India Open Fiasco: High AQI, Bird Droppings Raise Questions Over Delhi Hosting BWF World Championships

The recently concluded India Open 2026 Super 750 in New Delhi landed in controversy when several visiting athletes complained of poor infrastructure, difficult conditions and organizing failures. More than the quality of the sporting display and what's at stake, the highlight of the competition became a back and forth between the organizers and the visitors.

Danish shuttlers Mia Blichfeldt and Anders Antonsen raised the question of whether Delhi is ready to host the BWF World Championships later in the year.

The national capital is set to host the marquee tournament starting from August 17. This is the first time India will host the competition since 2009. Ahead of that, the facilities at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the venue for the Championships, faced serious scrutiny during the India Open.

Badminton is a body-intensive sport. In singles, an athlete has to cover a large amount of ground in a very short time and has to be really agile to reach corners of the court targeted by the opposition. In long rallies, the game demands massive stamina.

But multiple participating athletes said that Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) seriously hampered that aspect of the game. The index is stubbornly hovering around (or over) 400 and that hindered the players' gameplay.

Foreign Athletes Express Discontent Over Conditions

The stage where the Delhi AQI is right now, it is not recommended as fine for health for even the sedentary population. Given that badminton demands a lot of intense action on court and that the visitors come from nations with much cleaner air, the situation turns for the worse.

So much so, that Singaporean shuttler Loh Kean Yew took a cheeky dig at the conditions. Responding to the question of why he has a good record in India, Loh said, "I don’t know, probably the weather here. Everyone’s stamina drops like two levels in these conditions with the haze going on.”

“I was good in Malaysia, but my health has dropped a bit after landing here,” he added further.

World No. 3, Anders Antonsen, was not so accommodating about the conditions. He withdrew from the India Open Super 750 ahead of the competition and took to social media to explain his decision. In the Instagram post, he revealed that due to the extreme air pollution in Delhi at the moment, he does not believe it is a suitable place to host a badminton tournament.

The conditions were so bad that Antonsen was ready to pay a hefty fine of USD 5000 imposed on him by the BWF for his late withdrawal. The Danish star backed up his decision in his post on social media, attaching a screenshot of Delhi’s AQI, which stood at 348 and was termed 'hazardous'."

The AQI was not the only hindrance at the venue. Several matches in the India Open had to be stopped midway due to pigeon droppings landing on the court. Nor was that the only animal presence in the competition. A monkey was also spotted in the stands, 'enjoying' a match from the spectator seats.

Antonsen's Danish compatriot Blichfeldt was also vocal about the issue. In her post, she mentioned the conditions to be “unacceptable” and “highly unprofessional." She sparked controversy further when she said, "Sadly, under the current circumstances, I find it very difficult to see how a World Championship could be held here."

Bengaluru And Hyderabad Sidelined While New Delhi Keeps Hosting Rights

Amidst all the criticism, questions arise on why Bengaluru and Hyderabad, India's badminton hubs, are not being considered for hosting world events. Both cities have shown a proven passion for badminton and produced successful shuttlers. Despite that, Delhi remains the default venue for badminton events, despite receiving criticism year after year.

Onus On BAI As New Delhi Stays Under Scrutiny

This is not the first time when BAI has faced criticism over organizing failures of a badminton competition. As recent as two years back, bird droppings were spotted at the Syed Modi tournament in Lucknow. During earlier editions of a Super 100, foreign players pointed out poor condition of tap water at hotels in Guwahati as well.

Despite that, BAI was defensive about Antonsen and Blichfeldt's comments. “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", their statement said.

The fate of the India Open has made it clear that the BWF World Championships 2026 may be a litmus test for Delhi as well as BAI. It remains uncertain whether the organizers will be able to improve the conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on short notice.

Add to that the complaints around practice facilities, toilets, and lighting issues, and the situation looks even grimmer for the hosts.