The India Open Super 750 has been hit by a high-profile withdrawal as World No. 3 Anders Antonsen announced his exit from the tournament on Wednesday. The Danish star cited hazardous pollution levels in the national capital as the primary reason for his decision, a move that comes less than 24 hours after his compatriot Mia Blichfeldt launched a scathing attack on the hygiene and sanitation standards at the venue.
Antonsen, a three-time World Championship medalist, took to social media to explain his third consecutive absence from the Delhi-based event. Despite the tournament’s significance as a test event for the upcoming BWF World Championships in August, the Dane made it clear that player health must come first.
In a candid post that quickly went viral across the badminton community, Antonsen did not hold back on his assessment of the current environment in New Delhi. He revealed:
“Many are curious as to 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.”
The 28-year-old expressed concern not just for the immediate week but for the marquee global event scheduled for the same venue later this year.
“Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the summer when the World Championship will take place in Delhi.”
His withdrawal carries a heavy personal cost; Antonsen revealed that the world governing body has penalized him for the late pull-out. “I’ve been punished with a fine of USD 5,000,” he added, highlighting the strict BWF regulations regarding top-tier player participation.
Antonsen’s exit follows a storm of criticism from fellow Danish shuttler Mia Blichfeldt. Following her first-round victory on Tuesday, Blichfeldt posted a series of updates and spoke to reporters about the "unacceptable" conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Blichfeldt, who has fallen ill during her last two trips to India, described a venue struggling with basic sanitation:
Hygiene Issues: “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.”
Health Risk: “I’m happy with the court conditions but not the health conditions. It’s really unhealthy and not normal.”
The Badminton Association of India was quick to issue a rebuttal, with General Secretary Sanjay Mishra claiming Blichfeldt was referring to the older warm-up area (KD Jadhav Stadium) rather than the main arena. However, the optics of two top European stars slamming the venue in under 24 hours has cast a shadow over India's readiness for the August World Championships.
On Wednesday, the Air Quality Index in several parts of Delhi hovered in the 'Very Poor' to 'Severe' categories, with some monitoring stations recording levels above 400. Combined with a biting cold wave; where afternoon temperatures dipped to 13°C, international players have struggled with both respiratory health and physical warm-ups.
Canada’s Michelle Li and Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon have both called for better heating, noting that the sheer size of the new arena makes it difficult to maintain the warmth necessary for high-intensity movement.
