India Open 2026 Hit by Fresh Disruption as Bird Droppings Fall on Court
Ap
New Delhi: The India Open badminton tournament faced fresh embarrassment on Thursday after play was disrupted by bird droppings during the men’s singles pre-quarterfinal between HS Prannoy and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
The match was halted twice in the second game as droppings fell from the stadium ceiling onto the court, forcing officials to clean the surface before play could resume. The interruptions came during a closely fought contest between Prannoy and the former world champion.
In badminton, courts are typically cleaned only at players’ requests or when referees intervene due to blood spills. The presence of bird droppings during live play, however, raised fresh concerns about venue management at one of India’s premier indoor stadiums.
Complaints Over Playing Conditions Grow
The incident followed earlier criticism during the tournament. On Tuesday, Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the conditions, citing dirty floors, birds flying inside the arena, and bird droppings on courts.
Responding to the criticism, Badminton Association of India (BAI) general secretary Sanjay Mishra said the complaints referred to the training venue at KD Jadhav Stadium, not the main playing arena. He maintained that the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium was clean and free of pigeons, adding that several players had expressed satisfaction with the playing conditions.
Antonsen Withdrawal Adds to Controversy
The controversy deepened after Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen withdrew from the India Open 2026, citing New Delhi’s air pollution. In an Instagram post, Antonsen said he hoped conditions would improve ahead of the BWF World Championships later this year. He also revealed that he was fined USD 5,000 by the BWF.
Mishra rejected Antonsen’s remarks, stating that the player could not comment on Indian conditions while being abroad. He added that the reason for withdrawal was not accepted by the BWF and criticised what he described as politicisation of the sport.
Our Thoughts
Repeated disruptions at the India Open have put the spotlight back on infrastructure and event management standards. While officials have defended the venue, visible interruptions during live matches risk overshadowing the sport itself and could raise concerns ahead of future international events in the country.