Maneepong Jongjit, one of Thailand's best doubles shuttlers, has retired.
Maneepong Jongjit.
The 24-year-old announced his retirement on his Instagram because of a chronic shoulder injury.
"I love badminton. I have to thank badminton which has given me a lot,'' Maneepong said.
Maneepong started playing badminton when he was five years old and formed a formidable partnership with Bodin Issara.
They reached the men's doubles quarter-finals at the 2012 Olympics and were tipped to be future Olympic medallists.
However, they later split and acquired new playing partners. They had an on-court brawl when they played against each other in Canada a few years ago.
They later buried the hatchet and played together again but were not so successful due to Maneepong's injury.
"Thanks for the good and bad times. I wish you well,'' said Bodin.
Bodin added that he and his partner Nipitpon Puangpuaphet will try to secure a place at next year's Olympics.
Meanwhile, Badminton World Federation president Poul-Erik Hoyer has hailed a new proclamation as "an important opportunity to support the Special Olympics community and to grow the sport in a new and untapped direction".
Speaking following the recent signing ceremony and on-court demonstration by Special Olympics International, he stressed that the world governing body needed to reach out to all sectors of badminton's global fraternity and offer assistance.
"We have seen the activities which Special Olympics International has already created and we believe together, with our expertise, we can get more people playing badminton which is our collective goal," he said.