Thais suspended for fighting at Canada Open

Kuala Lumpur: The Badminton World Federation on Tuesday banned Thai shuttler Bodin Issara for two years while his former doubles partner Maneepong Jongjit was hit with a three-month suspension over a violent brawl.

Bodin and Maneepong were punished for an on-court fight in July, which unfolded during the Canada Open men`s doubles final in front of shocked spectators. Video footage showed Bodin chasing Maneepong, his partner at last year`s Olympics who then teamed up with Nipitphon Puangpuapech, onto a neighbouring court and dragging him to the ground. He then punched his prone countryman twice and appeared to try to stamp on him before being dragged away from 22-year-old Maneepong, who got up shirtless and was helped away. "This decision by the BWF`s Disciplinary Committee follows the two players` involvement in an altercation while competing against each other in the Men`s Doubles final of last month`s Yonex Canada Open," the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said in a statement. "Both sanctions are effective from the date of the incident - Sunday 21 July - and the players have 21 days in which to appeal," it added. Bodin will forfeit the world-ranking points and prize money he earned from the event after the 22-year-old was found to have breached five sections of the BWF players` code of conduct. While tempers can fray during games it is rare for badminton players to fight on the court. Badminton is still reeling from a scandal at the Olympics when eight doubles players were banned for trying to lose group matches, in the hope of gaining a favourable quarter-final draw. Bodin and his partner, Pakkawat Vilailak, were disqualified from the Canada Open final after the fight. AFP