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In pictures: 10 controversies of the London Games

We had match-fixing, drugs bans and sit-in protests over just three short weeks.

27/12/12 3,883 Views No Comments

In pictures: 10 controversies of the London Games
1 / 10

  • 1. Organisers mix up North Korean and South Korean flags

    Days before the opening ceremony, there was controversy in women's football as the North Korean team refused to play when they noticed the South Korean flag was being displayed beside their names at Hampden Park.

  • 2. Empty seats

    Despite Sebastien Coe insisting that "the venues are stuffed to the gunnels", the opening day saw a raft of empty seats at several events.

  • 3. Badminton fixing scandal

    Eight badminton players, four from South Korea, two from Indonesia and two more from China, are disqualified for trying to manipulate the final standings in the group stages (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

  • 4. Greek athlete expelled for racist tweet

    Triple jumper Voula Papachristou was dropped from her country's team after tweeting that “with so many Africans in Greece, at least the mosquitoes of West Nile will eat homemade food”. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, file)

  • 5. Fencer stages protest

    Shin A-Lam of South Korea refuses to leave the stadium after she is controversially beaten when the clock was reset from zero to one second. (Julien Behal/PA Wire)

  • 6. Rower's neo-Nazi boyfriend

    Germany's Nadja Drygall volunteerily withdrew from the Games after reports that her boyfriend has neo-Nazi links (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

  • 7. Gold medallist accused of cheating

    China's swimming sensation Shiwen, aged just 16, set a world record on her way to wining two gold medals in London, sparking accusations that she was using performance-enhancing drugs. (EMPICS Sport/EMPICS Sport)

  • 8. Shot putter stripped of gold

    Belarus' Nadzeya Ostapchuk has her medal taken back after testing positive for steroid metenolone. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

  • 9. The Irish homecoming

    The whole issue around whether or not the Irish team would be officially welcomed home has finally been sorted but wasn't handled very well by the OCI and the Dublin City Council. (INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

  • 10. Kenny Egan's stonewashed jacket

    The Beijing medallist was slated on Twitter for his number, which looks like something straight out of Bewitched's wardrobe. At least he's put the fame to good use and has auctioned it for Temple Street Hospital.
  • Days before the opening ceremony, there was controversy in women's football as the North Korean team refused to play when they noticed the South Korean flag was being displayed beside their names at Hampden Park.
  • Despite Sebastien Coe insisting that
  • Eight badminton players, four from South Korea, two from Indonesia and two more from China, are disqualified for trying to manipulate the final standings in the group stages (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
  • Triple jumper Voula Papachristou was dropped from her country's team after tweeting that “with so many Africans in Greece, at least the mosquitoes of West Nile will eat homemade food”. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, file)
  • Shin A-Lam of South Korea refuses to leave the stadium after she is controversially beaten when the clock was reset from zero to one second. (Julien Behal/PA Wire)
  • Germany's Nadja Drygall volunteerily withdrew from the Games after reports that her boyfriend has neo-Nazi links (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
  • China's swimming sensation Shiwen, aged just 16, set a world record on her way to wining two gold medals in London, sparking accusations that she was using performance-enhancing drugs. (EMPICS Sport/EMPICS Sport)
  • Belarus' Nadzeya Ostapchuk has her medal taken back after testing positive for steroid metenolone. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
  • The whole issue around whether or not the Irish team would be officially welcomed home has finally been sorted but wasn't handled very well by the OCI and the Dublin City Council. (INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
  • The Beijing medallist was slated on Twitter for his number, which looks like something straight out of Bewitched's wardrobe. At least he's put the fame to good use and has auctioned it for Temple Street Hospital.

Belarus’ Ostapchuk stripped of Olympic shot put title for doping

Open thread: What is your stand out moment of the London Olympics?

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