6 olympics FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2012 CHINA DAILY ‘There has been a problem here’ The badminton world scrambles to avoid future scandals. Wu Ying and Tang Zhe report. mid the cacophony of athletes and coaches HOTONWEB A apologizing after eight QUOTE ME shuttlers were disqualifi ed for throwing matches at the Lon- @Ma Lin don Olympics, another sound cut ON THAT “Very harsh competition in sports, through. especially in the fi nals between “Any rules by which some teammates. Can they share the title?” It was a cry for Olympic organizers can benefi t from losing Chinese table tennis player Ma to review the badminton format that Lin on the competition between inadvertently led to the controversy in should be changed, and Chinese teammates Ding Ning and the fi rst place. Li Xiaoxia The shockwaves caused by the we should not pin all the expulsion of four doubles pairs — blame on the individuals.” @Zhang Yining including China’s top duo of Wang BAI YANSONG, CCTV news “I know that Ding Ning also plays very Xiaoli and Yu Yang — triggered a dis- anchor, commentator well!” cussion as to who was at fault: Th ose Former Olympic table tennis who broke the rules or those who “So, in the end, it could champion Zhang Yining on Ding set up a system that encouraged the mean that badminton is losing the fi nals behavior. Popular CCTV news commentator being taken off the Olym- @Denghuade Bai Yansong lashed out at pic program in 2020. “Wow! 4 million (followers) now! the rules. When something like Thank you to all the fans for the love “Before we attack our and support. It means a lot to us. own players, we should this happens, it’s not good Today is another big day for Team China — I hope you will be proud of think about what they publicity.” our eff orts against Australia.” had to face,” he said during a CCTV THOMAS LAYBOURN, Danish Chinese men’s basketball coach Olympics program. mixed doubles player Bob Donewald on the growing “Should they, knowing they’ve number of fans on his micro blog already got through to the next round, “Why would the tourna- still play with 100 percent of their ment rules people have @Guo Wenjun energy to lock an uncertain group win “Is it 8 o’clock London time? I’m still so that they can meet their compatri- (a format) like this? If not sleepy.” ots as early as possible and kill each they just had a knockout Guo Wenjun, the Chinese champion other? Are they stupid; or is something round it would all be fi ne. in women’s 10m air pistol, after wrong with their minds? returning to Beijing from London “I think the unreasonable rules are You lose, and that’s it.” the real absurdity here. Any rules by LIN DAN, China’s top men’s @ladygaga which someone can benefi t from losing player “@McKaylaMaroney i mean id should be changed, and we should not totally never be ready for 2016. the pin all the blame on the individuals.” “Th is is my last game. outfi ts alone would take 5-6 years of A netizen named Paul echoed Bai planning. oh and the training!” Goodbye BWF. Goodbye International pop icon Lady and wrote on China Daily’s website: my beloved badminton.” Gaga showed her appreciation “If the existing contest structure leads for American gymnast McKayla YU YANG, China’s shuttler to better chances by losing a match, Maronye the committee should rather re-think disqualifi ed by the BWF their contest structure!” “Th is is the fi rst time the @jtimberlake Popular portal Sina.com conducted “OK…Table tennis is an online survey of netizens’ reactions Olympics introduced the offi cially my favorite event. to the decision. As of Th ursday morn- round-robin stages, and #Olympiceventsthatshouldinvlovebeer” ing, 46.7 percent of the more than US pop star Justin Timberlake on 510,000 who responded supported I didn’t fully understand the women’s table tennis fi nal the decision, saying the Olympic spirit the new rules, so we didn’t should not be tarnished. ANDRES LEIGHTON / ASSOCIATED PRESS @usainbolt About 26.9 percent disagreed, Chinese shuttlers Yu Yang (left) and Wang Xiaoli talk at the end of their women’s doubles match against Jung go all out to compete.” “The month of ‘glory’ is upon us” believing the shuttlers didn’t break the Kyun-eun and Kim Ha-na of South Korea on Tuesday. The four players, together with another two South Korean and WANG XIAOLI, China’s shuttler Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt disqualifi ed by the BWF rules. And nearly 70,000 participants two Indonesian players, were disqualifi ed from the Games on Wednesday for intentionally losing their fi nal group on the upcoming track and field sympathized with their plight. matches in order to secure better matches in the knockout stage. events “We had injuries, we chose to make use of the rules so we gave up that reoccurrence. later, but called for Olympic organizers said. “The most important thing is of Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli on the match and we just wanted to play bet- “Th e group play has generally been to review the format. that we have dealt with the issues, and court violated the Olympic ideal and ter in the knockout stage,” Chinese a tremendous success for this tour- “Indonesia always greatly honors the done it in the interests of all the players the spirit of fair play. The Chinese shuttler Yu Yang wrote on her Ten- nament — it has created really good Olympic values and spirit, as well as in the tournament. Th ere has been a delegation feels distressed over this cent Weibo account, retweeting the matches, and a lot that we’ve never a fair game,” Indonesian Sports and very hard consequence for the eight matter.” BWF’s decision. “Th is is the fi rst time seen before,” Lund said in a news con- Youth Minister Andi Mallarangeng players, but we have 172 players and Li Yongbo, China’s badminton the Olympics introduced the round- ference announcing the decision. said in a statement posted on the Indo- we must act in the best interests of head coach, apologized for the scan- robin stages. Do you understand ath- “But we also have to be clear that nesian Badminton Association website. them all. dal on Th ursday, saying: “It’s me to letes’ injuries? Four tough years with there has been a problem here, we have “We respect the Badminton World “This will not affect the future of blame.” all those injuries, and you just disquali- to take that problem very seriously.” Federation’s decision, but we want the badminton as an Olympic sport. We Li said he and his players had not @paugasol fi ed us. You ruthlessly shattered our The eight shuttlers from China, BWF to review the competition sys- will have fabulous matches in the fol- fully understood the new format. “The book that I’m reading talks dreams. Th at’s it — not complicated South Korea, and Indonesia were tem they used.” lowing days, and medals will be dis- “We thought we’ve already gotten about adversity and leadership! I’m but unforgivable.” charged by the BWF with “not using Th e scandal put the BWF under fi re, tributed.” through the round-robin stage,” he not sure if there’s an English version Later, she said she was retiring. one’s best eff orts to win a match” and and some reports said it would jeopar- But he admitted the BWF should said. “In order to play better in the of it!” “This is my last game. Goodbye “conducting oneself in a manner that dize the sport’s place in the Olympics. review the format. following stage, we didn’t compete Spanish basketball player Pau BWF. Goodbye my beloved badmin- is clearly abusive or detrimental to the Badminton chief Thomas Lund “This needs to be a thorough with a real positive attitude.” Gasol, who spent some time reading ahead of Spain’s game ton,” she wrote. sport”. apologized for the scandal, but insisted review through our committees and against Great Britain Badminton World Federation Sec- South Korea and Indonesia the sport’s future in the Games was council through next month and year Xinhua and AFP contributed to the retary General Thomas Lund said appealed the disqualification, but secure. up to Rio 2016,” he said. story. @MichaelPhelps the event’s governing body needs to the BWF rejected the South Korean “No, I am not embarrassed. I am Th e Chinese delegation accepted Contact the writer at tangzhe@china- “Just got a pretty cool phone call on review its regulations to prevent a appeal. Indonesia withdrew its appeal very very sorry it has happened,” he the decision, saying “the behavior daily.com.cn the way to the pool from Mr. President @BarackObama !!! #USA” US swimmer Michael Phelps, who received a phone call from US President Barack Obama London entices Chinese with piece of Olympic legacy @themichaelowen “Huge respect to the Rowers. Anybody who has pushed themselves to By CECILY LIU in London Th e second, which off ers 91,000 sq businesses of all countries. Th ere is exhaustion on a Rowing Machine will [email protected] m of offi ce space, will be developed no restriction,” Brickell said. know it’s the hardest event physically.” by iCITY, a joint venture between Brickell said an “open and trans- British soccer player Michael Owen With troubles lingering in the real estate investor Delancey and data parent” bidding process would be on the rowing event eurozone and the global economy, center operator Infinity SDC.