Badminton
competition of the London Olympics-2012 has come under a cloud of match fixing
after two women’s doubles matches played yesterday. This is an unprecedented
trend affecting the most ancient Games on earth. And this is very worrisome
too.
The fixing
charges involve eight women badminton players—the World Champion pair from China , two pairs from South
Korea and one pair from Indonesia . The Badminton
competition is being played on a round robin basis for the first time at the
London Olympics. All these teams have qualified for the quarter finals and so
they allegedly tried to manipulate their preliminary matches so that they avoid
meeting their respective compatriots in the semi finals.
The two matches
involving China and South Korea and then South
Korea and Indonesia
had been reduced to farces yesterday with all players trying to miss the shots
in a desperate attempt to lose. The crowds too sensed the farce and began
jeering at the players. Badminton World Federation (BWF) and the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) took very serious view of the scenario and considered
taking extreme steps like expelling all eight players involved. If it happens
it would devastate the Badminton competition and if it does not the Games would
earn an unprecedented bad name. The IOC said that extreme action was necessary
to prevent such tendencies to discredit the Games and warned that if the BWF
did not come up with preventive measures it would step in on its own.
After the
charges there had been a game of passing the buck with the South Korean players
alleging the Chinese started and instigated it first and therefore they
followed suit or retaliated. The common objective for both the teams was
ominously clear though.
Fixing has come
to be inseparable from cricket thanks to the Indian or the Indian sub
continental links to it. India
has given cricket ‘big money’ and along with the latter invented the art of
fixing! You may rather call it as a post-modern art with two pristine
varieties-match fixing and spot fixing. Betting has been an integral part of
the whole process with a huge network of agents, bookies and pimps.
Fortunately, the specter of betting has not so far been confirmed in the London
Olympics scenario.
Any threat of
fixing to this most ancient Games of mankind must be nipped in the bud. It does
not matter how rigorous or extreme the punishment be. On the other hand, like
in cricket, there are powerful vested interests and a whole array of commercial
interests here too. History, reputation, spirit of competition, national and
international ambitions, commerce and business are all mixed in an extremely
complex web. Finally, the ‘will’ may not be strong enough to upturn the cart of
interests.
The sports fans
can only wait and watch.
PS: A few hours later the BWF had in fact disqualified all the involved eight players after holding an inquiry. This means all eight champion players from three countries are ousted from London Olympics-2012. Though this will impact the Badminton matches, the action is quick and praiseworthy. Bravo!
PS: A few hours later the BWF had in fact disqualified all the involved eight players after holding an inquiry. This means all eight champion players from three countries are ousted from London Olympics-2012. Though this will impact the Badminton matches, the action is quick and praiseworthy. Bravo!
