The Badminton World Federation kicked eight players out of the Olympic doubles event for trying to throw Tuesday's matches to secure an easier draw in next round.

Top seeds and world champions Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang from China were among the four pairs expelled. The other disqualified players were Jung Kyun-eun, Kim Ha-na, Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung, all of South Korea, and Meiliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii from Indonesia.

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."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was quick to praise the world badminton body's decision.

"We applaud the federation for having taken swift and decisive action," said IOC communications manager Emmanuelle Moreau. "Such behavior is not compatible with the Olympic values."

The South Korean badminton team told Xinhua that they had received the BWF's official notice on the disqualification of their two players and they would appeal.

The Indonesian team also said that they would appeal the BWF's ruling.

On Tuesday, the Chinese duo of Wang and Yu and their South Korean rivals Jung and Kim were jeered and booed by the crowd and warned by the referee after the two teams served directly into the net or struck easy shots long or wide.

The Chinese women eventually lost 21-14, 21-11 and avoided an early clash with their compatriots.

The farce was repeated in the next game between South Korea's Ha and Kim and Indonesia's Jauhari and Polii. Both teams were also warned for deliberately trying to lose.

London Olympic chief organizer Sebastian Coe described the badminton misconduct "depressing", saying "who wants to sit through something like that."

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Wednesday morning that the incidents were "not acceptable."

Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat, 2004 Olympic gold medalist, called Tuesday's matches "a circus."

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2012)