From 'Global Ambassador' Patama to '9-second man' Puripol

The Sports Reporters and Photographers Association of Thailand has announced its annual nicknames for prominent sporting figures in 2025, a longstanding tradition reflecting key moments, achievements, and controversies in Thai sport over the past year.

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Among the 12 individuals and organisations honoured, several stood out for their impact on both the national and international sporting landscape.

Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, an International Olympic Committee member, was bestowed with the title “Global Sports Ambassador”, reflecting her prominent role in international sports governance. As president of the Badminton World Federation, which oversees more than 200 member nations, she spent much of the year travelling across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and Africa to attend high-level meetings and strengthen cooperation between international sports federations and Thailand’s sporting bodies.