S. Korea lifts domestic bans on badminton players

SEOUL (AFP) –

Kim Ha Na (L) and Jung Kyung Eun of South Korea play a shot during the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on July 31, 2012. The two players were expelled from the Olympics for deliberately underperforming

South Korea’s Olympic body has lifted six-month domestic suspensions on four players found guilty of deliberately underperforming during the London Olympics, officials said Friday.

But Jung Kyung-Eun, Kim Ha-Na, Ha Jung-Eun and Kim Min-Jung remain suspended from South Korea’s national team for one year, the Korean Olympic Committee ruled.

The Korea Badminton Association had initially suspended the players for two years and banned two coaches for life.

After an appeal the players’ bans were cut to six months while the coaches saw their lifetime suspension slashed to two years.

The committee also urged the badminton association to take measures to prevent similar scandals.

Eight female badminton players, from South Korea, Indonesia and China were disqualified from the Games for trying to lose matches in order to secure a more favourable draw in the next phase.

The scandal prompted Chinese badminton star Yu Yang to quit the sport. Indonesian badminton doubles pair Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari were banned for four months.

South Korea earned one badminton bronze medal in London — its worst performance in the sport at any Olympics.