Gopichand fumes as BWF rejects Indian team's appeal

NEW DELHI: A day after Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa's heartbreaking exit from women's doubles, the pair had to endure anxious moments after Badminton World Federation banned eight shuttlers for 'throwing' their matches.
The Indian team, which missed the quarterfinal spot by a point, lodged an appeal with chief referee Torsten Berg, alleging the final Group B match between Chinese Taipei and Japan, played on Tuesday before the Indian pair's clash against Singapore, had been 'manipulated.'
But much to the disappointment of Indian fans, the appeal was rejected. Taipei and Japan will now play the quarterfinals. There was confusion when an announcer interrupted commentary during the India-New Zealand hockey match, saying "sources in the Indian team said Jwala-Ashwini had made the quarters."
But Gopichand dismissed it as just a rumour. "I strongly feel Japan deliberately lost the match to Taipei so they can avoid China's Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei in the quarters. Had Japan won, we could have made it to the quarters. Losing the second spot by just one point is disappointing," Gopichand told TOI from London.
As the three teams finished with two victories each and the top two places in the group were decided on the basis of the difference between points secured and points conceded.
"These things have been happening in big tournaments," Gopichand said. "But we can't prove it," he added.