Yana Dementieva, foreground, Anastasiia Kozhenkova, Nataliya Dovgodko, and Kateryna Tarasenko of Ukraine celebrate their win after the women's rowing quadruple sculls final in Windsor, England, on Wednesday, August 1. Check out Day 4 of competition from Tuesday. The Games ran through August 12.
London (CNN) -- Wednesday saw scandal at the Olympics as eight athletes were disqualified for trying not to win matches, joy as the U.S. continued its dominance in swimming and controversy as the chairman of the Games organizing committee declined to call Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian of all time.
The disqualifications came in badminton, after two matches Tuesday night in which female athletes were accused of playing to lose so they could face easier opponents in future matches.
A Chinese pair, two South Korean pairs and an Indonesian pair played so badly that they were booed by the crowd. The Chinese pair of Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang is the world's No. 1 women's duo.
The Badminton World Federation disqualified all four pairs, but the South Koreans and Indonesians are appealing.
The Chinese Olympic delegation said that it "fully respects" the decision to punish its two players and that it would carry out its own investigation.
"The actions of Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli on the court have violated Olympic principles and the spirit of fair athletic competition," it said in a statement. "The Chinese Sports Delegation feels saddened. We resolutely oppose and severely criticize such actions. The Chinese Olympic Committee has always been against anyone or any team that violates sports spirit and ethics in any form."
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There was more joy for the United States in swimming as Nathan Adrian shocked the 100-meter freestyle field, beating world record holder James Magnussen for gold by .01 second.
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"I kinda touched well and 'Oh, sweet, I've won,' " he said. "Then there's 10 to 15 seconds. Holy crap, this is the Olympics. I've been watching this since I was a kid."
The Americans added yet another gold -- their eighth in swimming -- when the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay team rallied to beat Australia.
"I knew it was close, I saw it was neck-and-neck all race," anchor Allison Schmitt said, "and I just wanted to swim my own race like in the 200 meters last night. I just wanted to feed off that energy and bring home the gold."
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There were two world bests at the London Aquatics Centre. Hungarian Daniel Gyurta swam the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:07.28 to win gold, and Rebecca Soni of the U.S. clocked 2:20.00 in the women's 200-meter breaststroke qualifying.
For the host nation, it was a golden day. Cyclist Bradley Wiggins, fresh off a win at the Tour de France, won gold in the men's time trial, and countryman Chris Froome captured bronze.
The victory makes Wiggins, a former track cyclist, the most decorated British Olympian, with seven medals.
When asked by a BBC presenter to turn around and show his fans the gold medal, which made the big crowd roar, Wiggins joked, "I know how the Beatles felt now."
An American Armstrong won the women's race. Kristin, no relation to Lance, defended her Beijing Games title.
After the race, she retired -- again.
"Today, my focus was 'this is it,' " she said. "I have to live with this result, and whatever I do today, I have to look back on. No matter what athlete you are, you're only as good as your last performance."
Earlier in the day, rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning brought Great Britain its first gold medal of the 2012 Games.
In the men's artistic gymnastics individual all-around final, Japan's Kohei Uchimura took the gold with an outstanding performance, while Team USA's Danell Leyva rallied to take bronze.
"To win an Olympic medal is a dream come true," Leyva said.
Swimmer Michael Phelps became not only the most decorated American on Tuesday but the most decorated Olympian of all time.
Many, including CNN partner Sports Illustrated, hailed Phelps on Wednesday as "Simply the Greatest."
But Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Olympic Games Organizing Committee, distinguished between "most medals" and "greatest."
"You can say by medal tally, he is the most successful, but I'm not sure if he's the greatest. But he's the most successful athlete; that goes without saying," said Coe, himself a multiple-gold-winning Olympic runner.
At the same time, Coe paid tribute to the crowds who have flocked to watch the events, saying they have created an "extraordinary atmosphere."
"I have now visited 16 sports, and I have been absolutely blown away by the noise, the vibrancy, just the humor and excitement there," he said, adding that Olympic Park was "buzzing."
Paul Deighton, chief executive of London 2012, said 3 million spectators had poured into Olympic venues over the past five days.
Uzbek gymnast Luiza Galiulina, who was suspended after a drug test on July 25, was expelled from the Games after a test of a second sample also came back positive.
A 28-year-old man was killed Wednesday when the bicycle he was riding collided with an Olympic media shuttle bus, officials said. The man died on the scene, a spokeswoman with the London Ambulance Service said. Metropolitan Police said a man in his mid-60s was arrested in suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is in custody.
The organizing committee said: "Our thoughts are with the cyclist's family."
CNN's Zayn Nabbi and Laura Smith-Spark in London, Steven Jiang in Beijing and Alexander Felton contributed to this report.
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
New Zealand's Linda Melanie Villumsen in action during the women's individual time trial road cycling in London.
France's Tony Yoka departs the ring after his narrow loss to Canada's Simon Kean in their round of 16 super-heavyweight boxing match.
Diana Taurasi of the United States defends the inbound pass in the women's basketball preliminary round against Turkey.
United States supporters attend the women's preliminary round group A basketball match between the United States and Turkey.
Ibrahima Balde of Senegal heads the ball during the men's football first round group D match against United Arab Emirates in Coventry, England.
Brazil's Fabiana Claudino, left, spikes as South Korea's Yang Hyo-Jin, right, attempts to block during the women's preliminary group B volleyball match.
Germany's Moritz Fuerste, left, challenges South Korea's Jong Bok Cha, right, for the ball during the men's preliminary hockey match.
Australia's James Magnussen dives in the water at the start of the men's 100-meter freestyle.
Germany's Benjamin Wess attempts to maintain control of the ball during the men's hockey match against South Korea.
Pakistan fans show their support during the men's preliminary hockey match between Argentina and Pakistan in London.
Germany's goalkeeper Max Weinhold clears the ball during the men's preliminary hockey match against South Korea.
American Kerri Walsh reacts after a point during women's beach volleyball.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States celebrate their win against Austria's Doris Schwaiger and Stefanie Schwaiger in the women's beach volleyball preliminary phase group C match.
China's Zhang Fenglin competes in the men's 200-meter backstroke semi-finals.
Players from the Czech Republic go into a huddle before starting the second half against Croatia during the women's basketball preliminary round match.
Left to right: Shannon Vreeland, Dana Vollmer and Missy Franklin of the United States encourage teammate Allison Schmitt (not pictured) as they compete in the final of the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
Great Britain's goalkeeper Jack Butland celebrates winning the men's football match against Uruguay in Cardiff, Wales.
Russia's left back Victoria Zhilinskayte, left, vies with Croatia's pivot Vesna Milanovic-Litre during the women's preliminaries group B handball match.
Aaron Ramsey of Great Britain reacts during the men's football first round group A match against Uruguay in Cardiff.
Center for the United States Tina Charles, left, vies with Turkey's Kuanitra Hollingsvorth during the women's preliminary round basketball match.
Tyler Clary of the United States pushes off of the block at the start of the second semifinal heat of the men's 200-meter backstroke.
A general view of the pool during the night session of swimming at the Aquatics Centre in London.
United States men's basketball player LeBron James watches the women's basketball preliminary round match between the United States and Turkey.
Kristyna Kolocova, right, and Marketa Slukova of the Czech Republic celebrate after winning their match against Australia during women's beach volleyball.
Spain's rightback Marta Mangue Gonzalez jumps to shoot during the women's preliminaries Group A handball match against Denmark.
Bradley Wiggins of Britain competes in men's individual time trial road cycling.
South Korea's Jiyeon Kim celebrates her victory over Sofya Velikaya of Russia in the individual saber finals of women's fencing.
U.S. middle blocker Christa Harmotto, right, spikes during the women's preliminary volleyball match against China.
U.S. gymnast Danell Leyva performs on the rings during the nen's individual all-around gymnastics competition.
Croatia centerback Miranda Tatari, center, vies with Russian players during the preliminaries in women's handball.
Left to right: Haojie Lu of China (silver), Xiaojun Lu of China (gold) and Ivan Cambar Rodriguez of Cuba (bronze) stand on the podium during the medal ceremony for men's 77-kilogram weightlifting event.
Danell Leyva of the United States competes on the parallel bars in the men's individual all-around gymastics final.
Germany's Marcel Nguyen reaches for the high bar during his silver medal performance in men's individual all-around gymnastics.
Spain's leftback Beatriz Fernandez Ibanez reacts after a goal during the women's preliminary Group A handball match against Denmark.
Pakistan's Fareed Ahmed, left, plays a shot against Argentina's Matias Damian Vila during a men's field hockey preliminary.
North Korea's Rim Jong Sim falls while competing in women's 69-kilogram weightlifting.
American swimmers Michael Phelps, left, and Ryan Lochte compete in the first semifinal heat of the men's 200-meter individual medley.
Craig Bellamy of Britain battles with Ramon Arias of Uruguay during the a men's Group A football match in Cardiff, Wales.
Left to right: Brenda Villa of the United States is challenged by Spain's Anni Espar Llaquet and Roser Tarrago Aymerich in a women's Group A water polo preliminary.
China's Wei Quiyue, left, makes a set shot during a Pool B women's volleyball preliminary match against the United States.
Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo celebrates winning the gold for men's epee.
Left to right: Shannon Vreeland, Dana Vollmer and Missy Franklin celebrate after the U.S. team won gold in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo celebrates his victory over Norway's Bartosz Piasecki at the end of their gold medal match in men's epee.
Jinsun Jung of South Korea celebrates his victory in the men's epee individual fencing bronze medal match against Seth Kelsey of the United States.
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke of New Zealand take part in the men's 49er sailing competition.
Jinsun Jung collapses after winning the men's epee individual fencing bronze medal match against Seth Kelsey of the United States.
Japan's Kohei Uchimura performs on the horizontal bar during the men's individual all-around competition.
A supporter of Egypt waves a flag from the stands during the men's soccer match with Belarus.
Lidiia Sichenikova of Ukraine competes in the women's individual archery 1/32 eliminations match against Ekaterina Timofeyeva of Belarus.
Kristian Thomas of Great Britain performs his floor exercise in the men's individual all-around gymnastics final.
Russia's David Belyavskiy performs on the rings during the men's individual all-around competition of the gymnastics event.
The London Eye peers down on the men's beach volleyball preliminary match between Great Britain and Norway.
Gael Prevost of France competes in the men's individual archery 1/16 eliminations match against countryman Thomas Faucheron.
The crowds cheer for German silver medalist Tony Martin as he exits the gate of Hampton Palace to start the men's individual time trial road cycling event.
Kate Macgregor, left, Annie Lush and Lucy Macgregor of Great Britain compete in the Women's Elliott 6-meter WMR sailing event.
Gotoku Sakai of Japan is tackled by Wilmer Crisanto of Honduras during their first-round soccer match.
Russia's Ilya Zakharov and Evgeny Kuznetsov compete in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving event.
Norway's Bartosz Piasecki celebrates with his coach after beating South Korea's Jung Jinsun in the men's epee semifinal fencing bout.
Britain's Andy Murray celebrates after defeating Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in their third-round men's singles tennis match.
Claudio Capelli of Switzerland competes on the horizontal bar in the men's individual all-around gymnastics final.
Aleksandrs Samoilovs of Latvia dives for the ball during a men's beach volleyball preliminary match against the United States.
Captain Barry Middleton, in red, celebrates an equalizing goal in front of Lloyd Norris Jones of South Africa during their men's preliminary hockey match.
Kohei Uchimura of Japan competes on the parallel bars in the men's individual all-around gymnastics final.
Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain cycles past a pub in Esher during a road cycling event.
The Netherlands team competes in the men's eight final in Windsor, England.
Daniele Molmenti of Italy celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's kayak single final.
Yamil Peralta Jara of Argentina, right, defends against Chouaib Bouloudinats of Algeria during their heavyweight boxing match.
Nathan Outteridge, right, and Iain Jensen of Australia compete in the men's 49er sailing event in Weymouth, England.
Danilo Luiz Da Silva of Brazil reacts after scoring against New Zealand during the first-round men's soccer match.
Ying Chen of China competes in the women's 25-meter pistol shooting final.
Amira Ben Chaabane of Tunisia celebrates a point against Xiaodong Chen of China in the women's saber individual round 32 match.
Brazilian center Clarissa Santos falls during the women's preliminary basketball match against Australia.
China's Qin Kai and Luo Yutong compete in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving event.
The U.S. team stands wrapped in the American flag on the podium after winning the bronze medal in the women's quadruple sculls final of the rowing event.
U.S. archer Brady Ellison competes against Mark Javier of the Philippines in the men's individual elimination match.
U.S. archer Brady Ellison has a tattoo of the Olympics rings on the arm.
China's Ding Ning, right, serves during her table tennis women's gold medal singles match against compatriot Li Xiaoxia.
Russia's Sofya Velikaya celebrates her victory over U.S. fencer Dagmara Wozniak during their women's saber quarterfinal bout.
Joachim Fischer and Christinna Pedersen of Denmark celebrate beating Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam of Thailand in their mixed doubles badminton match.
Brazil's Erika Souza, center, vies with Australia's Lauren Jackson, right, and Elizabeth Cambage during a women's preliminary basketball match.
Italy's Federico Esposito leads the fleet in the RS:X sailing class in Weymouth.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the third round men's singles tennis match.
Taylor Worth of Australia competes in an elimination archery match against Brady Ellison of the United States.
Egypt's Hossam Hassan, right, competes with Belarus' Stanislav Dragun during the men's soccer match in Glasgow, Scotland.
Britain's Bradley Wiggins celebrates after winning the men's individual time trial road cycling event.
Jong Sim Rim of North Korea competes in the women's 69-kilogram weightlifting event.
South Korea's Choi Hyeonju competes against Italy's Jessica Tomasi in a women's elimination match.
Germany's rowing team throws their cox, Martin Sauer, into the water after winning gold in the men's eight final.
Rowers Helen Glover, left, and Heather Stanning of Great Britain celebrate with their gold medals during the medal ceremony.
British fans wave Union Jacks as they enjoy the atmosphere at Eton Dorney.
Elizabeth Armitstead of Great Britain waves to the crowds after the women's individual time trial road cycling race.
Benjamin Boukpeti of Togo competes in the men's kayak semifinal.
Angola's Natalia Bernardo, center in red, vies with Montenegrin players during a women's preliminary handball match.
Great Britain's rowing team competes in the men's eight final.
South Korea's Jung Jinsun celebrates his victory over Germany's Jorg Fiedler at the end of their men's epee fencing bout.
Roberto Meloni of Italy, in white, competes with Parviz Sobirov of Tajikistan during a men's under 90 kilogram Judo event.
Egypt's Mohamed Salah, left, vies with Belarus' Renan Bardini Bressan during a men's soccer match.
U.S. fencer Mariel Zagunis gets ready to fence against Japan's Nakayama Seira for their women's saber bout.
Serena Williams of the United States serves to Vera Zvonareva of Russia during the third round of women's singles tennis.
Emma Pooley of Great Britain is in action during the time trial for women's individual road cycling.
Swimmers dive in for heat 5 of the men's 200-meter individual medley.
Great Britain's Helen Glover and Heather Stanning celebrate after winning gold in the women's pair final rowing event.
Team Japan bows to the fans after beating the Dominican Republic in women's volleyball Wednesday.
Michael Phelps of the United States, top, competes Wednesday in the men's 200-meter individual medley.
Felix Ekpo of Nigeria competes in the men's 77-kilogram weightlifting event Wednesday.
Korea's Hwang Ye-Sul celebrates after defeating Slovenia's Rasa Sraka in women's 70-kilogram judo on Wednesday.
Team Russia competes in the men's quadruple sculls semifinal rowing event Wednesday.
Michael Phelps competes in the men's 200-meter individual medley on Wednesday.
Zhang Jike of China serves during the men's singles table tennis quarter-final match against Tianyi Jiang of Hong Kong on Wednesday.
Carolina Morais of Angola throws over Milena Knezevic of Montenegro in a women's preliminary handball match Wednesday.
Jamaica's Alia Atkinson swims in a women's 200-meter breaststroke heat Wednesday.
Korean players huddle after tying with Norway in a women's preliminary handball match Wednesday.
Alexandre de Saedeleer of Belgium hits past Billy Bakker of the Netherlands during their field hockey match at Riverbank Arena in London on Wednesday.
Montenegro's center back Ana Radovic, left, vies with Angola's Natalia Bernardo during the women's preliminary handball match Wednesday.
Angolan forward Felizarda Jorge looks to pass Wednesday during the preliminary round basketball game against China.
Paris A. Inostroza Budinich of Chile competes against Max Heinzer of Switzerland in the men's individual epee fencing round of 32 on Wednesday.
Norway's Heidi Loke jumps as she shoots during the women's preliminaries handball match against South Korea on Wednesday.
China's Lin Dan plays against Indonesia's Hidayat Taufik in the men's singles badminton match Wednesday.
China's Tang Yi prepares for the women's 100-meter freestyle swimming event Wednesday.
Vasiliki Arvaniti of Greece hits the ball over the net during the women's beach volleyball match between China and Greece on Wednesday.
Great Britain fans watch and cheer during the men's single sculls semifinals Wednesday.
Maria Laura Abalo, left, and Gabriela Best of Argentina look on after finishing the women's pair B rowing finals Wednesday.
Sebastian Stoss of Austria competes in heat 1 of the men's 200-meter backstroke Wednesday.
Isabelle Yacoubou of France, center, fights Tamara Tatham of Canada for the ball during a women's preliminary basketball match Wednesday.
France's Yannick Borel, right, celebrates his victory over Ukraine's Dmitriy Karuchenko at the end of their men's epee fencing bout Wednesday.
Saori Kimura of Japan spikes the volleyball Wednesday as Prisilla Altagracia Rivera Brens, left, and Candida Estefany Arias Perez of the Dominican Republic try to block.
Mareme Faye of Senegal competes in the women's 100-meter freestyle heat Wednesday.
Mathias Raymond of Monaco reacts during the men's single sculls competition on Wednesday.
Dancers run from the court Wednesday during the women's beach volleyball preliminary match between China and Greece.
Elkhan Mammadov, right, of Azerbaijan faces off with Christophe Lambert of Germany on Wednesday during the men's 90-kilogram Judo match.
Egypt's Hesham Mesbah, left, competes with Kazakhstan's Timur Bolat during their men's 90-kilogram Judo contest Wednesday.
Captain Edward Ockenden of Australia dives for the ball during the men's preliminary field hockey match against Spain on Wednesday.
Korea's Hwang Ye-Sul, in white, competes with Italy's Erica Barbieri, in blue, during the women's 70-kilogram Judo contest match Wednesday.
Henrik Stephansen of Denmark rows in the men's single sculls semi-final meet on Wednesday.
Hyobi Jo of Korea takes a shot at goal against Norway in the women's preliminaries group B handball match Wednesday. Check out photos of
Missy Franklin of the United States prepares for a women's 100-meter freestyle heat Wednesday.
Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of the Bahamas waves to the crowd after the women's 100-meter freestyle heats Wednesday.
A woman sits in empty stands Wednesday during a women's preliminary volleyball match between the Dominican Republic and Japan.
Chen Yu-Cheng of Chinese Taipai competes Wednesday in the men's individual archery 1/16 eliminations match against Viktor Ruban of Ukraine. Check out photos from 
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