New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary general Sanjay Mishra on Saturday said all the issues that surfaced during the India Open earlier this year have been rectified and expressed confidence that the BWF World Championships in August will be one of the best ever.
The India Open Super 750 in January at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here sparked controversy after elite players flagged severe air pollution, unhygienic conditions, and the presence of pigeons and monkeys inside the venue.
“The issues that came up during the India Open have been rectified and I am confident this will be one of the best World Championships in every aspect, whether it is the infrastructure or the players’ experience,” Mishra told a select group of reporters here.
“The India Open was a test event for us. Had we not conducted it, we would not have known the shortcomings in the stadium. The Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry have supported us immensely and worked very hard to address those issues.” During the tournament, pigeons nested in the ceiling vents and monkeys were spotted in the stands, drawing international attention.
Asked how the BAI planned to prevent a recurrence of the pigeon and monkey problem, Mishra said: “The gates above were open. They have been closed. Apart from that, we are making it a triple door. There are two more doors in front of the main door. No one can come directly. Plus there will be a 24×7 guard there.” Matches were repeatedly halted, including an early-round contest between HS Prannoy and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, due to bird droppings falling onto the courts. Players also complained of pigeon droppings near the auxiliary courts.
Asked about the existing nests, Mishra said: “They weren’t there before. A pigeon had laid eggs and because of that it was not coming out. That is not a problem now and some treatment has been done. I am 100 per cent sure that the problems we faced during the India Open will not be seen during the World Championships.” He said extensive renovation work had been carried out at the stadium.
“Most of the work has been completed. The false ceiling has been changed, and the walls have been renovated in many places.
“The toilets have also been upgraded. I think the toilets will be better than those at the airport. There is also greenery all around, with a pond outside. The ministry is making the venue so beautiful that players can sit there even after their matches.” Mishra said several spectator-friendly facilities, including food courts, children’s play areas, giant screens, umbrella booths and golf cart services for players and the media, would also be available at the venue.
On venue preparations, Mishra said: “The flooring installation will begin next week. It will take around 15 to 20 days. The court size specifications have been updated as per BWF requirements.” Players had heavily criticised New Delhi’s air quality during the India Open, with Denmark’s Anders Antonsen withdrawing from the tournament, saying the city was “not fit to host an international badminton event”.
The BWF has scheduled next year’s India Open for February, while the 2028 edition is set to be held in late January.
Mishra said: “We told the BWF that we do not have heaters in the stadium. The pollution issue was mainly during the India Open, which was held from January 10 to 15.
“By January 16 or 17, the cold had usually subsided. We had requested a slot at the end of February, but there was no availability. So we got the current slot, when the cold is almost over.
“It was not only because of the India tournaments. Players compete in Malaysia, then India and then Thailand. Super 1000 tournaments will now run for 10 to 11 days, so there was no suitable slot available.” India likely to host third Super 100 event from 2027 =============================== Mishra also said India is likely to get another Super 100 tournament from the 2027 season.
“The BWF has now offered us one more Super 100 tournament from the 2027 season. We already have the Syed Modi tournament and two Super 100 events. We will decide internally which state will host it, depending on the availability of courts and infrastructure.” “There is a 99 per cent chance that we will accept the additional Super 100 tournament.” Mishra added that while players would continue to train at their respective academies for individual tournaments, joint camps would be held before team events, including the 2026 Asian Games.
“For individual championships, players will continue training at their respective academies. But before team events, a seven to ten-day joint camp will be mandatory because team bonding is important. It will not be a coaching camp, but a combined practice camp.” PTI ATK AM AM
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