New Delhi, April 15 : Two-time Olympic champion Danish shuttler Viktor Axelsen has announced his retirement from professional badminton at the age of 32, owing to a prolonged back injury.

Axelsen, who is a two-time world champion, three-time European champion, a Thomas Cup winner along with a former and long-serving world number one, and the owner of one of the most complete major-title resumes in menâ??s singles history, has been hampered by a serious back injury for the past two years.

Explaining the reason behind his decision, Axelsen said it is no longer physically possible for him to continue playing badminton due to pain. "As most people know, I have been struggling with my back for quite some time. After I had surgery in April last year and went through a long rehabilitation process, I unfortunately had a setback in October. Since those tournaments, I have not been able to play or train at the level required. I have not been able to play or train due to pain, and that is why I am unfortunately forced to make this extremely difficult decision," he told Badminton Europe.

Axelsen won the 2010 BWF World Junior Championships, making him the first European player to win the title. He made his senior debut in the same year, winning at the Cyprus International. In 2014, he achieved a great win at the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold. In addition, he is proudly decorated with two European Championships bronze medals, and also won his first bronze medal at the BWF World Championships in 2014. In 2016, he became the first European badminton player to win the men's singles title at the BWF World Superseries Finals.

Axelsen made his Olympic debut in Rio 2016, where he won a bronze medal by defeating two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan. The highlight of Axelsen's career came when he won the men's singles gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Axelsen added a second world title in 2022 in a triumphant return to Tokyo and successfully defended his Olympic gold at Paris 2024, affirming his status as a badminton superstar.

He continued to explain how recurring issues and the risk of further surgery ultimately led to the decision, â??The decision has been made in consultation with the surgeon who operated on me last year, as well as the doctors I have been working with. They say that with the pain I am experiencing now, it could potentially require another surgery, and if that does not go well, even a more serious procedure might be necessary. In any case, it would mean I would not be able to compete at the level required. So, it is simply my body telling me to stop, and I have to follow the advice of my doctors," he added.

Achieving success at the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships, he has become one of the most distinguished players in badminton history. In October 2023, Axelsen marked his 100th consecutive week as the top-ranked player in the men's singles category.

Axelsen also reflected on his career and said, "Making this decision has been extremely difficult and at times felt unfair. At the same time, my body has done an incredible job over many years, and I see it as a huge privilege to have been able to play, train, and win so many major tournaments at the highest level. Very few people get to experience what I have experienced and meet so many amazing people. Thatâ??s why I look back on my career with joy.â??

/IANS