Indonesian Double Meiliana Juahari and Greysia Polii
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) said they have disqualified four pairs, including the Indonesian team, who played last week in a round robin at the 2012 London Olympics 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.”
From Metrotvnews.com:
Controversies in Women’s Doubles Badminton
London – The audience shouted tones of disappointment during the women’s doubles badminton match held at Wembley Arena, London on Tuesday (7/31). The disappointed audience booed the match between China’s Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli and South Korea’s Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na.
The match ended in controversy as the two pairs often made mistakes, including basic faults such as hitting the shuttlecock unforced into the net. Previously, both teams were likely to advance to the quarterfinals. The winner of the group was to face Chinese pair Tian Quing and Zhaou Yunlei.
It seemed that the world top-seeded pair Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli tried to lose in order to avoid meeting their fellow nationals in the quarter-finals. In that game, the longest rally lasted only four strokes. This made referee Thorsten Berg warn the pairs.
Chinese Double Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli
The Korean pair finished the game within 23 minutes with a score of 21-14 21-11. With this result, the two Chinese pairs were thus likely to meet in the final [allowing the possibility of Chinese teams winning both the gold and silver medals]. The South Korean pair was reluctant to comment. Yu said she and Wang were conserving energy for the next round.
“Our opponents are very strong. This is the first time we play against them. Wednesday (8/1) is the elimination round. So we have now passed the qualification round and we want to conserve energy for the next round,” said Yu.
Head coach of South Korea Han Sung-Kook had a different opinion. “It’s not the Olympic spirit. How could the world’s number one pair play like that?” said Han-Kook.
South Korean Double Ha Jung-Eun and Kim Min-Jung
The next controversy occurred when second-seeded pair from South Korea Ha Jung-Eun and Kim Min-Jung met Indonesian pair Meiliana Juahari and Greysia Polii. Both partners played with the same pattern as the previous game.
Referee Berg even issued a black card, a sign of disqualification but the black card was later canceled. After protests from the Indonesian team, the match was resumed.
These two pairs also passed the qualification round already. Group C winner will meet Yu and Wang so the two pairs tried to avoid this.
South Korean Double Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na
This Korean pair ended the game with a 18-21, 21-14 and 21-12 victory. They did not share any comment after the game. Greysia Polii said to the reporters “I did not know what happened. It was just a match, we must accept all results.”
Paisan Rangsikitpho, a member of the Technical Committee of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), said he wanted “all data.” There is a possibility that BWF will investigate what had happened.
The IOC handed this matter over to the WBF. “The Badminton Federation has extensive experience in their sport and we believe that they can handle the issue properly and take the necessary actions.”
BWF then decided to punish the players because they “did not give their best efforts to win the game.” Four pairs, two from South Korea, one from China and one from Indonesia, will face disciplinary punishment.
Four pairs, two from South Korea, one from China and one from Indonesia, will face disciplinary punishment.
Comments from KASKUS:
bukanbebek1988:
When they’re back in Indonesia, just fire the coach too.
thomasfebyanto:
Wasting government money, wasting gas, wasting time, wasting energy.
ngukurjalan:
What should we do when they’re back then?
We already have a lot of losers without even pretending to lose.
anangelwings:
I’m reminded of Tiger Cup a while ago. Neither Indonesia nor Thailand wanted to win, so we made our own suicide goal.
dwiprass:
I hope there’s no conspiracy with gambling bookies.
putunembahbroto:
Hahahaha… This is my Indonesia. We corrupt sports, let alone other things. Fire the coach and the Minister of Youth and Sports. Now!!! Better to lose with respect than win by cheating. This is so lame…
taberwal:
If reviewed from the body posture, the Indonesian women’s doubles players chose the wrong sport. They should have been in weightlifting instead…
Therry:
Oh .. no wonder I lost my money …They played a fake match..
tiarchi:
This is bringing shame to Indonesia. When they’re back, just ban both the players and the coach.
Pumbaa:
Easy for you to say ban ban ban ban…
Why don’t you play at the Olympics then?
telorwedhus:
What a shame. Doing all that and still admitted of being fair? I agree to disqualify those who are not playing fair.
Aabayu:
So this is called ‘losing even before competing’ or can also be called ‘tempe’ mentality
KangPri:
If they don’t intend to compete, then just tell them to go home. What’s the point of avoiding China? In the end you’ll meet China again. :)
Bigbabe:
Just like Taufik Hidayat then. He never feared any competitor like Lin Dan although he almost and always lost at every match.
Frankmuller:
How do we know if they lost on purpose??
What if they really lost because their skills are below Korea’s. What’s the criteria?
Bancan:
What a shame. It’d be better to not go to the Olympics in the first place. I want to see what Andi, the Minister of Youth and Sports, would say.
Lonelymoon…:
Strategy my ass you piece of shit fuckkkkk!!! :D :D :D
See also:
- How Chinese netizens reacted to this news »
- 2012 London Olympic Games coverage on chinaSMACK »
- 2012 London Olympic Games coverage on koreaBANG »
