Danish badminton player Mia Blichfeldt has once again voiced strong criticism regarding the playing conditions at the India Open, held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. This marks the second consecutive year she has complained about the conditions at the tournament. Despite a change of venue from the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall, Blichfeldt says that the situation has not improved.
Following her Round of 32 victory against Chinese Taipei's Chiu Pin-Chian on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Blichfeldt expressed her disappointment with the environment. She described the conditions as "very dirty and really unhealthy for all the players".
Blichfeldt highlighted several issues, including the state of the warm-up halls. She noted that the floors were dirty and that birds were flying around inside the arena, leaving droppings on the courts. She described a situation where a bird was "defecating on the court". She also pointed out the cold temperatures inside the stadium, which forced players to warm up wearing multiple layers of clothing, including winter jackets, gloves, and hats. She said this hampered proper preparation for matches, especially for players needing to move quickly. Blichfeldt warned that these conditions could lead to players getting sick or injured, calling it "unfair". She also stated that she is only eating in her room to avoid falling ill.
Other players have echoed Blichfeldt's concerns. Canada's Michelle Li also felt the cold at the venue, and former world champion Ratchanok Intanon suggested the need for heaters.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has refuted Blichfeldt's claims, clarifying that her comments were about the general playing conditions and her personal health sensitivities, not the main arena itself. BAI General Secretary Sanjay Mishra stated that the playing arena has been kept clean and free of pigeons and that several players have expressed satisfaction with the conditions. He clarified that Blichfeldt was referring to the KD Jadhav Stadium, which is being used as the training venue, not the main playing arena. Mishra also said that heaters are being used to make things comfortable, but the weather is beyond their control. He added that the event is a test run to ensure there are no issues during the World Championships in August 2026, which will be held at the same venue.
Blichfeldt acknowledged that the main arena is "really good" and that she is happy with the court conditions. She also expressed hope that the conditions would improve for the World Championships.
The controversy comes as India aims to host the 2036 Olympics, with Ahmedabad confirmed as the host city for the bid. Some believe that such criticism of playing conditions could negatively impact the perception of India's readiness to host major international sporting events.
