SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The South Korean Olympic delegation is sending home four badminton players disqualified for trying to lose matches at the London Games.
Chief South Korean delegate Lee Ki-heung tells The Associated Press that the two women’s doubles pairs will leave London as early as Friday along with their coach. Lee spoke by phone from London.
Two other doubles teams, from China and Indonesia, were also kicked out of the games earlier this week after deliberately playing poorly to secure a more favorable draw in the next round.
The International Olympic Committee is demanding further investigation by national Olympic committees. The IOC wants coaches, trainers and officials punished if they encouraged or ordered the eight players to lose intentionally.
Lee says the four South Korean players and their coach violated the Olympic spirit of fair play and sportsmanship.
