One Single Little Mistake Can Ruin Everything

Reputations, you know—  a lifetime to build, seconds to destroy. - Captain Shakespeare (Stardust, 2007)

There are two hot issues which are associated with the title above. 

The first is the news about Kristen Stewart's cheating scandal with Rupert Sanders, director of the film 'Snow White and The Huntsman' in which Stewart is the main actress. I knew this news in about the end of July, and when reading articles about this case, —I don't know what to say I'm not a big fan of her, though not a hater too—it's just that I felt this was something that is extremely a pity. Being discussed in an article, the movie 'Snow White and The Huntsman' is Sanders's debut as a film director. Previously, he just directed ads or video clips. It is also very likely to made a sequel of  the film. However, news about this scandal which was admitted by both of them ruins everything. Sanders's wife is the actress of the mother of Snow White, which is played by Stewart, and of course it would be difficult to unite the three in a movie after all this happens. With this scandal, Sanders has destroyed his own family relations, as well as his career in the film industry. From Stewart's side, this scandal also has sacrificed many things. His boyfriend Robert Pattinson was disappointed, and fled from the house in which not long ago they had just started to be living together. Breaking Dawn part 2 also has not been released and Summit is also confused about how to promote this film later, after the case occurred. Of course it would be so awkward if at the premiere and promotion, the main actor and actress don't get along, though in this final movie they are described as a married couple. One mistake, infidelity, can destroy so many things.

The second issue is about the disqualification of four women's doubles pairs from China (1), South Korea (2), and Indonesia (1)  from the 2012 London Olympics because they played not seriously and intentionally succumbed to the opposing pairs. As an Indonesian girl (which is although not really in Indonesia's badminton but proud when red and white flag was unfurled and the Indonesia Raya echoed just like in Beijing Olympics four years ago, especially when Markis Kido/ Hendra Setiawan got gold medal after defeated Cai Yun/ Fu Hai Feng for men's doubles) I'm certainly saddened by this. Moreover, it turns out that in this Olympics, Indonesia does not get a medal. Oh, out of topic.

Actually I did not really see the issue as a violation, but as a strategy. From an article I read, this was written that China's team also did a similar strategy in 2008 Beijing Olympics, but only that time, BWF did not give any sanction. In the 2012 London Olympics as well, the first to do so was the world's number one team for women's doubles Wang/ Yu from China who intentionally succumbed to their opponent in order not to contend with other Chinese pairs in the semifinals (though Yu said what they did was preserving energy ahead of the knockout rounds). Avoid contending with China's number one pairs, both Indonesia's and Korea's pairs who are facing each other intended to succumb and played not seriously, they often did basic errors. As a result, could be imagined, the game definitely did not look interesting but boring. Based on clips which were played on TV, I heard the audience watching this game yelled 'booo booo booo'. And finally they all were given black cards by the referee and then disqualified.

I'm a little confused to describe the incident as a mistake, because I think this was a strategy. Although, I've read also in an article, there are rules which are prohibiting athletes to 'not using one's best efforts to win' and to 'conduct oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport'. Okay, because there are rules, just consider it was a mistake. Because of a mistake, the teams who did it were disqualified and could not continue their struggles in this Olympics. Well, their struggles to be able to compete in the Olympics were not easy, I took from Liliyana Natsir's words, "not just drip sweat but also tears", and all the struggles they had done and the hope they bring all have gone, because of this mistake.

Another bad thing caused by this incident is a possibility of the deletion of badminton as a sport which is competed in Olympics. Without any case, badminton has been not popular, moreover after the case occurred. I really hope this does not happen, of course, but this incident has occurred and been discussed all over the world, and tarnished the name of badminton itself. However, I also read that the system they use which allows the athletes to do so should be reviewed and amended.

From both issues I write above, indeed, one single little mistake can ruin everything. Personally, I, my family exactly, have experienced similar thing. A small mistake that a person did, destroyed the lives of everyone in the family, since the error was made up till now.

Lessons from things like this are: be careful in every action and decision which you made. Consider the consequences of an action before deciding to do so.

That goes for the future, but what about the things that have already occurred as in the two issues above ?

Things which have happened have happened. It sounds cliche, but that's a fact. We do not have a time machine, we can not turn back time to change the past, but we still be able to design the future.

Remember that even though you can not go back and make a brand new start, you can always start now and make a brand new ending - Bard Carl

Especially for Meliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii who were disqualified, as well as the whole Indonesian badminton team which this time failed to present a medal, too. I, and I think the whole Indonesian people, are proud to have you. Okay this is dark history, breaking the gold medal tradition since Barcelona Olympics in 1992, but this is not the last Olympics, is it? There would be 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and other tournaments awaiting. There are still so many chances ahead to fix this.

My conclusion theoretically :
1. One single little mistake can ruin everything, therefore:
2. Thinking carefully before acting
3. If an error has occurred and its effects must be borne, it's okay. Keep fighting and never give up.

When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. - Dory (Finding Nemo)