Danish Shuttler Anders Antonsen Withdraws from India Open Due to Pollution Concerns
Antonsen's Withdrawal from India Open
On Wednesday, Danish badminton player Anders Antonsen announced his withdrawal from the India Open Super 750 tournament in New Delhi for the third consecutive year, citing severe pollution levels in the city.
Currently ranked third in the world for men's singles, Antonsen expressed that the air quality in Delhi renders it an unsuitable location for a badminton event during this season.
This marks the third year in a row that Antonsen has chosen not to participate in the Super 750 event.
The India Open commenced on Tuesday and is scheduled to continue until Sunday, taking place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
In a series of posts on social media, Antonsen shared a screenshot from IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring service, indicating that Delhi's air quality index was at 348 on Wednesday, which falls into the 'very poor' category.
Such poor air quality can lead to breathing difficulties, even for individuals in good health.
Air quality in Delhi typically worsens during the winter months, often ranking as the most polluted capital globally. Factors contributing to this include stubble burning in neighboring states, vehicle emissions, firecracker use during Diwali, lower temperatures, reduced wind speeds, and industrial pollution.
In his post, Antonsen expressed hope for improved conditions during the summer when the World Championships are set to be held in Delhi.
The World Championships are anticipated to take place in August.
Antonsen's remarks followed concerns raised by fellow Danish player Mia Blichfeldt, regarding health and training conditions at the tournament, as reported by a media outlet.
Blichfeldt, who is currently ranked 20th in the world and is competing in the India Open, has advanced to the round of 16.
She stated, “I am satisfied with the court conditions but not with the health conditions,” adding that the courts were dirty and there were birds in the arena, which posed additional hygiene issues.
The Badminton Association of India addressed the concerns, clarifying that Blichfeldt's comments were primarily about the training facilities rather than the competition area.
Sanjay Mishra, the association's General Secretary, stated that the main competition venue was maintained in a clean and hygienic state, and many players had expressed their satisfaction with the conditions. He noted that Blichfeldt's remarks reflected her personal sensitivity to dust and environmental factors.