Danish coach of top badminton player banned 4 years for betting on matches courtside

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The Danish former coach of a two-time Olympic badminton quarterfinalist has been banned from the sport for four years for betting on games courtside.

The Badminton World Federation said Joachim Persson placed bets on his mobile phone during a match at the Japan Open last year — played two weeks after the Paris Olympics — and did not cooperate with investigators.

A document detailing the verdict Tuesday said Persson was spotted and filmed by a player making the in-game bets and displayed “a mixture of ‘shock’ and ‘emotion’” when confronted.

Persson, a former player who was the European Championship singles silver medalist in 2008, was then fired by Anders Antonsen as his coach.

Antonsen is now the world No. 3 and a quarterfinalist in the singles at the past two Olympics held in Tokyo and Paris.

“This latest decision is a timely reminder that betting on badminton in any capacity will not be tolerated, as well as highlighting the importance of reporting such wrongdoing,” the Malaysia-based governing body said in a statement.

A four-year ban was imposed because of aggravated circumstances including Persson having previously served a ban for betting, using a proxy online gambling account under a false name and his access to inside information as a coach at the tournament.

Investigators said checks with the betting provider showed the account Persson used placed nine bets on the game in Tokyo for a total of 5,205 Danish krone ($810). Seven bets won for a return of 9,821 krone ($1,530), the published verdict said.

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