India Open Badminton 2026: Bird Droppings Disrupt Prannoy-Loh Match Twice – Watch

The India Open 2026 Super 750 continued to draw unwanted attention on Thursday after bird droppings caused two stoppages in the men’s singles second-round match between HS Prannoy and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

This is the latest in a growing list of organisational and environmental concerns surrounding the badminton tournament, which has already faced criticism from participants over playing conditions, air quality, extreme cold, and a monkey sighting in the spectator stands earlier in the week.

Match Halted Twice On Centre Court

The interruptions occurred on the third day of the tournament on Court 1, the main television court. The first stoppage came during the opening game, with Prannoy leading 16-14, when the chair umpire suddenly raised his arm to suspend play.

Tournament officials soon entered the court carrying tissues and wipes, cleaning the playing surface after what appeared to be bird droppings falling from the ceiling.

Play was halted again early in the deciding game, with Prannoy ahead 1-0, for the same reason, prompting another brief clean-up before the match resumed.

During one of the breaks, Prannoy was seen towelling down, while Loh glanced towards the ceiling before walking to the net. After spotting the court surface, the Singaporean visibly appeared disgusted.

Prannoy-Loh Speaks On Issues

After the match, which Prannoy lost 21-18, 19-21, 14-21, the Indian shuttler confirmed the nature of the interruption. “It was bird shit that kind of halted the game,” he said in the mixed zone.

While Loh, the 2021 world champion, chose not to comment directly on the stoppages, he expressed concern about the conditions at the venue.

“Everyone's stamina just dropped like two levels. The weather is not good,” Loh said. “My health dropped quite a bit. I breathe less. I wear my mask when I can. I stay indoors as much as possible, but that's the only thing that I can do.”

Former Coach Downplays Incident

Former India coach Vimal Kumar, who was watching from the stands, played down the seriousness of the stoppages.

“I don't know if it was bird dropping, the halt was just for 30-40 seconds they took to wipe the floor. I don't know if it is a major thing to worry about. I haven't seen any birds inside so far, it is a minor small thing,” Vimal said. “90% of the tournament venues, barring the ones in China, are grossly neglected.”

“One thing is, we organise such big events, why can't we have good toilet facilities? Stadium maintenance is very important. It is not the job of the Badminton Association of India or organisers,” he added.

Complaints Overshadow India Open Badminton

The bird-dropping episode follows multiple complaints from players at the India Open 2026. On Tuesday, Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt publicly criticised the health conditions at the venue, stating that the earlier training site – the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall – also had bird droppings.

Her compatriot Anders Antonsen withdrew from the tournament for a third consecutive year, citing “extreme pollution” in a social media post.

On Wednesday, organisers were further embarrassed when a monkey was spotted in the stands during a live match.

BWF Responds To Complaints

In a statement addressing the concerns, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) acknowledged the challenges faced during the tournament. “Managing factors related largely to seasonal conditions, such as the haze and cold weather affecting the air quality and temperature inside the venue has posed challenges this week,” the statement read.

“Our assessments confirm that the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex represents a significant upgrade from KD Jadhav Stadium, offering improved infrastructure,” it continued.

“While some areas of implementation, including general cleanliness and hygiene plus animal control have required attention, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has acted promptly to address these concerns.”

(With PTI Inputs)