India Open 2026: World No. 3 Antonsen skips event in Delhi due to extreme pollution, hopes for better conditions during World Championships
World number 3 and four-time world medallist Anders Antonsen of Denmark announced on Wednesday that Delhi’s extreme pollution was the reason he had skipped India Open Super 750 badminton event for the third consecutive year.
“Many are curious as to 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,” wrote the 28-year-old Antonsen on Instagram while adding that he hopes for better conditions when the same venue hosts BWF Badminton World Championships in August.
“Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the summer when the World Championship will take place in Delhi,” said Antonsen who has won a silver and three bronze medals at the world championships.
Antonsen who withdrew from the event prior to the draws being made, also revealed that due to his withdrawal, the world governing body has punished him with a fine of USD 5,000. Antonsen last played at the India Open in 2023 where he lost in the second round.
Antonsen’s announcement regarding his absence from India Open for the third straight year.
| Photo Credit:
Anders Antonsen/Instagram
Antonsen’s announcement regarding his absence from India Open for the third straight year.
| Photo Credit:
Anders Antonsen/Instagram
According to the BWF Player commitment regulations, barring any injury or medical exemption ‘Top Committed Players’ — (Top 15 singles players and top 10 doubles players) are mandated to compete in the World Tour 750, World Tour 1000 events and the World Tour finals.
The regulations add that failure to compete would mean players incur fines above the usual late withdrawal fees.
It is learned that Antonsen has appealed to the BWF for an exemption but his request was not accepted by the World Body.
BWF regulations however add that players can be exempted by travelling to the tournament to support promotional activities on-site. This is the route chosen by World Champion and current World number 1 Shi Yuqi who had opted out of competing at the India Open but was still in New Delhi for a day to do promotional activities for the world body before flying out.
Korean World number 1 men’s doubles pair of Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung-jae also withdrew just ahead of their opening match on Wednesday with Seo citing a shoulder injury.
Antonsen’s withdrawal comes less than a day after Mia Blichfeldt, his compatriot, complained about the hygiene conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium.
The event had been moved from the smaller-capacity KD Jadhav Indoor stadium to the far larger Indira Gandhi stadium inside the same sports complex in Delhi. Although Blichfeldt praised the larger venue as more suitable for the stature of a World Tour 750 event, she felt conditions were still challenging.
The stadium shift had been necessitated partly as a means of using the India Open as a test event for the world championships that will be held at the same venue in August this year.
Blichfeldt is not the only player who has found conditions challenging. Other players have remarked that the Delhi winter made warming up difficult.
Speaking about the issue, Badminton Association of India, Sanjay Mishra, said Blichfeldt was speaking about the warm-up arena and maintained that main arena was up to the mark.
“Mia’s comments were made in a broader context around general playing conditions and personal health sensitivities, and not about the playing arena at the India Open specifically. She has clearly stated that the competition venue itself is well maintained.
“As mentioned in her conversation regarding the warm-up area, it is important to note that she was referring to the KD Jadhav Stadium, which serves as the training venue. As an athlete who is more sensitive to dust and environmental factors, she was sharing a personal perspective on how conditions can sometimes impact her health. The playing arena has been kept clean, dirt-free and pigeon-free, and several players have expressed satisfaction with the conditions at the venue,” he said.
Published on Jan 14, 2026