World No 3 Anders Antonsen withdraws from India Open, gets fined $5,000

Dubai: World No. 3 Danish badminton player Anders Antonsen has withdrawn from the India Open in New Delhi, citing extreme air pollution as the reason for his decision. This marks the third consecutive year Antonsen has opted out of the tournament.

The event is being staged at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, which is also scheduled to host the Badminton World Championships later this year. Antonsen shared a screenshot showing Delhi’s Air Quality Index at 348 — classified as hazardous — and said he did not believe the city was suitable to host a badminton tournament under such conditions. He also revealed that the Badminton World Federation (BWF) fined him $5,000 for withdrawing from a mandatory event.

Earlier, Danish women’s singles player Mia Blichfeldt raised concerns about conditions at the venue, describing the environment as “dirty” and “unhealthy.” She cited dust and bird droppings in the training areas, saying, “I’m happy with the court conditions but not with 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.”

Tournament organisers responded by clarifying that Blichfeldt’s comments referred specifically to the training facilities and not the main playing arena. Badminton Association of India (BAI) Secretary General Sanjay Mishra said the competition arena was well maintained and that steps were being taken to address player concerns, particularly with the World Championships scheduled for August.

Antonsen expressed hope that conditions would improve ahead of the World Championships. The remarks from both Danish players have intensified scrutiny over Delhi’s suitability as a host city for major international badminton events.