Olympic Badminton Match-Fixing

The latest sporting scandal at the 2012 Summer Olympics involves the sport of badminton. Yes you heard that one correct. Four women's doubles teams have been disqualified for intentionally playing bad and losing matches in the knockout stage to gain more favorable quarterfinal matches. China's Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang, South Korea's Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na, South Korea's Ha jung-eun and Kim Min-jun and Indonesia's Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari have all been disqualified for these actions and face disciplinary action along with their coaches.

IOC to Combat Game Fixing

The International Olympic Committee recently held meetings to discuss match fixing and illegal gambling.  At least someone is finally admitting it happens but doubt anything will change.  Check out the article from Examiner for more on this sports news development.

Fix From The Past - 1972 Olympic Gold Medal Basketball Game

The 1972 Olympic gold medal basketball game was marred by controversy.  Team USA won the game twice, the other team stepped over the inbound line on the third finish and the US still lost the game.  One of the most controversial basketball games in history especially during the cold war years with the USSR.  Watch this ESPN Classic video and judge for yourself.

Pairs Skating Fixed

Canadian 2002 Salt Lake City pairs skating gold medalists Jamie Sale and David Pelletier recently ended their marriage but will continue to skate together.  Originally awarded the silver medal this pair eventually received the gold as a French judge admitted to fixing the outcome in favor of the Russians.  I guess not all happy endings last forever.  Best of luck to the champions who overcame the fix.

China Stripped of 2000 Olympics Gymnastics Medal

In a follow up to our March 26, 2010 post China has been stripped of the women's team gymnastics bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics.  Gymnasts must turn the age of 16 during the year of the Olympics to be eligible.  Chinese gymnast Dong Fangxiao was found by the International Olympic Committee to be 14 at the time and therefore ineligible.  The team bronze medal will be reallocated to the U.S. women's team.

Age Fixing in Olympic Gymnastics

Chinese Gymnast Dong Fangxiao was recently found to be 14 years old when she competed in the all-around event at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.  The minimum required age is 16.  Evidence of her age was found on her blog and for her work with the Chinese team in Beijing.  The International Gymnastics Federation has recommended that China be stripped of its team bronze medal.  If the International Olympic Committee disqualifies Fangxiao the United States would inherit the bronze medal.

Did Canada Have a Backup Plan?

Per my last post it would seem the Olympics are pretty much free from fixes but wanted to bring up one game to question.  As the host of the Olympics and the sport of Canada the only gold they were concerned with was in ice hockey.  Nothing less than the gold in ice hockey would be accepted in Canada at these home Olympics.  Sidney Crosby and the gold were supposed to be a given.  With all the talent this team had most would not suspect anything.  I think Canada played a great gold medal game but did they have a backup plan if things didn't go their way?  The two referees were from Canada, one linesman from Canada and the other linesman from Finland who the US knocked out of the gold medal game.  How is this unbiased and fair to begin with?  How fitting Crosby who was pretty quiet the whole tournament scores the game winner in overtime on a shot US goalie Ryan Miller would have stopped 99 out of 100 times.  The record for most medals won in one winter Olympics was broken by the USA this year with a total of 37.  Was this our consolation prize for giving Canada the gold in ice hockey?  Just posing these questions to see what others think.  It was a great game, fairly refereed and congratulations to Canada.

Las Vegas Says No to Olympics

In a ban traced back to 2000 state law prohibits Nevada casinos from accepting wagers on the Olympics.  I think this has more to do with the fact that Olympic athletes are there to win medals and represent their countries.  There is no motivation to fix anything for these athletes when there is little money incentive to win.  If Vegas can't control the fix then it's not worth accepting bets and possibly losing for once.  I wonder how the off-shore and local books that take this action are doing.

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Athletes Banned for Doping

A day before the Vancouver 2010 Olympics began the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned more than 30 athletes from competing.  Names of the banned have not been released at this point.  Pre-Olympic testing is pretty thorough and effective as some athletes didn't even show up.  Looks like WADA has done a good job of keeping the cheats out of the 2010 winter Olympics but I'm sure some athletes will still try to beat the system for any advantage they can get.

Olympic Doping

The women's U.S. relay team from the 2004 Athens Olympics is being investigated by the International Olympic Committee for doping.  This team could be stripped of its gold medals if evidence of doping is found.  Hope the 2010 Vancouver Olympics are controversy free.