Viktor Axelsen, the Danish badminton star and two-time Olympic gold medallist, has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming 2025 BWF World Championships in Paris due to ongoing rehabilitation from back surgery. After consulting with his medical team, Axelsen shared that he needs more time to recover and will not be able to compete safely or be tournament-ready in time for the event.
Axelsen sustained a serious back injury in April 2025 that required endoscopic surgery. Since then, he has been focusing on recovery and rehabilitation but has not healed sufficiently to return to competition. Despite his strong desire to participate in the World Championships, he is prioritizing his long-term health and career longevity. He posted on Instagram, “After careful consultation with my medical team, I’ve been advised to dedicate more time to my rehabilitation. As a result, I unfortunately won’t be able to get tournament-ready in time to compete safely at the upcoming World Championships. While it’s tough to miss such a big event, I’m not discouraged. On the contrary, I’m highly motivated to keep pushing forward with my rehab and set myself a new goal to come back stronger”.
Axelsen, 31, is a former world champion (2017 and 2022) and Olympic champion (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), making him one of the most dominant players in badminton history. Earlier in 2025, he started strong with a dramatic victory at the Indian Open but struggled in later tournaments due to his injury, causing his world ranking to drop from top 5 to number 18.
Looking ahead, Axelsen plans to focus on a full recovery with aspirations to compete in and possibly make history at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, aiming for a third consecutive Olympic gold medal. His withdrawal from the 2025 BWF World Championships is a precaution to avoid aggravating his injury and ensure a stronger comeback in the future.
This decision marks a significant absence for the championships, where Axelsen had been one of the top contenders and fan favorites. The badminton community awaits his return once fully fit.
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