Badminton players charged over 'thrown' matches

LONDON (AFP) –

The Olympic rings stand on the River Thames against the London Skyline. Eight women badminton players have been charged by the sport’s governing body with “not using one’s best efforts to win a match” after two matches at the Olympics ended in controversy.

Eight women badminton players were charged by the sport’s governing body on Wednesday with “not using one’s best efforts to win a match” after two matches at the Olympics ended in controversy.

Four pairs in the women’s doubles competition – one from China, one from Indonesia and two from South Korea – could face disciplinary action after the Badminton World Federation took action.

In scenes of confusion at Wembley Arena on Tuesday, the players in two matches were booed off court after they appeared to deliberately serve into the net, or hit the shuttlecock long or wide.

It appeared to be an attempt to manipulate the final standings in the first-round group stage with two pairs who had already qualified from the group stage jockeying to play against weaker opponents.