2012-08-01, 05:53 PM
This badminton issue is tricky. I disapprove of the players' blatant lack of effort, but I don't think there are proper grounds to dismiss them from the games. Had the IOC and BWF instituted a system that didn't reward losing, there wouldn't have been any match fixing. The Chinese ladies (the top-ranked team in the world) weren't even afraid of playing higher seeds, they just didn't want to have to play their compatriots in such an early round. Olympic spirit is one thing, winning medals and supporting your home nation is another.
In my opinion, a single-elimination tournament with compatriots placed in opposite halves (à la tennis) would be more appropriate.
In my opinion, a single-elimination tournament with compatriots placed in opposite halves (à la tennis) would be more appropriate.