New Delhi, January 16, 2026: Play at the India Open badminton tournament was halted twice on Thursday after bird droppings were spotted on Court 1 during Indian shuttler HS Prannoy’s match against Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, Indian media reported.
The incident has kept attention firmly on conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium for a third consecutive day, raising fresh questions about the venue’s readiness to host the Badminton World Championships scheduled for August.
Match officials first stopped play during the opening game when bird droppings were noticed on the court, prompting staff to rush in and clean the surface. Play was again suspended in the third game after fresh droppings appeared.
“I think it was bird poop,” Prannoy said after the match.
Thursday’s disruption followed a series of incidents reported at the venue in recent days, including birds flying inside practice courts and a monkey being spotted in the stands. While the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has defended the arrangements, Indian media said the episode adds to a growing list of embarrassments for organisers and issues under review by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), which is monitoring the venue.
Players have also voiced concerns about pollution levels and weather conditions in New Delhi, with Loh Kean Yew adding to the list of issues raised during the tournament.
Earlier this week, Danish player Mia Blichfeldt described the conditions as “dirty and unhealthy” and urged the BWF to intervene — a significant allegation given that India is set to host the World Championships for the first time in 16 years.
Blichfeldt reiterated her concerns, particularly about the warm-up halls, saying players were forced to wear multiple layers due to cold conditions and that the environment was unfit for elite-level preparation. She also claimed to have seen birds inside the warm-up areas, with droppings found on court surfaces.
“That’s clearly unhealthy and not normal,” she said, warning that falling ill or suffering injuries due to such conditions would be unfair to players.
Last year’s India Open was held at the smaller KD Jadhav Arena, before being shifted this season to the larger Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Training sessions, however, continue to be conducted at the KD Jadhav Stadium, located around 250 to 300 metres from the main arena.
While acknowledging efforts by organisers, Blichfeldt maintained that improvements were still needed and called on tournament authorities and the BWF to ensure professional standards are upheld.
