teams being DQ'd would have played each other. I really don't understand.. they were avoiding each other? I guess the #1 team wanted to avoid the #3 team in the quarters but how do the lower two teams get DQ'd?

I think with the chinese team they figured if they lost the match, the seedings would keep both chinese teams from playing each other in the semi-final based on how the knockout seeds ended up being placed. This way they wouldn't have to play each other until the final (assuming they won all the matches). that way they could make a push for a gold/silver finish.

not sure how the south korea / indo teams were doing it, maybe they were trying to avoid the chinese teams.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Ryder Hesjedal with a decent ride in the TT. I doubt he is in any sort of form right now. What a summer it could have been for him if not for that crash.

Wiggins is flying through the time trial

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by ma-skis.com

I think with the chinese team they figured if they lost the match, the seedings would keep both chinese teams from playing each other in the semi-final based on how the knockout seeds ended up being placed. This way they wouldn't have to play each other until the final (assuming they won all the matches). that way they could make a push for a gold/silver finish.

not sure how the south korea / indo teams were doing it, maybe they were trying to avoid the chinese teams.

ah it makes sense. I guess the Chinese teams wanted to lose and south korea / indonesian teams wanted to prevent the chinese teams from losing.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Why DQ players at the biggest event in the world. How about a warning?

They were warned. Repeatedly. During the matches. At one point, the head umpire made a move to disqualify one or both of the teams right then and there, but was talked out of it. They chose to make a farce out of their sport. They can now go home.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

That badminton thing is a joke. I'm glad they kicked them all out.

There is a difference between saving your best for the finals like in track, swimming, or team sports where you sit your best players, and intentionally trying to throw games to manipulate the seeding. If you want to pull up a bit against weak competition so you can save your best for last and put up your best performance against the strongest competition at the end, that's great, that's what strategy in sports is about. Thowing matches becasue you don't want to have to play your friends is a disgrace.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

They chose to make a farce out of their sport. They can now go home.

I'm inclined to agree with nfotiu. It would be stupid not to give yourself the best chance to win, which is what these athletes were trying to do. These athletes did not bust their balls to win a seeding match, they did it to win gold.

[Inglewood Jack]

there was some vicious booing at that badminton match as soon as the crowd realized what was going down. the tournament setup is partially at fault for being broken enough to encourage round robin sandbagging (maybe go back to single match elimination?), but blatantly violating the spirit of the games, as well as wasting a massive amount of spectator ticket money is atrocious. if you're going to throw matches, at least try to make it look convincing. I haven't played badminton in 15 years and I probably still wouldn't miss a serve during a game.

[Muta]

I think it's in the best interest in the sport, especially when on a visible and international level, to boot these competitors out. As a potential fan, I'd be embarrassed to watch this and would be turned off from the sport had this been allowed. I'd be even more pissed if I paid good money to go see this event.

This is not in the spirit of competition and allowing this type of match-throwing is a middle finger to the fans and the integrity of the sport, even if they think they are being strategic.

[SeoulFire]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I can't really get behind that ruling. Intentionally losing a match in an effort to win the tournament just seems like strategy to me. Haven't Olympic hockey teams done this as well? Cyclists sacrifice their own race to help their teammates. How about the other sports where teams aren't playing their best players, or going easy in their heats. Is it really that different. Seems to me to just be a flaw in the tournament. From what I read it started as the two Chinese teams did not want to face each other earlier, meaning only one could get a medal I guess.

It is a flaw in the tournament and it could be considered a strategy but from the linked article:

All eight players had been charged by the Badminton World Federation/BWF with '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'.

It clearly goes against the mandate and guidelines put forth by the governing body. Good riddance to them.

Initial seeding and knockout is needed but it does not condone the pathetic display put on by these athletes.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/videos/wat...g-scandal.html

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Addick

I'm inclined to agree with nfotiu. It would be stupid not to give yourself the best chance to win, which is what these athletes were trying to do. These athletes did not bust their balls to win a seeding match, they did it to win gold.

There is a difference between saving yourself for the next match and deliberately trying to lose. The latter is completely unforgivable from a competitive standpoint as it brings the sport into disrepute. The only things I would consider more serious as infractions are betting on your match and doping.

[GirlySports]

The women's table tennis gold medal final is on... the speed is amazing. The Chinese #2 is up 2 sets to 0 on the Chinese #1 (in yellow). Although the #1 is fighting back in the 3rd.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/videos/cha...nze-final.html

[icarus]

I think it goes against the Olympic spirit to not compete.

I think the badminton is a clear cut case, but what about what Mickael Bourgain did in the cycling road race? Again, he purposely quit the race and was only in it to fulfil a technicality that would let him compete in his favoured race. Personally, I think they should have made him finish.

http://www.reuters.com/london-olympi...ace-rule-farce

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Bradley Wiggins becomes the most decorated British Olympian with 7 medals after his victory in the TT.

Just caught up on the badminton thing. Really a shame. Badminton is one of my favorite sports and I've won my fair share of badminton events. Good on the federation for giving them the boot!

[icarus]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

The women's table tennis gold medal final is on... the speed is amazing. The Chinese #2 is up 2 sets to 0 on the Chinese #1 (in yellow). Although the #1 is fighting back in the 3rd.

So remind me why Canada isn't allowed to send two hockey teams to the winter Olympics?