More details have come to light regarding a badminton fight in Canada on Sunday thanks to a more detailed video of the incident.
A video lasting 2 minutes, 6 seconds, of what appears to be TV coverage of the match in Richmond, B.C., shows why Thailand’s Bodin Issara required two stitches.
The initial video from Monday was merely 24 seconds and only caught the second half of the altercation between Issara and his London Olympic doubles partner, Maneepong Jongjit. Issara and Jongit are no longer partners and were playing against each other in the doubles final in Canada.
Details on why they are no longer partners here.
In the new video, Issara and Jongjit are shown exchanging words following a break after the first set. Issara then took a couple swings at Jongjit and began chasing him around the court.
As he was being chased, Jongjit turned back and swung his racket at Issara’s head, striking it twice.
Jongjit leapt over a barrier between the court and the crowd. Issara followed suit and somehow wound up with a chair in his hands, which he immediately threw toward Jongjit.
Yesterday, we wondered why Issara, the instigator who took Jongjit to the ground and began punching him, needed stitches.
Now we know. The end of the video shows Issara’s bloodied ear, no doubt the result of those racket swings.
Issara’s team was disqualified, and the victory awarded to Jongjit, according to the Bangkok Post. Issara’s partner said Jongjit provoked him by showing him his middle finger, according to the newspaper.
Badminton Association of Thailand president Charoen Wattanasin said the fist fight was the most embarrassing incident in Thailand’s badminton history.
He described the incident as the worst in his decades-long career as a player and an official, and said the duo could face a life ban by the BWF.
“I have been in badminton for 58 years and never seen anything like this. It is very bad and causes damage to our reputation,” said Mr Charoen.
“(Issara) asked us why we were very noisy and then challenged me to a fight several times,” Jongjit told the Bangkok Post. “At the end of the first set, he came straight to me and punched me.”
Issara apologized.
“I am taking sole responsibility for the incident, although I was hit in the ear by a racket,” said Issara, whom the newspaper reported needed five stitches rathern than two. “I lost my cool. I want the matter to end here.”
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