World No.3 shuttler Anders Antonsen of Denmark on Wednesday said he had withdrawn from the ongoing India Open due to “extreme” air pollution in the national capital, incurring a $5,000 (nearly ₹4.21 lakh) fine from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for his decision.
The four-time World Championships medallist’s remarks came a day after fellow Dane Mia Blichfeldt criticised the playing conditions at the $950,000 (around ₹8.01 crore) event, the country’s biggest badminton tournament.
“Many are curious 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,” Antonsen wrote on his Instagram page.
The Danish shuttler also shared a screenshot of Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reading on Instagram, which showed the AQI at 348 and categorised the conditions as hazardous. Blichfeldt on Tuesday criticised the playing conditions at the IG Indoor Stadium, saying the shift in halls has done little to address the “unhealthy surroundings” for players, a charge the organisers Badminton Association of India (BAI) strongly refuted.
“Anders Antonsen has participated in the India Open on multiple occasions in the past. His decision to withdraw from the tournament is a matter between the player and the BWF,” BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra told HT.
Under BWF player commitment regulations, it is mandatory for singles players ranked in the top 15 to play all four Super 1000 and six Super 750 events annually unless the player is granted a valid medical exemption, with fines for non-compliance. India Open is a Super 750 event.
“Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the summer when the World Championships will take place in Delhi. As a result, BWF once again has fined me $5,000,” Antonsen added in his post. India is due to host the BWF World Championships at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from August 17-23, 17 years after India last hosted the prestigious event at Hyderabad in 2009.
Last year Blichfeldt and French shuttler Thom Gicquel had complained of smog during the India Open. Blichfeldt was critical on Tuesday again, complaining about “birds and bird shit on the floor, floors and courts being dirty” in the practice arena at the adjacent KD Jadhav Indoor Hall.
This is not the first time air pollution has affected sporting competitions during winter in the national capital. In November 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was forced to relocate the knockout rounds of the Under-23 Elite Division Trophy from New Delhi to Mumbai.
During the ODI World Cup in November 2023, the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh contest was affected by high pollution levels with the AQI mark around 400. Though the match went ahead, both teams had cancelled their training sessions.
In November 2019, Bangladesh players wore masks during a T20I against India, played less than a week after Diwali. Even then, Bangladesh had cancelled their practice session to minimise outdoor exposure.
Sri Lankan players were also affected by air pollution in the third and final Test here during their tour of 2017. The match was even halted due to smog with many cricketers playing wearing masks.
Traditionally held in November, the Delhi Half Marathon was advanced to an October slot some years back due to high pollution levels in the city.
