Quote Originally Posted by Terpe View Post
At first I thought disgraceful, shameful and cheating.
Then I thought strategy, tactics and winning.

Now I'm not at all sure what this is all about.
The highest olympic authorities in the world of Badminton were apparantly warned a number of times that this group stage methodolgy would lead to chicanery.

So why are they now so surprised?

The fact that what these current top flight players made it so very very obvious what they were doing has caused the current furore.

Now my tongue in cheek questions.

Does it go on unbeknownst to us in other competitions? (world Cup Football?)

How about the cycle road race where team members do deliberately disrupt the rhythm and speed of the chasing peloton in an effort to protect their breakaway team mates? Oh and don't tell me it's a team event, the winner is the winner and gets gold. The remainder of the 'team' get nothing.

How about competition 'seeding' in general? Is that fair sport? or is it all done to provide 'best' finals for the sponsors?

For me an interesting but controversial issue needlessly bought about by stubborn sports officialdom and the desire for glory.
Wasn't it akin to taking the ball to the corner flag to kill time in the last few minutes of a football match?