Anders Antonsen pulls out of India Open over Delhi air pollution concerns

New Delhi- World No. 3 badminton player Anders Antonsen has withdrawn from the India Open 2026, which has dealt a big blow to the Super 750 tournament.

The Danish shuttler mentioned that New Delhi had dangerous levels of air pollution as the reason behind the choice.

It is now the third consecutive year that Antonsen has missed the event, raising the question of whether Delhi is a suitable host city for elite sporting events throughout the winter season.

Coming off a semi-final appearance at the Malaysia Open, Antonsen made himself heard and posted a screenshot of the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi on social media.

The readings, which vary between 300 and 400, are classified as the category of the ‘Very Poor’ to the category of the ‘Severe’. According to him, such circumstances are not a safe or healthy environment for professional badminton players.

Officials at the tournament verified that Antonsen has had to pay USD 5,000 as a fine due to pulling out, as the rules of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) state that in the case of a late withdrawal, the withdrawn party must pay a USD 5,000 penalty.

The problem began to gain traction when other Danish participants also complained about the air quality, lack of hygiene, and heat in the venue. The players complained about feeling discomfort and difficulty in breathing, which led to the demand for tight health protection of the participants in the polluted conditions.

Although the organisers argued that the tournament was in line with international standards, the incident has revived the discussion on environmental preparedness and the safety of the players during the tournament in Delhi.

Health protocols were said to be in place, and monitoring was underway, but the criticism has put the authorities under pressure to reconsider the global event hosting norms.

The episode highlights the increasing concern of global athletes regarding the need to participate in cities where pollution is extreme, and the decision of Antonsen to withdraw has become a subject of discussion in the broader debate on sport and environmental health.