Danish Shuttler Anders Antonsen Criticizes Delhi Pollution, Withdraws from India Open
Danish badminton star Anders Antonsen has pulled out of the India Open Super 750 tournament. The world number three player cited extreme pollution in Delhi as his reason for withdrawing.
Antonsen made his announcement on Instagram. He explained his decision to skip the event for the third year in a row.
Antonsen's Strong Statement on Social Media
"Many are curious about why I have pulled out of the India Open for the third consecutive year. Due to the extreme pollution in Delhi at the moment, I don't think it's a place to host a badminton tournament," Antonsen wrote.
The Danish player shared a screenshot showing Delhi's air quality index at 348. This reading falls into the hazardous category. Antonsen expressed hope that conditions would improve by summer.
Financial Penalty from BWF
Antonsen also revealed that the Badminton World Federation fined him $5,000 for withdrawing. The India Open is a mandatory event for top-ranked players. "Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the Summer when the World Championships will take place in Delhi. As a result, BWF once again has fined me 5000 USD," he added.
The player had withdrawn from the tournament on January 4th. This happened even before he competed in the season-opening Malaysia Open.
Previous Complaints from Fellow Danish Player
Antonsen's criticism follows similar complaints from his compatriot Mia Blichfeldt. The women's singles player voiced concerns about playing and training conditions at the IG Indoor Stadium.
Blichfeldt told reporters after her first-round win that she wasn't happy with health conditions. "I'm happy with the court conditions but not the health conditions. The floors are dirty and there is a lot of dirt on the courts. Also, there are birds flying in the arena, there is bird poop also," she said.
This marks the second consecutive year Blichfeldt has complained about conditions at New Delhi's indoor stadiums.
Venue Change for 2026 Tournament
The 2026 India Open is being hosted at the IG Indoor Stadium. This represents a shift from the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium used in previous years. Organizers made this change because India will host the BWF World Championships in August.
They wanted to use the India Open as a trial event at the larger IG Indoor Stadium. Both stadiums are located within the same sports complex in New Delhi.
Official Response from Badminton Association of India
In response to Blichfeldt's comments, BAI General Secretary Sanjay Mishra issued a clarification. He stated that Blichfeldt was referring to the training area, not the main playing arena.
"Mia's comments were made in a broader context around general playing conditions and personal health sensitivities, and not about the playing arena at the India Open specifically. Regarding the warm-up area, it is important to note that she was referring to the KD Jadhav Stadium, which serves as the training venue, and not the main playing arena," Mishra said.
Blichfeldt had called on the BWF to consider player health ahead of the World Championships. She emphasized that professional athletes deserve better conditions.
The Badminton World Federation has not yet responded to these latest developments. The organization faces growing pressure to address player concerns about Delhi's pollution and venue conditions.
