Danish shuttler Mia Blichfeldt has reignited a fierce debate over playing conditions at the India Open Super 750, labelling the current environment "unhealthy" and "unacceptable." Despite the tournament moving to the larger Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium this year, the World No. 20 claimed that dirty courts and bird excrement continue to plague the event, which serves as a critical test run for the BWF World Championships this August.
Speaking after her first-round victory over Chinese Taipei’s Pin-Chian Chiu, the 28-year-old Dane did not mince words regarding the sanitary standards at the new venue. While she praised the scale of the Indira Gandhi Stadium, she insisted the maintenance failed to meet the standards of a professional World Tour event.
"I think the floors are dirty. There is a lot of dirt on the courts. There’s bird excrement. There are birds flying around in the arena," Blichfeldt told reporters. "I’m happy with the court conditions, but not the health-like conditions."
To mitigate the risk of falling ill for a third time, Blichfeldt has resorted to extreme measures, including staying in her hotel room and cooking pre-packaged food brought from Europe. "I’m just trying to stay in my room and eat so I don’t get sick," she added.
Hygiene isn't the only hurdle facing the international field. The biting Delhi winter has turned the massive indoor arena into a cold storage, making warm-ups a logistical nightmare for athletes.
Michelle Li (Canada): "I felt kind of cold; it was hard to warm up in there. It’s a lot bigger, and I’ve gotten lost a couple of times already."
Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand): The former world champion echoed the sentiment, suggesting that organisers need to install heaters to ensure player safety.
On Tuesday, several players were seen warming up in multiple layers of winter gear, including jackets, gloves, and hats, fearing that the inability to reach peak body temperature could lead to splits-related injuries or muscle strains.
The Badminton Association of India was quick to counter the criticism. Secretary General Sanjay Mishra issued a statement clarifying that the issues raised by Blichfeldt likely originated in the training venue rather than the competition hall.
"Mia’s comments were made in a broader context around general playing conditions and personal health sensitivities," Mishra stated. "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 maintained that the main arena has been kept "clean, dirt-free, and pigeon-free," adding that many other players expressed satisfaction with the facilities.
The India Open is being scrutinized as a litmus test for India's ability to host the BWF World Championships in August and its broader ambition to bid for the 2036 Olympics. While the BAI has promised to "sort out" any issues before the marquee event in August, the recurring complaints from European stars like Blichfeldt suggest a gap in expectations regarding player welfare and stadium sanitation.
For now, the Danish star remains optimistic that the summer heat in August will resolve the bird and temperature issues, but her message to the BWF was clear: "This is a professional sport... if players get sick or injured because of these conditions, it’s unfair."