<p> Four women’s doubles teams were sensationally disqualified from Olympic Games badminton on Wednesday with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) finally cracking the whip on match-throwing.<br /><br /></p>.<p>China’s World No 1 pair of Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang was among the teams to be disqualified, with the other three being Greysia Polii/ Meiliana Jauhari (Indonesia), Jung Kyung Eun/ Kim Ha Na and Ha Jung Eun/ Kim Min Jung (both S Korea).<br /><br />The players were accused of not trying to win their final group matches so as to avoid playing tougher teams in the next phase. After a disciplinary hearing, the BWF said the players were charged 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.”<br /><br />Wembley Arena, the badminton venue for the Games, had been rocked by controversy on Tuesday night, with the Chinese pair, Wang and Yang, trying desperately to lose against Korea’s Jung and Kim in their final group game. A defeat would have helped them avoid their fellow Chinese pair of Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei till the final. They repeatedly served into the net and smashed wide while the longest rally of the match lasted just four strokes. The Koreans also wanted to avoid a tougher second phase match and they too wanted to lose, but finally ended up winning 21-14, 21-11. The crowd booed and jeered them as the farce unfolded, but it didn’t end with that match.<br /><br />The other Korean pair, Ha and Kim took on Meiliana and Greysia in the next match. Aware that the winners would meet the top Chinese pair, both the teams enacted another farce, trying to lose. <br /><br />In both the matches, the referees warned the players that they will face punishment but they were unconcerned. In the second match, referee Torsten Berg of Denmark even flashed black cards, sending off the players, but later relented.<br /><br />“We were conserving our energy for the next match. We would have tried hard if it was an elimination game. This was just a group game,” said an unrepentant Yang after the match. “We will try our best to play well in the next game. That is why we were conserving energy tonight – there is an elimination match tomorrow.”<br /><br />Group play is being introduced at these Games, with the top two pairs going through to the quarterfinals in women’s doubles. Even a defeat would not have mattered for the Chinese, having already booked their place in the next round.<br /><br />The decision to disqualify the four teams drew cheer from all around while some blamed the system and the format. Chinese players have always been under a cloud, with players from other countries alleging that they routinely follow team orders to win or lose specific matches.<br /><br />“The players will do whatever they can to win a medal and if losing means a better draw, they will do it. But first blame lies on the system,” said Indian coach Pullela Gopichand.</p>
<p> Four women’s doubles teams were sensationally disqualified from Olympic Games badminton on Wednesday with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) finally cracking the whip on match-throwing.<br /><br /></p>.<p>China’s World No 1 pair of Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang was among the teams to be disqualified, with the other three being Greysia Polii/ Meiliana Jauhari (Indonesia), Jung Kyung Eun/ Kim Ha Na and Ha Jung Eun/ Kim Min Jung (both S Korea).<br /><br />The players were accused of not trying to win their final group matches so as to avoid playing tougher teams in the next phase. After a disciplinary hearing, the BWF said the players were charged 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.”<br /><br />Wembley Arena, the badminton venue for the Games, had been rocked by controversy on Tuesday night, with the Chinese pair, Wang and Yang, trying desperately to lose against Korea’s Jung and Kim in their final group game. A defeat would have helped them avoid their fellow Chinese pair of Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei till the final. They repeatedly served into the net and smashed wide while the longest rally of the match lasted just four strokes. The Koreans also wanted to avoid a tougher second phase match and they too wanted to lose, but finally ended up winning 21-14, 21-11. The crowd booed and jeered them as the farce unfolded, but it didn’t end with that match.<br /><br />The other Korean pair, Ha and Kim took on Meiliana and Greysia in the next match. Aware that the winners would meet the top Chinese pair, both the teams enacted another farce, trying to lose. <br /><br />In both the matches, the referees warned the players that they will face punishment but they were unconcerned. In the second match, referee Torsten Berg of Denmark even flashed black cards, sending off the players, but later relented.<br /><br />“We were conserving our energy for the next match. We would have tried hard if it was an elimination game. This was just a group game,” said an unrepentant Yang after the match. “We will try our best to play well in the next game. That is why we were conserving energy tonight – there is an elimination match tomorrow.”<br /><br />Group play is being introduced at these Games, with the top two pairs going through to the quarterfinals in women’s doubles. Even a defeat would not have mattered for the Chinese, having already booked their place in the next round.<br /><br />The decision to disqualify the four teams drew cheer from all around while some blamed the system and the format. Chinese players have always been under a cloud, with players from other countries alleging that they routinely follow team orders to win or lose specific matches.<br /><br />“The players will do whatever they can to win a medal and if losing means a better draw, they will do it. But first blame lies on the system,” said Indian coach Pullela Gopichand.</p>