Trans-Tasman rivalry burst on to centre-court and spilled off-court at an intense Commonwealth Games badminton session yesterday, with a frustrated Geoff Bellingham being red-carded after calling his Australian doubles opponents cheats during the match.
Bellingham's outburst against Travis Denney and Ashley Brehaut effectively cost New Zealand the match as they
were locked 19-19 in the final set, playing to see who would progress to the semifinals today. The red card meant Australia gained a point and the serve and won the match on the next serve.
"In badminton, on the serve, you have to hold your racquet beneath the waist," said Bellingham after the match.
"They weren't. They had been holding it above the waist about six times. We had complained to the officials about it but no one was calling it.
"I let the emotion of the moment get to me. I shouldn't have let it affect me. Usually you get a yellow card but, apparently, you can't call anyone a cheat."
The speed of badminton means a lifted racquet gives the server an advantage but Bellingham and doubles partner Craig Cooper stopped short of calling the officiating home town pressure.
"I don't think it was home town pressure," said Bellingham. "More like just general pressure. Sometimes I think it is just easier for the officials to do nothing."
However, the intensity also spilled off the court with the Australian badminton coach crossing swords with New Zealand team members, one of whom heard the coach Claus Poulsen congratulate his players, saying that they "kicked a*** and I don't care how the **** you did it".
It was a sad end to a good tournament for Bellingham, one of New Zealand badminton's signature players who is wrapping up his international career this year.
In the mixed doubles semifinals, Dan Shirley and Sara Runesten Petersen had a win to guarantee them at least a silver medal.
