LONDON -- The nation's top sports body said Thursday four female badminton players disqualified from the London Olympics will be sent home, along with an assistant coach, for their attempts to throw women's doubles matches earlier this week.

The Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) said the two doubles teams, Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na and Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung, along with coach Kim Moon-soo, have been asked to return their accreditation cards and leave the athletes' village. They will not be able to enter any practice or  competition venues without proper accreditation.

"We felt we need to take stern measures after the spirit of fair competition has been tarnished," said Lee Kee-heung, head of the South Korean athletic delegation to London.

"Leaders of the badminton team were caught up in their 'win-at-all-cost' mantra. I'd like to apologize to the people of Korea and our Olympic families."

The KOC said all players apologized in writing for their actions. It chose not to discipline head coach Sung Han-kook because he didn't have a direct role in the scandal and other South Korean shuttlers are still in action.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) tossed the two Korean doubles pairs along with Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang of China; and Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari of Indonesia on Wednesday, a day after they were accused of trying to lose group stage matches on purpose to ensure favorable draws in the knockout phase.

South Korea's appeal was rejected by the BWF. Indonesia withdrew its appeal and China didn't contest the ruling.

Jung and Kim beat Wang and Yu, the reigning world champions, in straight sets, but all four were booed off the court at Wembley Arena after appearing to serve into the net and making unforced errors. The longest rally in their first game lasted just four strokes, and their play drew a warning from the tournament referee, Torsten Berg.

The loss dropped the top-seeded Wang and Yu into second place in Group A, and they would have avoided facing the No. 2-seeded Chinese tandem, Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei, until the final.

In the following doubles match, Ha and Kim defeated Jauhari and Polii in three sets but also received a warning for deliberately losing points. These teams were accused of trying to finish second in Group C and avoid facing Wang and Yu in the quarters.

For the first time in the Olympics, a combination of round-robin group stage and knockout phase was introduced in London. Sixteen doubles teams were paired into four groups of four, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the quarters.

But this format can be vulnerable against attempts to manipulate results to set up easier draws in the elimination round.

(Yonhap News)