I agree that what the audience feels or wants is irrelevant. Maybe all the athletes should be doping then to give the audience a better show? Would you then consider doping to be less of a ‘cheating’ than using dolphin kick as well, since arguably, it would make the performance more impressive and enjoyable to the viewers?

Now, mind you, I do not in any way support doping, and I understand that using extra illegal kick at the beginning should not be viewed the same way as using performance enhancing drugs.

But calling throwing badminton matches more of a cheat than what van der Burgh did just PURELY because what he did would be considered ‘doing your uttermost to win’ and providing entertainment to the audience would mean that you have to view using drugs in the same light as well.

If I’d paid money to see world class athletes performing I would be so angry to see them show arrogance. I dare say they have a justified complaint in that the set up of the rounds and tournament do not provide an incentive to win but respect for the sport and crowd should be enough motivation to perform.

Maybe it’s correct to say he should be disqualified but it has nothing to do with the disqualification of the badminton players and not much to do with hypocrisy either.

And just because someone else is cheating, does it justify cheating? Didn’t the South Korean teams use that excuse during the Badminton competition and they still got booted?

Participation in the Olympics isn’t about what the fans / viewers want. People compete in sports because they want to win. Just because a fan paid X amount of money is not enough reason to ask competitors to not think / play strategically to enhance the chances of winning. I’m not sure we can call conserving energy in a game that means nothing to the players “cheating”.

Imagine that you had paid several hundred pounds for a plane ticket, how ever much the hotel and tickets cost and then you saw that embarrassment of a game. Disgusting lack of respect for the supporters.

I’m also glad at least one of them had the good grace to retire form the sport at the end.

There is a huge difference between taking an extra kick doing your uttermost to win a race and looking like you frankly just couldn’t be bothered being there.