New format encouraged match-fixing in badminton: Ashwini Ponappa

Still shocked over her early exit from Olympics 2012, ace shuttler Ashwini Ponappa has criticised the new round-robin format which according to her encouraged "match-fixing" at the London Games.

Despite winning two out of their three matches in Group B, Ponappa and her partner Jwala Gutta failed to progress to the quarter-finals amid allegations of match-throwing by other teams.

"The round-robin format was ridiculous. It brought about a very bad side of the game. The format encouraged match-throwing. I hope the format changes (in the next Olympics)," Ponappa said.

"Because of the format it was predefined who will play whom (in the knock-out stage). Japan was the top side in our group. Everyone expected them to win against Chinese Taipei. But going into their last match, Japan knew they had to lose against Chinese Taipei to avoid China.

"It made things easier for Chinse Taipei who needed a win against Japan. And that's what happened... Japan played China only in the final," she claimed.

The 22-year-old shuttler from Bangalore said that they were heartbroken after coming to terms with the fact that the new format robbed the duo a place in the knock-out stage, which according to her was the saddest moment of her short career.