SEOUL, South Korea  - Badminton authorities in South Korea have eased penalties against four players who tried to lose their last group matches at the London Olympics.

A Badminton Korea Association disciplinary committee had earlier barred the two women's doubles pairs from international and domestic play for two years after they were ejected from the Olympics for trying to deliberately lose in order to gain an easier path to the final. The players appealed for leniency.

The association lowered the punishment to six months on Wednesday, saying their earlier decision was too harsh.

The association says the players' two coaches are barred from working for the national team for four years. They had previously been expelled from the association.

Two other doubles teams, from China and Indonesia, also were kicked out of the Olympics.