Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth defended the playing conditions at the India Open 2026 in New Delhi amid criticism from Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt. Blichfeldt had complained about unhygienic training areas, bird droppings, and cold conditions, sparking debate over venue standards. Srikanth, however, emphasized that operational challenges occur in all countries and are part of international sport. He recalled his own experiences abroad, including power cuts and match delays in Denmark.
Speaking after his opening round win against Tharun Mannepalli, Srikanth said, “Every country wants to host properly. These things happen very rarely, and nobody does it purposely. I think the conditions here are fine.” He also noted that stadium conditions, such as shuttle drift and temperature, vary by location, and players must adapt.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) clarified that Blichfeldt’s remarks referred mainly to warm-up areas at the older KD Jadhav Indoor Hall, while the main Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium has been maintained clean and bird-free.
Notably, world No. 2 Anders Antonsen withdrew from the tournament, citing extreme air pollution, and was fined USD 5,000 by the Badminton World Federation for his withdrawal.
