Maneenpong Jongjit and Bodin Issara will play together again in the men's doubles for the sake of the country, Badminton Association of Thailand (BAT) president Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul confirmed yesterday.
Khunying Patama with Bodin, right, and Maneepong.
The duo split after reaching the 2012 Olympic quarter-finals. Playing on opposing sides, they had an on-court brawl in Canada in 2013 and were suspended by the Badminton World Federation.
Having served their suspensions, the pair will now try to secure a berth for the 2016 Olympics and will begin collecting qualifying points at next month's Swiss Open.
The Grannular Badminton Club earlier claimed its player Bodin was lured by the association for the reunion with Maneepong.
However, Khunying Patama said that the player still belongs to Grannular, and not the association.
"It is a misunderstanding. The association has never taken any players from any clubs. They just play for the country. Our job is to support the players,'' she told a press conference.
Bodin said he had quit Grannular and that he and Maneepong wanted to qualify for another Olympics.
"I am willing to represent the club at the Thailand Championships. But if they don't want me anymore, then I will play for my former club, T Thailand,'' Bodin said.