Missteps at the 2012 Olympics

The Olympics never have been perfect. But the London Games have had missteps and PR setbacks aplenty, from mixed-up national flags to dirty under-the-surface water polo play to athletes banned for doping, racist tweets and throwing matches.

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Too much exposure?

Who knew water polo was this dirty? The first extensive use of underwater cameras showed punches, shoves and swimsuit pulling that caused a few wardrobe malfunctions. On left, Ash Southern of Australia competes for position in the women’s semifinal match against the United States on Aug. 7.

Al Bello / Getty Images

Didn't mean to eat marijuana

American judo athlete Nick Delpopolo was expelled from the U.S. team Aug. 6 after testing positive for marijuana. Delpopolo, who finished seventh in his event, said he had accidentally ingested marijuana before leaving for the London Games. Also on Aug. 6, Italy's Alex Schwazer, the defending champion 50K race walker, was removed from the Italian team after testing positive for drugs. At left, Delpopolo competes with Chi Yip Cheung of Hong Kong during the men's 73-kilogram judo competition on July 30.

Paul Sancya / AP

That's just my boyfriend

Rower Nadja Drygalla, 23, left the German Olympics squad on Aug. 3 after an uproar over her far-right boyfriend. Michael Fischer, an ex-competitive rower, was a candidate for the extremist National Democratic Party and a member of the Rostock National Socialists. While Drygalla has denied connections with Fischer's circle of friends, the belated disclosure has raised questions about the screening process for the national team. At left, Drygalla rows during the women's eight repechage on July 31.

Darren Whiteside / Reuters

The badminton scandal

Eight badminton players were ejected from the Games on Aug. 1 after the World Badminton Federation issued charges that they attempted to throw matches to gain favorable pairings in later rounds. Clockwise from top left, the pairs are China's Wang Xiaoli and Yang Yu, South Korea's Jung Kyung Eun and Kim Ha Na, Indonesia's Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari and South Korea's Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung.

Bazuki Muhammad / Reuters

First, we need to find the keys

On July 30, London police acknowledged that they lost a set of keys to Wembley — one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world and an Olympic venue in London.

Jamie Squire / Getty Images

One racist tweet, one expulsion

Switzerland's Michel Morganella, right, was expelled from the Olympics for posting an offensive and threatening message on Twitter after the Swiss team lost 2-1 to South Korea.

Paul Ellis / AFP/Getty Images

Whoops, wrong flag!

The North Korean women's soccer team refused to take the field July 25 when organizers mistakenly put up the flag of arch-enemy South Korea. Here, the group sings the national anthem in front of the proper banner ahead of a match with Colombia at Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland.

Chris Clark / AP

Another racist tweet? I blame Facebook.

The Greek Olympic squad bounced triple jumper Voula Papachristou on July 25 after she posted a racist tweet. In one of a series of apologies, she blamed a Facebook culture for the indiscretion.

Matt Dunham / AP

Munich massacre? I know nothing, nothing!

The International Olympic Committee created a firestorm by refusing to hold a moment of silence on the 40th anniversary of the terrorist slaying of 11 Israeli athletes and support staff at the Games in Munich. Washington Post columnist Tracee Hamilton called the move, at best, ''idiotic.''

Toby Melville / Reuters

Don't judge us by our made-in-China label

U.S. Olympic officials came under fire when they acknowledged that this year’s uniforms were made in communist China, which has been criticized for the working conditions of its factories. In 2002, uniforms were made in military-run Burma for the Mitt Romney-run Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The officials promised that garments would be U.S.-made by the next Olympics, in 2014.

/ Ralph Lauren via AP

Depends on how you define 'Nike'

Egypt says it's sticking with its counterfeit Nike uniforms even after their knockoff status was exposed, with its Olympic chair saying the nation doesn't have the cash for the real thing.

Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

No, really, he's 'sick'

Although it told the world that Iranian athletes would compete against Israelis for the first time, Iran kept its only likely foe of an Israeli off its plane to London. On June 25, Iran announced Javad Mahjoub, a judo champion, is suffering from a “critical digestive system infection,” forcing him to take antibiotics and cancel plans for the Games. A probable opponent would have been 2004 bronze medalist Ariel “Arik” Ze’evi. In 2011, Mahjoub admitted to throwing a match against a German opponent to avoid playing an Israeli, and Iranians in 2004 and 2008 kept home athletes who might have faced Israelis.

Paulo Duarte / AP

Befuddled, shuttled

Shuttle problems have plagued arriving Olympic teams. U.S. athletes took four hours to get from the airport to the Olympic Village, roughly quadruple the normal time. Another shuttle meandered through London for three hours with Australian athletes — after airport handlers lost the sails for the Australian sailing team. "Not a good first impression London,'' tweeted Kerron Clement, an American gold medal hopeful in hurdles. "Athletes are sleepy, hungry and need to pee.''

Denis Charlet / AFP/Getty Images

I could have sworn you were English

Organizers apologized on July 26 for labeling Joe Allen (at right), a Welsh midfielder on Britain's soccer team, as English. The organizers pledged to correct the programs and web materials by the nation's next contest. But that's not the only nationality dispute. Ukraine and Georgia have complained to Olympics organizers after more than 30 Russian athletes born outside Russia had their birthplaces in Olympics materials changed to Russia.

Justin Edmonds / GETTY IMAGES

On the upside, these Olympics haven't done this . . .

It's early, but there have been no national anthem miscues akin to Kuwait's botching of Kazakhstan and Serbia's national anthem in an athletic competition in March. After a Kazakh victory, the Kuwaitis played a spoof from Sacha Baron Cohen’s 2006 film "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" that portrayed Kazakhs as backward and bigoted. The song, banned in Kazakhstan, includes the lines: “Kazakhstan’s prostitutes cleanest in the region / Except, of course, Turkmenistan’s.”

Twentieth Century Fox

Featured Photo Galleries

Homeowner David Firth tries to beat back a brush fire heading towards his home at Bettas Road and Low Drive as wildfire burns Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 in Cle Elum, Wash. The fire jumped the line they were trying to make but still stands after being sprayed with water trucks and further efforts to beat it back with the help of several neighbors volunteering. (AP Photo/The Seattle Times, Bettina Hansen) SEATTLE OUT, USA TODAY OUT, MAGAZINES OUT, TELEVISION OUT, NO SALES . MANDATORY CREDIT TO: BETTINA HANSEN/THE SEATTLE TIMES.

Residents evacuate as wildfires rage through the West

This year’s wildfires are more numerous and have gotten bigger than last year’s, an official says.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 16: Protesters gather outside the Ecuadorian Embassy, where Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks is staying on August 16, 2012 in London, England. Mr Assange has been living inside Ecuador's London embassy since June 19, 2012 after requesting political asylum whilst facing extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Julian Assange granted political asylum by Ecuador

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was granted asylum on Thursday by Ecuador, raising the possibility of a diplomatic showdown between British...

Chase Culp of Houston checks his clown makeup before the performance of Circus Smirkus on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 in Montpelier, Vt. Circus Smirkus, based in Greensboro, Vt., is an award-winning international youth circus founded to promote the skills, culture and traditions of the traveling circus.(AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

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Cast member Charisma Carpenter poses at the premiere of 'The Expendables 2' at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California August 15, 2012. The movie opens in the U.S. on August 17. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

Eye on entertainment

Charisma Carpenter, Chuck Norris, Lionel Richie, Joe Jonas, Nelly, Alice Cooper and other celebrities.

US President Barack Obama drinks a Guinness beer at The Dubliner pub on March 17, 2012 in Washington. Obama went to the bar to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Hoppy days are here again

President Obama is making clear his love for beer on the campaign trail as he attempts to ferment a coalition of the swilling.

Scanned from Post archive. Washington Senators baseball players Goose Goslin, Manush, Kukel. 9/21/1933. No other info. TWP Photo.

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Montreal Washington, of Kansas City, pets the dog she adopted, Friday, Aug. 10, during 'Tackle Pet Homelessness' at the Kansas City animal shelter in Kansas City, Mo.. Washington plans on naming the pit bull, Alexandra. The shelter is at capacity and is offering a $25 adoption special for all dogs 25 pounds or more. For the month of August, all cats are 'name your own price' and kitten adoptions are $50. (AP Photo/The Kansas City Star, Allison Long)

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LEWISBURG, WV - AUGUST 11: ( EDITORS NOTE: Image was created using the iPhone 4s with Snapseed's vintage filter) Two young boys sip a drink at the West Virginia State fair on August 11, 2012 in Lewisburg, West Virginia. People from across the region travel to the fair, which is celebrating its 88th year, and hosts various events including equestrian and livestock demonstrations along with a full compliment of carnival rides. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

iPhone snapshots at the West Virginia State Fair

An iPhone captures the fun at the West Virginia State Fair, in its 88th year. All images were created using the Snapseed photo-editing app&rsquo...

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