Mathias Christiansen, a Danish badminton player in mixed doubles, has pulled out of the Paris Olympics. His national federation stated on Wednesday that this decision came after he unintentionally made multiple errors in reporting his whereabouts as required by anti-doping rules.
The Badminton World Federation confirmed Christiansen’s withdrawal from the tournament, resulting in his team with partner Alexandra Boje being removed from the mixed doubles draw.
According to Badminton Denmark, Christiansen failed to accurately report his location on three occasions, a requirement for athletes to disclose their whereabouts for the next three months. Accumulating three warnings within a year can lead to potential disciplinary action by Anti-Doping Denmark, including the possibility of quarantine.
In a statement released by Badminton Denmark, the 30-year-old Christiansen expressed deep regret for his oversight, emphasizing that he did not intend to cause any distraction.
Jens Meibom, the head of sport at Badminton Denmark, stated his belief that Christiansen’s errors were unintentional, with no indication of deliberate misconduct.
The Badminton World Federation clarified that Christiansen and Boje will not be replaced in the tournament, as qualifying rules do not allow for replacements once groups have been finalized. Consequently, Group C will proceed with three teams.
Christiansen and Boje had previously competed in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where they finished third in their group. The badminton events in Paris are set to begin on July 27th.
