Flop makes a flap
The crowd booed as the badminton players dumped shots into the net, trying to improve their positioning for the next round. The umpire and tournament referee Torsten Berg issued warnings, imploring them to exert maximum effort.
LONDON (AP) — The crowd booed as the badminton players dumped shots into the net, trying to improve their positioning for the next round. The umpire and tournament referee Torsten Berg issued warnings, imploring them to exert maximum effort.
Badminton’s governing body finally had its say Wednesday, and it wasn’t pleased, either.
Four teams were kicked out of the women’s doubles at the London Games for trying to lose on purpose, and a couple of the sport’s top players said they were embarrassed by the whole episode
The eight doubles players from China, South Korea and Indonesia were cited by the Badminton World Federation for “conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport.”
“We have to be clear, there has been a problem here and we have to take that problem very seriously,” BWF secretary general Thomas Lund said. “There are things we can improve on and look at after this competition.”
South Korea and Indonesia appealed the disqualification, but the BWF rejected the South Korean appeal and the Indonesia challenge was withdrawn. China had accepted the federation’s earlier decision.
Host Britain picked up its first two gold medals of the games when Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won the final of the women’s pair at the rowing regatta and cyclist Bradley Wiggins took the time trial, delighting the crowd at Hampton Court Palace on the banks of the River Thames.
American Kristin Armstrong defended her title in the women’s time trial, beating Judith Arndt of Germany by more than 15 seconds to get the gold.
Venus Williams was eliminated in the singles competition at Wimbledon, losing 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) to No. 7-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany.
BASKETBALL
Angel McCoughtry scored 18 points, Tina Charles had 16 and the U.S. women beat Turkey 89-58 in a matchup of unbeaten teams.
BEACH VOLLLEYBALL
Two-time defending Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor picked up another win. But another one of their impressive streaks is over.
The Americans lost the first set of their match against Austria 21-17, the first lost set in three Olympics.
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