LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Volleyball Federation has dismissed claims of match-fixing by Japan at a London Olympics qualification tournament in Tokyo.
The governing body says it found no evidence after investigating whether the Japanese women’s team deliberately lost against Serbia.
Japan had advanced to the 12-team Olympic lineup before its final match, but Sunday’s loss meant it avoided the stronger group in London including Brazil, China and the United States.
Instead, Japan’s six-team group includes Britain, Algeria and the Dominican Republic.
Serbia’s win meant it qualified ahead of Thailand, which aimed to reach the Olympics for the first time.
The FIVB says it will change the format of future Olympics qualifiers “to reduce even further the possibility of any manipulation.”
