Mia Blichfeldt’s plea to change the court conditions of the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, where the India Open Super 750 event has been acknowledged by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). In a released statement by BWF, it has been mentioned that certain measures will be taken by the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to control the playing conditions.
The statement read, “While some areas of implementation, including general cleanliness and hygiene plus animal control have required attention, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has acted promptly to address these concerns.”
The BWF has been receiving positive feedback from players regarding the stadium, which was an upgrade from KD Jadhav Stadium. They believe the changing seasonal weather has challenged the playing conditions of the venue.
They, however, have strong hopes that the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium will meet the requirements of hosting the 2026 BWF World Championship scheduled to be held in August. Meanwhile, the decision to change the venue of the India Open Super 750 event was made to provide athletes with a large space for the August event.
“Players have also noted the positive enhancements to the playing surface and flooring, gymnasium, and medical facilities. The move to the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex provides greater space for athletes and officials and meets BWF’s Field of Play requirements for hosting the BWF World Championships. Insights gathered this week will guide further upgrades to deliver a world-class experience in August, where the seasonal issues are not expected being as severe,” the statement also mentioned.
Loh Kean Yew on pollution conditions in India Open 2026
In addition to Blichfeldt, Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew has also lodged a complaint against the venue’s playing conditions, stating that he was unable to breathe during the performance. He also expressed his concerns about the people living in polluting conditions.
“I breathe less. I just wear my mask when I can. Other than that, I try to stay indoors as much as possible, but that’s the only thing I can do. I mean, everyone’s stamina just dropped two levels. The weather is not good. My health dropped quite a bit. I’m surprised you guys (media persons) are okay,” he said.
On Thursday, January 15, Yew defeated India’s HS Prannoy by sets of 18-21, 21-19, 21-14 and made his entry into the quarter-finals of the 2026 India Open.
