Overview
- World No. 3 Anders Antonsen withdrew, citing Delhi’s hazardous air quality, and said the BWF fined him USD 5,000 for the pullout.
- Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt renewed complaints about dirty, unhealthy warm-up areas, alleging birds were flying and defecating on courts and urging BWF intervention.
- The Badminton Association of India responded that the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium’s main arena is clean and pigeon-free, saying issues involve the KD Jadhav training hall.
- Players including Michelle Li and Ratchanok Intanon reported cold and drafty conditions that they say hinder proper warm-up, with calls for heaters.
- This year’s event was moved to the larger IG Stadium as a trial for the BWF World Championships scheduled in New Delhi in August 2026, with no public remediation steps from BWF reported.