London Summer Olympics: Badminton Scandal, Doubles Pairs Face Match-Throwing Probe, So Much for the Olympic Creed (Update: 8 Olympic Badminton Player Out … Booted from Games)

The Olympic creed …

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” (Pierre De Coubertin)

I guess some of the Badminton doubles teams at the London Summer Games did not get the Olympic creed memo.  Eight female badminton players, including the world champions from China, are under an investigation for allegedly throwing matches. Seriously? The possible match throwing scheme is a result of the new round-robin format in the initial round of play rather than a knock out one, where losing one game can lead to an easier matchup in the next round. Good grief, don’t hate the game … question the integrity and ethics of the player.

A disciplinary hearing began Wednesday for eight female badminton players, including the world champions from China, after they were accused of trying to throw matches at the Olympics a day earlier to secure a favorable draw.

The Badminton World Federation said in a statement it had charged the doubles players from China, South Korea and Indonesia under its players’ code of conduct 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.”

The South Korean players and coach already have been questioned at the hearing, which is being held at a hotel near the Wembley Arena venue. Still awaiting questioning are the Chinese and Indonesian teams.

Federation spokeswoman Gayle Alleyne declined comment on possible sanctions from the hearing.

While the IOC is at it and investigating Chinese athletes, they might want to take a long hard look at Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen and alleged blood doping.

UPDATE I: 8 Badminton Olympians Out … How is it that of all the sports that are contested in the Olympics that it is Badminton that becomes the most controversial? Shuttlecocks? Imagine that most athletes train a lifetime for one shot at winning a medal or at the very least compete in an Olympics. So what did these fools do, intentionally lose to draw a weaker opponent in the second round. Rather unbelievable if you think about it. As much as I have questioned and disagree with many decisions by the IOC to throw them out of the Games. Next time you want to throw a match, you may not want to make it look so obvious.

Four badminton teams were kicked out of the women’s doubles at the London Games on Wednesday for trying to lose on purpose, conduct that a top IOC executive said strikes at the heart of Olympic competition.

The eight doubles players from China, South Korea and Indonesia were cited by the Badminton World Federation for “conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport.”

Move Over Magnificant 7, Make Room for the FAB FIVE … US Woman Gymnasts Win Team Gold at London Olympics

The 16 year drought is over … The United States FAB FIVE wins gold in the Woman’s gymnastic team final.

It has been since 1996 and the Atlanta Olympic Games since the US Woman’s gymnastic team took home the gold in the tam competition. That was then, this is now. These girls were barely born the last time the US women won the team gold. Tonight, the Fab 5 became the real dream team, realizing their Olympic dreams.  The FAB FIVE, Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, Gabby Douglas, Kyla Ross, and McKayla Maroney dominated and crushed the competition today. They left no doubt who the best team in the world was and in the end it was not even close. The US decisively beat Russia by an astound 5 points, 183.596 to 178.530.

“I am saying that this team is the best,” U.S. team director Martha Karolyi said. “Only because that [1996] team competed in the United States.”

The Americans coasted to the victory, needing only solid performances on the final rotation, the floor exercise. After Aly Raisman landed her final pass – good enough for a 15.300 – the Americans exploded, jumping, cheering, and hugging each other through tears.

“It’s awesome,” Douglas said. “I’m so proud of these girls. To come out on top feels amazing.”

Russia, China, and the other contenders eventually fell apart, with mistakes and poor performances. The Russians were left in tears but finished with silver. Romania won bronze.

The US girls were nearly flawless as they kept the pressure on the other teams from start to finish. The US, who were paired with Russia throughout the team final, took an early lead with Maroney’s score of 16.233 on the vault. With no due respect to the judges who appear to have been extras from the move ‘Sick It’, Maroney’s vault was so perfect it should ave been a Nadia Comaneci 10 or 16.5. The and sealed the deal on the floor exercise. By the competitions end, the Russians were left in tears.

By the time Raisman took to the floor, where she won bronze at the last world championships, as the final performer of the evening, all the Russian gymnasts were in tears as they watched.

A confident routine delivered, Raisman joined her team mates and the five stood holding hands and gazing up at the giant results screen.

A score of 15.300 flashed up to confirm the magnitude of their win and American fans in the arena erupted into cheers.

“It’s an incredible feeling; just in this moment you realize every single effort and every single sacrifice and so-called suffering through the years with the ups and downs it was worth it,” U.S. team co-ordinator Marta Karolyi told reporters.

6 Year Old Chinese Swimmer Ye Shiwen Swam a Faster 50 Meters than Ryan Lochte … A London Summer Olympic Doping Scandal in the Making

You’ve come a long way baby, but not that far as many skeptics question the 16 year old Chinese swimmers eye opening time and not believable.

16 year old Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen obliterated the competition on Saturday at the London Summer Olympic games as she swam the 400 meter individual medley in a world-record time. But was it too good to be true? The swim was described as “unbelievable” and “disturbing”. Not only did she take more than a second off the world’s record, she actually swam the  final 100m of freestyle, in which she recorded a split time of 58.68sec, that aroused Leonard’s suspicion. Ye Shiwen also swam the last 50m she was quicker than the American Ryan Lochte who participated in the men’s 400m IM. Really, c,mon man. Who really believes that is possible?

China has become embroiled in the first doping controversy of the London Games after one of the world’s most respected coaches described the swimming prodigy Ye Shiwen’s gold medal performance as “unbelievable” and “disturbing”.

The American John Leonard, executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, said the 16-year-old’s performance was “suspicious” and said it brought back “a lot of awful memories” of the Irish swimmer Michelle Smith’s race in the same event at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Smith, now Michelle de Bruin, was banned for four years in 1998 after testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

Ye stunned world swimming on Saturday by winning gold in the 400m individual medley in a world-record time. It was her final 100m of freestyle, in which she recorded a split time of 58.68sec, that aroused Leonard’s suspicion. Over the last 50m she was quicker than the American Ryan Lochte, who won the men’s 400m individual medley in the second-fastest time in history .

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Kim Rhodes Shoots Her Way Into the Olympic Record Books … Win 5 Medals in an Individual Event in 5 Consecutive Olympic Games

Shooting for near perfection …

No American athlete in an individual sport has ever gone to 5 consecutive Olympics and meddled 5 consecutive times. That was until today when  Kim Rhodes of the United States won gold in woman’s skeet.  Rhodes set an Olympic record and tied the world record by hitting 99 of 100 targets on the way to winning the gold medal. She also became the first woman to win three gold medals in Olympic shooting.

She earned a gold medal in women’s skeet, setting an Olympic record and tying the world record by hitting 99 of 100 targets. She also became the first woman to win three gold medals in Olympic shooting.

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet, from the time I shot to present, it’s just been a whirlwind of emotions,” Rhode said. “It’s incredible. I’m just waiting for someone to pinch me.”

After Rhode’s final shot, the audience rose to its feet for an ovation, which was followed by Rhode’s tearful acceptance of her medal.

“I don’t think it ever becomes old hat,” she said of the Olympics, adding, “It’s really about the journey.”

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Kim Rhodes said during her interview that she would be back for a 6th Olympics to defend her gold medal. Hey why not, she began her Olympic career at the age of 17 in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA and she expects to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Isn’t this interesting, I bet that Democrats like Chucky Schumer, Diane Feinstein, Frank Lautenburg and Barack Obama would block and question Kim Rhodes as to why she uses so many rounds of ammunition. She averages 500 to 1,000 rounds a day, seven days a week. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY) will announce new legislation on Monday to regulate the online and mail-order sale of ammunition. Because no one could ever have a legal reason and purpose to use large amounts of ammunition.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if Kim Rhodes was invited to the White House for her amazing Olympic accomplishment? What are the odds that Obama would praise an athlete who’s sport was involved with guns? The heck with that silly 2nd Amendment thing and Rhodes’ record breaking accomplishment.

Unhappy Valley: Joe Paterno’s Family Responds to Penn State Penalties and Sanctions over Sandusky Sexual Abuse Crimes … “defamed the legacy and contributions of a great coach and educator”

UNHAPPY VALLEY FOR AT LEAST A DECADE TO FOLLOW … NCAA PUNISHED PENN STATE PAST, [RESENT AND FUTURE.

The family of Joe Paterno responds to the harsh sanctions handed down today by the NCAA in the wake of the heinous and hideous sexual abuse crimes of former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Among the penalties were $60 million sanction, four year ban on bowl games, loss of scholarships and most peculiar, Penn State vacating all wins from 1998 through 2011. What is a little trite about this punishment is the fact that I fail to see how this properly punishes PSU and makes it better in the future. Granted, the vacating of wins makes Paterno no longer the winniest division I coach in NCAA history and slots former Florida St coach as the new #1. What a way to become number one. That being said, the NCAA said it did not want to punish current players with their sanctions. Well, what about former ones? So all players that took part in Nittany Lion football from 1998 to 2011 didn’t exist?

I realize the crimes that Sandusky did were beyond comprehension, but there just seems to be a bit of vindictiveness in the vacating of games. I can understand the $60 million fine and the money to go to groups that deal with abused and exploited children. I can understand the bowl ban and the loss of scholarships. I more than understand the steps to create a compliance policy and an independent group to oversee PSU. However, if one is going to go out on a limb and make accusations against anyone, including JoePa, they best get all the information from all parties. Just because there was blood in the water and some one needed to take the fall, does not mean you bypass the process. The family of Joe Paterno released a statement.

“Sexual abuse is reprehensible, especially when it involves children, and no one starting with Joe Paterno condones or minimizes it. The horrific acts committed by Jerry Sandusky shock the conscience of every decent human being. How Sandusky was able to get away with his crimes for so long has yet to be fully understood, despite the claims and assertions of the Freeh Report.

“The release of the Freeh Report has triggered an avalanche of vitriol, condemnation and posthumous punishment on Joe Paterno. The NCAA has now become the latest party to accept the report as the final word on the Sandusky scandal. The sanctions announced by the NCAA today defame the legacy and contributions of a great coach and educator without any input from our family or those who knew him best.

“That the President, the Athletic Director and the Board of Trustees accepted this unprecedented action by the NCAA without requiring a full due process hearing before the Committee on Infractions is an abdication of their responsibilities and a breach of their fiduciary duties to the University and the 500,000 alumni. Punishing past, present and future students of the University because of Sandusky’s crimes does not serve justice. This is not a fair or thoughtful action; it is a panicked response to the public’s understandable revulsion at what Sandusky did.

“The point of due process is to protect against this sort of reflexive action. Joe Paterno was never interviewed by the University or the Freeh Group. His counsel has not been able to interview key witnesses as they are represented by counsel related to ongoing litigation. We have had no access to the records reviewed by the Freeh group. The NCAA never contacted our family or our legal counsel. And the fact that several parties have pending trials that could produce evidence and testimony relevant to this matter has been totally discounted.

“Unfortunately all of these facts have been ignored by the NCAA, the Freeh Group and the University.”

Rush Limbaugh stated it best as to the double-talk coming from NCAA President Emert. How can you sat that you did not want to punish the player that had nothing to do with this scandal when you take away current scholarships, tell them they cannot play in a bowl and forfeit all of Penn States wins from 1998 to 2011. How is this not punishing those that were not responsible?

But when you vacate all of the victories, and then you tell the existing team that they can’t go to a bowl game for four years, and there’s no championship for you, how are you not punishing the people that didn’t have anything to do with it? The $60 million fine is about what they say the Penn State football program generates every year. They’re gonna take that one year of revenue of $60 million and they’re gonna set up basically a charity for abused kids to deal with those who are and to prevent it from ever happening again.