E-Paper
Loh Kean Yew speaks out on monkey sighting and bird droppings at India Open; adds to tournament scrutiny
Loh Kean Yew's India Open match against HS Prannoy was halted mid-game twice due to bird droppings on the court.
The ongoing 2026 India Open in New Delhi is turning into an embarrassment. What makes it worse is that the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium is also set to host the World Championships later this year, and there are question marks over the Badminton Association of India's (BAI) ability to host the prestigious BWF tournament. HS Prannoy's Round of 16 defeat against Singapore's Loh Kean Yew was one of the embarrassing incidents, among many such moments. The match was halted twice due to bird droppings on the court, just days after BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra stated that the venue was pigeon-free.
A monkey was also reportedly seen in the stands during the ongoing tournament. Meanwhile, Mia Blichfeldt has twice slammed the playing conditions. Also, World No. 3 Anders Antonsen didn't travel to India for the tournament, citing air pollution as the main reason for his withdrawal. Now Kean Yew has taken to Instagram to further back up such claims.
Also Read: ‘India Open a test event for World Championships’: BAI official defends New Delhi venue, calls criticism overstated
The Singapore shuttler posted a story of a Monkey on Instagram, and then also showed a video of bird droppings on a court.
Here are Loh Kean Yew's Instagram stories:
Blichfeldt also asked BWF about the upcoming World C'ships in New Delhi. Taking to Instagram, she wrote, "Sadly, under the current circumstances, I find it very difficult to see how a World Championship could be held here. I hope @bwf.official will do more to ensure proper conditions and better protection for the players in the future."
Meanwhile, Mishra has tried to respond to the criticism. In a conversation with IndiaToday.in, the BAI general secretary pointed out that the tournament has been shifted to the larger Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium and called it a test event for the World C'ships. Photos of the venue have also gone viral on social media, further hinting at poor hygiene there.
