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Scandals are to the Olympics what blisters are to gymnastics - they are unwanted, but inevitable. Here, a collection of controversies that have rocked the London games.

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Eight women – a doubles team from China, two from South Korea and one from Indonesia – were thrown out of the London Games on July 31st after they tried to purposefully lose their matches to secure a better position in the next round of competition. One of the disqualified players, Yu Yang later blogged she was quitting the sport. “This is my last game. Farewell Badminton World Federation. Farewell my dear badminton.”Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters

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Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was expelled from the London Olympics on July 25, 2012 over comments she made on Twitter mocking African immigrants and expressing her support for a far-right party. Greece’s mission chief said Papachristou was being pulled from her country’s team because “she showed no respect for a basic Olympic value.” (Here, Papachristou competes at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland, on Friday, June 29, 2012.)Matt Dunham/The Associated Press

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South Korea's A Lam Shin (centre) reacts as she is escorted after being defeated by Germany's Britta Heidemann (not seen) during their women's epee individual semifinal fencing competition at the ExCel venue. Shin staged a sit-in protest, refusing to stand up and leave the piste for a full hour, after judges made a questionable decision that cost her the match. She had to be escorted off by security.Adrees Latif/Reuters

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Video replay has been a large part of this year’s judging at the Games, even in sports that are judged subjectively. In a pair of controversial decisions, Japan won silver on the pommel horse after replay was used to correct a score and a historic decision in judo came from video review.Julie Jacobson/The Associated Press

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This year, Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian ever after a series of early medals. But in early July, Phelps’s teammate Tyler Clary criticized the U.S. swimming star’s work ethic, telling a local paper that he saw “a real lack of preparation” when training alongside Phelps at the University of Michigan. (Here, Phelps swims to a first place finish in his men's 100m butterfly heat on August 2nd.)David Gray/Reuters

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This year’s Games have been called “the social media Olympics,” but the effect of Twitter has not been entirely positive. American football goalkeeper Hope Solo kicked up ire on Tuesday by Tweeting negatively about reporter, and former Olympian, Brandi Chastain, who had questioned the U.S. women’s team defencive play in the tournament.Nigel Roddis/Reuters

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Olympic organizers have been embarrassed by the empty seats at many events, where VIPs, corporate sponsers and members of sports federations have failed to show up by the thousands. (Here, empty seats are seen during the men's Group D football match between Spain and Morocco at the Old Trafford in Manchester August 1st.)Andrea Comis/Reuters

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Switzerland's Michel Morganella (centre) was expelled from the Games July 30th after an offensive and threatening Tweet directed at members of the South Korean football team.Nigel Roddis/Reuters

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British soldiers, deployed for security purposes, march through Westminster during the London 2012 Olympic Games in London July 29, 2012. Over 3,500 British troops were put on standby at the start of the Games after a private security firm had to confess it might not be able to supply adequate personnel.Neil Hall/Reuters

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