A day after girls’s singles shuttler Mia Blichfeldt criticised situations in New Delhi for the India Open Tremendous 750 badminton match, her compatriot Anders Antonsen, present males’s singles world No 3, shared his causes for pulling out of the occasion.
“Many is (sic) curious to why I’ve pulled out of the India Open for the third consecutive yr. Because of the excessive air pollution in Delhi in the mean time I don’t thinks it’s a spot to host a badminton match,” Antonsen wrote on an Instagram story. The Dane had pulled out of India Open on January 4, even earlier than the season-opening Malaysia Open, the place he entered and misplaced within the semifinal towards world No 1 Shi Yu Qi.
Antonsen’s sharp criticism comes on the again of Blichfeldt calling out the taking part in and coaching situations on the IG Indoor Stadium, the place the 2026 version of India Open is being hosted – at an even bigger area in comparison with KD Jadhav Indoor stadium inside the identical complicated, the place the match had been held up to now few years. The shift in venue was due to India internet hosting the BWF World Championships later this yr in August, and the organisers needed to make use of India Open as a trial occasion at IG Indoor Stadium. Antonsen hoped that state of affairs shall be higher that point of the yr, and in addition referred to as out BWF for fining him, for pulling out of one of many obligatory occasions for top-ranked shuttlers.
“Crossing my fingers that it will likely be higher within the Summer season when the World Championships will happen in Delhi. Because of this BWF as soon as once more has fined me 5000 USD,” he wrote. Antonsen additionally shared a screenshot of air high quality in Delhi on the Instagram story, which confirmed AQI to be 348 and described situations as hazardous.
Antonsen on Instagram.
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Blichfeldt, world No 20, is in India to play the occasion and after her first-round win on Tuesday, informed reporters that she wasn’t pleased with the well being situations. “I’m pleased with the court docket situations however not the well being situations. The flooring are soiled and there’s a lot of grime on the courts. Additionally, there are birds flying within the area, there’s chicken poop additionally.”
That is the second yr in a row Blichfeldt has complained concerning the situations now at two totally different indoor stadiums adjoining to one another in New Delhi. After 2025 version, she had stated: “It’s actually onerous to simply accept that many weeks of labor and making ready, will get wasted due to dangerous situations. It’s not truthful to anybody that now we have to coach and play in smog, birds shitting on the courts, and grime in every single place. These situations are too unhealthy and unacceptable.”
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Blichfeldt had additionally requested BWF to look into participant’s well being earlier than the nation hosts World Championships in August. “The sector itself is big and I feel it’s actually nice for main occasions like this, particularly World Championships. However I actually hope that it’s going to be higher situations for the gamers throughout the Worlds. All people is attempting their greatest to make situations good for the athletes however BWF ought to look into it as this can be a skilled sport,” she had stated on Tuesday.
In response to Blichfeldt’s feedback, BAI Common Secretary Sanjay Mishra issued an announcement clarifying that the taking part in area was advantageous and the shuttler was referring to coaching space. “Mia’s feedback have been made in a broader context round basic taking part in situations and private well being sensitivities, and never concerning the taking part in area on the India Open particularly. Concerning the warm-up space, it is very important word that she was referring to the KD Jadhav Stadium, which serves because the coaching venue, and never the primary taking part in area.” The Indian Categorical has reached out to BWF for a response.
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