Dubai-based badminton legend Viktor Axelsen retires

Dubai-based Viktor Axelsen, easily one of the finest badminton players of all time, has hung up his racquet, having finally lost his battle with injuries and admitting persistent back problems meant he could no longer "compete and train at the highest level".

The 32-year-old Dane, who won gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and again in Paris in 2024, had back surgery in April last year and said he had not managed to overcome his physical issues.

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"Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult," he said in a statement.

"But I have now reached a point where my body won't allow me to continue."

Axelsen retires as one of the most decorated players in history, having also won two world titles and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He spent more than 100 consecutive weeks at the top of the men's singles world rankings, an achievement surpassed only by Malaysian great Lee Chong-wei.

Standing 194cm (six foot four inches) and making full use of his giant wingspan, Axelsen redefined what a player could do on the court.

He was also popular with fans around the world and spoke fluent Mandarin.

Axelsen said he had "accomplished everything I once dreamed of, and more".

"I have given everything to this sport," he said.

"It has never been just a career to me. It has been my life and I have left no stone unturned.

"What makes it hardest to say goodbye is not the competition itself, but everything around it, the journey, the daily grind, the people," he added.

The towering Dane has been a resident of Dubai since August 2021, when he decided to leave the Danish national team in Copenhagen and move with his family from Denmark to the emirate. He trained at the NAS Sports Complex (Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex).

Axelsen himself stated several reasons for the move to Dubai; for instance shorter travel time to most events in Asia, which allows him more time to rest or warm-up, besides the excellent training facilities at the NAS Sports Complex .

Another reason was the health factor since he has asthma and acute rhinitis. This made it more comfortable in Asia than in Europe, especially Denmark, which tends to be cooler and where his allergy can be triggered faster by things such as flower pollen, dust, or animal dander.

The legendary shuttler retires as only the second non-Asian player after countryman Thomas Lund to win the world title twice, which he achieved in 2017 and 2022.

He also won the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals three times in a row from 2021 to 2023.