India’s first-ever badminton Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal has confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton on a podcast. The 2012 London Olympic bronze medallist has been out of action for the last two years due to a knee injury. I think that’s what my parents needed to know and my coaches needed to know and I just told them. Saina reiterated that she did not see the need for a formal retirement announcement, believing her absence from competition would make the situation clear. I just felt my time was up because I couldn’t push much, that my knee is not able to push like before,” she said.

Source: The Telegraph January 21, 2026 06:28 UTC