Ousted badminton player announces retirement

Yu Yang, one of the two Chinese Olympic badminton players and eight overall who were disqualified for trying to lose their respective doubles matches, has announced she is quitting the sport.

“Goodbye, Badminton World Federation. Goodbye, my beloved badminton. You have heartlessly shattered our dreams,” Yu said on her micro blog.

Earlier, China Central Television commentator Yang Yu said that Li Yongbo, China's badminton head coach, does not understand the essence of the sport.

Li has apologized for the match-throwing scandal and emphasized he did not understand the new round-robin elimination rules well. But Yang said Li should be sent back home immediately because a coach who repeatedly asks athletes to throw matches should not stay in the Chinese Olympic delegation.

Improving rules later and abiding by the current rules are two different things, and the Olympic spirit and sports ethics should be the general rules for all the games, be they professional or amateur, Yang said.

The Badminton World Federation kicked out eight female players for trying to throw Tuesday's matches to have easier draws in following rounds. Top seeds and world champions Yu Yang and doubles partner Wang Xiaoli from China were among the four pairs expelled. The eight players were charged with "not using one's best efforts to win a match" and "conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport."