Badminton at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles

Last updated

Contents

Badminton women's doubles
at the Games of the XXX Olympiad
Venue Wembley Arena
Date28 July to 4 August
Competitors32 from 13 nations
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Tian Qing
Zhao Yunlei
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China
Silver medal icon.svg Mizuki Fujii
Reika Kakiiwa
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Bronze medal icon.svg Valeria Sorokina
Nina Vislova
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia

The badminton women's doubles tournament at the 2012 Olympic Games in London took place from 28 July to 4 August at Wembley Arena.

The draw for the tournament was made on 23 July 2012. [1] [2] Thirty-two players from 14 nations competed in the event.

The competition became embroiled in controversy during the group stage when eight players (two pairs from South Korea and one pair each from China and Indonesia) were ejected from the tournament by the Badminton World Federation after being found guilty of "not using best efforts" and "conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport" by playing to lose matches in order to manipulate the draw for the knockout stage. In one match, both teams made a series of basic errors, and in one match the maximum rally was just four shots.

Competition format

The tournament started with a group phase round-robin followed by a knockout stage. [3]

Seeds

  1. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Wang Xiaoli / Yu Yang  (CHN)(group stage, disqualified)
  2. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Qing / Zhao Yunlei  (CHN)(gold medalists)
  3. Flag of South Korea.svg  Ha Jung-eun / Kim Min-jung  (KOR)(group stage, disqualified)
  4. Flag of Japan.svg  Mizuki Fujii / Reika Kakiiwa  (JPN)(silver medalists)

Results

Group stage

Group A

TeamPldWLSWSLPts
Flag of South Korea.svg  Jung Kyung-eun / Kim Ha-na  (KOR)33060DQ
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Wang Xiaoli / Yu Yang  (CHN)32142DQ
Flag of Russia.svg  Valeria Sorokina / Nina Vislova  (RUS)312241
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Alexandra Bruce / Michelle Li  (CAN)303060
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
28 July, 19:05
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Wang X / Yu Y  (CHN)21–11
21–7
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Bruce / Li  (CAN)
29 July, 09:40
Flag of South Korea.svg  Jung K-e / Kim H-n  (KOR)21–5
21–11
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Bruce / Li  (CAN)
29 July, 18:30
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Wang X / Yu Y  (CHN)21–6
21–9
Flag of Russia.svg  Sorokina / Vislova  (RUS)
30 July, 09:40
Flag of South Korea.svg  Jung K-e / Kim H-n  (KOR)23–21
21–18
Flag of Russia.svg  Sorokina / Vislova  (RUS)
31 July, 08:30
Flag of Russia.svg  Sorokina / Vislova  (RUS)21–8
21–10
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Bruce / Li  (CAN)
31 July, 19:07
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Wang X / Yu Y  (CHN)14–21
11–21
Flag of South Korea.svg  Jung K-e / Kim H-n  (KOR)

Group B

TeamPldWLSWSLPts
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Cheng Wen-hsing / Chien Yu-chin  (TPE)321532
Flag of Japan.svg  Mizuki Fujii / Reika Kakiiwa  (JPN)321432
Flag of India.svg  Jwala Gutta / Ashwini Ponnappa  (IND)321432
Flag of Singapore.svg  Shinta Mulia Sari / Yao Lei  (SIN)303260
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
28 July, 15:20
Flag of Japan.svg  Fujii / Kakiiwa  (JPN)21–16
21–18
Flag of India.svg  Gutta / Ponnappa  (IND)
28 July, 20:15
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Cheng W-h / Chien Y-c  (TPE)18–21
21–15
21–15
Flag of Singapore.svg  Sari / Yao L  (SIN)
29 July, 14:17
Flag of Japan.svg  Fujii / Kakiiwa  (JPN)16–21
21–10
21–19
Flag of Singapore.svg  Sari / Yao L  (SIN)
30 July, 19:05
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Cheng W-h / Chien Y-c  (TPE)23–25
21–16
18–21
Flag of India.svg  Gutta / Ponnappa  (IND)
31 July, 13:09
Flag of Japan.svg  Fujii / Kakiiwa  (JPN)19–21
11–21
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Cheng W-h / Chien Y-c  (TPE)
31 July, 18:30
Flag of Singapore.svg  Sari / Yao L  (SIN)16–21
15–21
Flag of India.svg  Gutta / Ponnappa  (IND)

Group C

TeamPldWLSWSLPts
Flag of South Korea.svg  Ha Jung-eun / Kim Min-jung  (KOR)33061DQ
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Meiliana Jauhari / Greysia Polii  (INA)32153DQ
Flag of Australia.svg  Leanne Choo / Renuga Veeran  (AUS)312341
Flag of South Africa.svg  Michelle Edwards / Annari Viljoen  (RSA)303060
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
28 July, 14:17
Flag of South Korea.svg  Ha J-e / Kim M-j  (KOR)21–8
21–7
Flag of South Africa.svg  Edwards / Viljoen  (RSA)
28 July, 19:42
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Jauhari / Polii  (INA)21–13
20–22
21-11
Flag of Australia.svg  Choo / Veeran  (AUS)
29 July, 20:52
Flag of Australia.svg  Choo / Veeran  (AUS)21–9
21–7
Flag of South Africa.svg  Edwards / Viljoen  (RSA)
30 July, 15:20
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Jauhari / Polii  (INA)21–18
21–10
Flag of South Africa.svg  Edwards / Viljoen  (RSA)
30 July, 19:09
Flag of South Korea.svg  Ha J-e / Kim M-j  (KOR)21–7
21–19
Flag of Australia.svg  Choo / Veeran  (AUS)
31 July, 20:19
Flag of South Korea.svg  Ha J-e / Kim M-j  (KOR)18–21
21–14
21–12
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Jauhari / Polii  (INA)

Group D

TeamPldWLSWSLPts
Flag of Denmark.svg  Christinna Pedersen / Kamilla Rytter Juhl  (DEN)321532
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Qing / Zhao Yunlei  (CHN)321422
Flag of Japan.svg  Miyuki Maeda / Satoko Suetsuna  (JPN)321432
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Poon Lok Yan / Tse Ying Suet  (HKG)303160
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
28 July, 09:07
Flag of Denmark.svg  Pedersen / Juhl  (DEN)21–18
14–21
17–21
Flag of Japan.svg  Maeda / Suetsuna  (JPN)
28 July, 09:44
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Q / Zhao Y  (CHN)21–11
21–12
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Poon / Tse  (HKG)
29 July, 09:44
Flag of Denmark.svg  Pedersen / Juhl  (DEN)21–13
14–21
21–18
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Poon / Tse  (HKG)
30 July, 09:44
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Q / Zhao Y  (CHN)21–16
21–17
Flag of Japan.svg  Maeda / Suetsuna  (JPN)
31 July, 09:40
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Q / Zhao Y  (CHN)20–22
12–21
Flag of Denmark.svg  Pedersen / Juhl  (DEN)
31 July, 14:15
Flag of Japan.svg  Maeda / Suetsuna  (JPN)21–15
21–19
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Poon / Tse  (HKG)

Finals

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
               
A1 Flag of Russia.svg  Valeria Sorokina  (RUS)
Flag of Russia.svg  Nina Vislova  (RUS)
2121 
C2 Flag of South Africa.svg  Michelle Edwards  (RSA)
Flag of South Africa.svg  Annari Viljoen  (RSA)
9 7  
A1 Flag of Russia.svg  Valeria Sorokina  (RUS)
Flag of Russia.svg  Nina Vislova  (RUS)
19 6  
D2 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Qing  (CHN)
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhao Yunlei  (CHN)
2121 
B1 Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Cheng Wen-hsing  (TPE)
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chien Yu-chin  (TPE)
10 14  
D2 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Qing  (CHN)
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhao Yunlei  (CHN)
2121 
D2 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Tian Qing  (CHN)
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhao Yunlei  (CHN)
2125 
B2 Flag of Japan.svg  Mizuki Fujii  (JPN)
Flag of Japan.svg  Reika Kakiiwa  (JPN)
10 23  
A2 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Alex Bruce  (CAN)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Michelle Li  (CAN)
2118 21
C1 Flag of Australia.svg  Leanne Choo  (AUS)
Flag of Australia.svg  Renuga Veeran  (AUS)
9 2118
A2 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Alex Bruce  (CAN)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Michelle Li  (CAN)
12 2113 Bronze-medal match
B2 Flag of Japan.svg  Mizuki Fujii  (JPN)
Flag of Japan.svg  Reika Kakiiwa  (JPN)
2119 21
B2 Flag of Japan.svg  Mizuki Fujii  (JPN)
Flag of Japan.svg  Reika Kakiiwa  (JPN)
2221 A1 Flag of Russia.svg  Valeria Sorokina  (RUS)
Flag of Russia.svg  Nina Vislova  (RUS)
2121 
D1 Flag of Denmark.svg  Christinna Pedersen  (DEN)
Flag of Denmark.svg  Kamilla Rytter Juhl  (DEN)
20 10  A2 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Alex Bruce  (CAN)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Michelle Li  (CAN)
9 10  

Group stage disqualifications

A review into two matches in the badminton women's doubles competition played on 31 July was conducted after it appeared that, having already qualified for the knockout stages, players on both sides in each game had been attempting to lose their last group stage matches in order to gain a more favourable draw in the quarter finals.

The matches in question were between China's Wang Xiaoli / Yu Yang and South Korea's Jung Kyung-eun / Kim Ha-na in Group A, and South Korea's Ha Jung-eun / Kim Min-jung versus Indonesia's Meiliana Jauhari / Greysia Polii in Group C. After errors began occurring during routine shots in both matches, including shots going long and serves hitting the net, the crowd reacted angrily, [4] [5] and the first game in the match between Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli of China and Jung Kyung Eun and Kim Ha Na of South Korea featured no rallies of more than four shots. [6]

A South Korean coach claims to have emulated China so as to avoid playing against another Korean team in the knockout stages before the final, and South Korean head coach Sung Han-kook said "Because they don't want to play the semi-final against each other, so we did the same. We didn't want to play the South Korean team again". [7] [8]

In the second game, the tournament referee initially issued a black card to disqualify the players, but after their team's coaches and officials ran onto the court and remonstrated with him, this was rescinded. Play was allowed to continue while he monitored proceedings, and both the earlier match and this later match were ultimately played to a conclusion, completing the draw for the quarter finals (group B and D having concluded earlier in the day).

Technical delegate Paisan Rangsikitpho said after the Group A match, "If it's true what I hear, this is a shame and I don't like it. And I'm not going to accept anything that I don't like at all. It's not in a good spirit....I apologise to the public, I apologise for everyone and I am not happy." [9]

On 1 August 2012, following a Badminton World Federation review, all eight players were found guilty of "not using best efforts" and "conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport" and were ejected from the tournament. [10] The quarter-finals then continued with the ejected teams being replaced by the other teams from their groups.

The decision was highly debated; some argued that while the teams have not been performing their best effort to win the game at hand, they had been in fact doing their best to win the tournament, and that conserving resources in early matches is a common practice in every competitive sport. [11] [12] [13] [14]

To prevent any repeat of these events, the competition format for the next Olympics was changed: all pairs finishing second in their groups would be placed into another draw to determine who they faced in the quarterfinals, while the top pair in each group would have a fixed position matched to its designated seed in the knockout phase. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea at the 2004 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

South Korea competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's fourteenth appearance at the Olympics, except the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow because of its support for the United States boycott. The Korean Olympic Committee sent the nation's smallest delegation to the Games since 1992. A total of 264 athletes, 145 men and 119 women, competed in 25 sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamilla Rytter Juhl</span> Danish badminton player (born 1983)

Kamilla Rytter Juhl is a retired Danish badminton player. Juhl is an Olympic silver medalist, World Championship gold medalist and seven times European champion as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greysia Polii</span> Indonesian badminton player

Greysia Polii is an Indonesian former badminton player specializing in doubles. She won gold medals in the women's doubles at the 2014 Asian Games, at the 2019 SEA Games and at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She also won three bronze medals at the World Championships in 2015, 2018, and 2019. Polii is a member of BWF Athletes' Commission to represent the needs and views of athletes to the BWF council and committees from 2013 to 2017 and 2021 to 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Yong-dae</span> South Korean badminton player (born 1988)

Lee Yong-dae is a professional badminton player from South Korea who had been successful in both men's and mixed doubles. He reached world number 1 ranking with 4 different partners, Jung Jae-sung, Ko Sung-hyun and Yoo Yeon-seong in men's doubles, and Lee Hyo-jung in mixed doubles. He won a total of 43 Superseries titles, 37 in the men's doubles, the most of any doubles player in one discipline, and 6 in mixed doubles. He was ranked world number 1 in men's doubles for 117 consecutive weeks with his last partner, Yoo Yeon-seong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yu Yang (badminton)</span> Chinese badminton player (born 1986)

Yu Yang is a retired Chinese badminton player specializing in doubles. She is an Olympic Games gold medalist, three time World Champion and four time Asian Champion. Yu was part of the China winning team in four Sudirman Cup, three Uber Cup, two Asian Games, and in a Asia Team Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ha Jung-eun</span> South Korean badminton player

Ha Jung-eun is a women's and mixed doubles badminton player from South Korea. Ha was competed at the 2006, 2010 Asian Games, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. Together with the Korean national women's team, they won the Uber Cup in 2010. At the same year, she won the bronze medal at the World Championships in the mixed doubles event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badminton at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span>

The badminton tournaments at the 2012 Olympic Games in London took place between 28 July and 5 August at Wembley Arena.

Meiliana Jauhari is a badminton player from Indonesia. She won the women's doubles title at the 2009 and 2013 Indonesian National Championships. Jauhari participated at the 2010 Asian Games and 2012 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashwini Ponnappa</span> Indian badminton player

Ashwini Ponnappa Machimanda is an Indian badminton player who represents the country at the international badminton circuit in both the women's and mixed doubles disciplines. She had a successful partnership with Jwala Gutta as the pair has won many medals in international events including a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and bronze medals at the Uber Cup and the Asian Badminton Championships. They were consistently ranked among the top 20 in the BWF World Ranking reaching as high as no. 10. Ponnappa and Gutta also won the bronze medal at the BWF World Championships in 2011, becoming the first Indian pair and women and only the second overall to win a medal at the World Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duanganong Aroonkesorn</span> Thai badminton player

Duanganong Aroonkesorn is an internationally elite badminton player from Thailand. She competed at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Asian Games. Aroonkesorn is a women's doubles specialist who is paired with Kunchala Voravichitchaikul. Her best results with Voravichitchaikul have come in 2010 including a Superseries tournament victory at the 2010 French Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ko Sung-hyun</span> South Korean badminton player (born 1987)

Ko Sung-hyun is a South Korean badminton player affiliated with Gimcheon City Hall. He is a former world number 1 both in the men's and mixed doubles. Ko is a BWF World Champion, two time Badminton Asian Champion, and Asian Games gold medalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wang Xiaoli</span> Chinese badminton player

Wang Xiaoli is a Chinese badminton player who is a doubles specialist. In 2012, she competed at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reika Kakiiwa</span> Badminton player

Reika Kakiiwa is a Japanese badminton player from Renesas badminton club. Reika Kakiiwa has gained prominence in the badminton community because of her success in women's doubles. She has reached a career high ranking of third in the world with her partner Mizuki Fujii. She has also competed in mixed doubles reaching a peak ranking of 51st with her partner Kenta Kazuno.

Mami Naito is a Japanese badminton player from the Yonex team, who competed at the 2014 Asian Games. She educated physical education at the Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo. Her older brother, Yusuke Naito is a badminton coach. Naito and her women's doubles partner Shizuka Matsuo have reached the career high as world number 3 in the BWF World ranking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Min-jung (badminton)</span> South Korean badminton player

Kim Min-jung is a badminton player representing South Korea. Her name is sometimes spelled Kim Min-jeong. As a badminton player, Kim has focused on doubles with Ha Jung-eun; together they competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In the past she has been paired with Hwang Ji-man and Yoo Yeon-seong in mixed doubles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mizuki Fujii</span> Badminton player

Mizuki Fujii is a badminton player from Ashikita, Kumamoto, Japan and plays for the Renesas badminton club. Mizuki Fujii concentrates on doubles badminton. Most of her success has come with women's doubles partner Reika Kakiiwa. Together they reached the final of the 2010 Korea Open Super Series, their first major final as a pair. She also assisted her team in winning the bronze medal at the 2010 Uber Cup. In the mixed doubles she pairs with Hirokatsu Hashimoto. Her career highest achievement was the silver medal in the women's doubles at the 2012 London Summer Olympics with Kakiiwa. She retired from professional badminton after the win at London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jung Kyung-eun</span> South Korean badminton player

Jung Kyung-eun is a South Korean professional badminton player. She was the 2016 Summer Olympics bronze medalist in the women's doubles event.

Leanne Choo is a badminton player from Australia. She is the reigning Oceania Champion in women's and mixed doubles. She represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics, alongside former women's doubles partner, Renuga Veeran. Choo also competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Ha-na</span> South Korean badminton player

Kim Ha-na is a South Korean badminton player. She was the mixed doubles gold medalist at the 2013 Asian Championships, and was part of the national team that won the Sudirman Cup in 2017. Kim won her first Superseries title at the 2012 India Open in the women's doubles event. She reached a career high of world no. 1 in the mixed doubles in September 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitya Krishinda Maheswari</span> Indonesian badminton player

Nitya Krishinda Maheswari Korwa is an Indonesian former badminton player affiliated with Jaya Raya Jakarta, specializing in doubles event. She won the women's doubles gold medals at the 2011 SEA Games and at the 2014 Asian Games.

References

  1. "Draw announced for Olympic Badminton competition". london2012.com. 23 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  2. "LIVE DRAW: London 2012 Olympic Games". bwfbadminton.org. 23 July 2012. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  3. Mixed doubles competition format. Archived 2 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 6 August 2012.
  4. "Olympics badminton: fans jeer errors in doubles match". BBC Sport. 1 August 2012.
  5. "Controversy erupts in 2012 badminton clash". ESPN.
  6. "Olympics: Badminton players charged over 'thrown' matches". Channel NewsAsia.
  7. "Reports: Eight Badminton Players Tossed Out of Olympics". NPR. 31 July 2012.
  8. "London 2012 Olympics: Badminton players charged with misconduct after appearing to try to lose their games". The Daily Telegraph.
  9. Ransom, Ian (31 July 2012). "Match fixing causes badminton chaos". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  10. "Olympics badminton: Eight women disqualified from doubles". BBC Sport. 1 August 2012.
  11. "Yehuda: Olympics Badminton: A Study in Bad Game Design" . Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  12. "Badminton scandal: Is it always wrong to lose on purpose?". The Seattle Times. 1 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  13. "Index - Sport - Mikortól csalás a taktika?" . Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  14. "The Goal Is Winning Gold, Not Winning Every Match". The New York Times. 2 August 2012.
  15. Mackay, Duncan (30 November 2012). "Olympics doubles rules changed for Rio 2016 after match-fixing scandal". Inside the Games. Retrieved 24 June 2015.