Match Halted Twice as Officials Scramble to Clean Court
Play at the prestigious India Open badminton tournament was brought to an unscheduled halt not once, but twice on Thursday after bird droppings were discovered on the playing surface. The incident occurred during a high-stakes match between India’s HS Prannoy and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew on Court 1 of the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
Officials were forced to rush onto the court with tissues to clean the floor, first during the opening game and again in the decisive third game. “I think it was bird poop,” Prannoy confirmed after securing his victory. This bizarre disruption has intensified scrutiny on the venue, which is slated to host the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships in just seven months.
A Pattern of Problems at Indira Gandhi Stadium
The droppings incident is not an isolated one. It follows multiple reports of fauna-related issues at the stadium complex in recent days, including:
- Birds flying around the practice courts.
- A monkey sighting in the spectator stands.
- Previous player complaints about birds and their droppings in the warm-up halls.
While the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has defended the venue’s conditions, the repeated episodes are becoming a growing embarrassment for organizers. The BWF is known to be closely monitoring the situation ahead of the global championship event in August, which will be India’s first time hosting the tournament in 16 years.
Players Voice Health and Professionalism Concerns
The court stoppage adds to a litany of player grievances aired during this tournament. Earlier this week, Danish player Mia Blichfeldt publicly criticized the “dirty and unhealthy” conditions, specifically citing the warm-up facilities. She described an environment where players needed multiple layers due to cold temperatures and reported seeing birds and droppings inside.
“That’s clearly unhealthy and not normal,” Blichfeldt stated, warning that falling sick or getting injured due to such conditions would be unfair to competitors. She called on both tournament authorities and the BWF to ensure professional standards are met.
Other players have also raised concerns about Delhi’s pollution and weather, with Loh Kean Yew adding his voice to the issues flagged this week. The tournament was moved this season to the larger Indira Gandhi Stadium from the KD Jadhav Arena, though training sessions are still held at the older facility nearby.
Major Test Looms for August World Championships
These incidents pose a significant challenge for organizers with the eyes of the badminton world set to descend on New Delhi this summer. The BWF World Championships represent the pinnacle of the sport, and the venue’s preparedness is now under a microscope. The coming months will be critical for the BAI and local organizers to address these operational and maintenance failures to ensure a smooth and professional championship event in August.
