Following controversies surrounding the India Open, held seven months ago at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, where issues regarding birds, monkeys, and poor organization were raised, this same stadium now presents a completely different appearance at the BWF World Championships. Notably, these changes are felt not only visually but also in practice.
The stadium looks very clean. Although the infrastructure of Indian sports complexes is often compared to foreign counterparts, current players and officials agree that the venue for the World Championships looks world-class.
Players have also noted these changes. The BWF Secretary General, Thomas Lund, highly praised these transformations during the tournament. He stated: 'I am extremely impressed with how this venue was prepared in such a short time. I know it was criticized at the beginning of the year, but the level of work achieved in such a short period is simply magnificent.'
According to Thomas, the athletes' reaction was exceptionally positive. He noted that players highly appreciated the joint efforts of Badminton India, the government, the Sports Authority of India, and all organizational participants. Those athletes who were initially concerned about the condition of the facilities during the India Open were particularly satisfied.
Kunlavut Vitidsarn from Thailand, who finished second, also expressed satisfaction with the organization, noting: 'Very good. I am very pleased with the conditions here.'
This is a significant improvement compared to January, when the India Open focused more on the venue itself than on badminton. At that time, during a match between HS Prana and Loh Kin Yu, a pigeon entered the court, and something similar happened. Furthermore, a monkey was seen in the stadium. Mia Blikhfeldt from Denmark questioned the cleanliness and playing conditions, and Anders Antonsen withdrew from the tournament, citing air pollution in Delhi. Mia then argued that it was hard to imagine how a venue with such problems could host the World Championships six months later.
The India Open was intentionally held at the IGI Stadium as a test event for the World Championships. However, this test revealed numerous shortcomings of the facility that needed to be addressed. BWF took this seriously. Selvaresh Subramaniam, Director of BWF tournaments, reported that extensive work was carried out over the past six months. In February, the BWF team returned to Delhi, after which a report was prepared and sent to the Badminton Association of India, which forwarded it to the facility owner, the Sports Authority of India.
The list of deficiencies was extensive: work was required on the roof and waterproofing, sanitary conditions needed improvement, wiring and electrical systems needed modernization, and plumbing and toilet cleanliness needed upgrading. Even concrete beams required painting.
The most serious problem was the presence of birds. Special measures were taken to prevent pigeons from appearing at the World Championships. According to Selvaresh, BAI and SAI worked on an anti-toxic gel system, used at airports, to prevent birds from landing on the beams. Additionally, a three-door complex was installed in the stadium, which reduces the probability of animal intrusion. Local services helped move stray dogs from the premises.
He clarified that the organizers do not claim the possibility of completely excluding animals and insects. Their focus is on the speed and efficiency of response in case of problems. Selvaresh praised BAI and SAI for taking up the challenge and implementing the necessary improvements. Now the venue has all the required conditions.
The changes are not limited to aspects that appear on social media. The toilets have been renovated and equipped with new fixtures. Female athletes particularly appreciated the initiative to ensure the availability of sanitary pads and PMS-safe sprays in the restrooms. The Scottish athlete, Kirsty Gilmore, welcomed this measure, stating that access to hygiene products is as important as toilet paper.
The South African shuttlecock player, Johanna Schultz, was also satisfied with the conditions, noting that any necessary items were easy to find, and the overall experience was very comfortable. Selvaresh emphasized that the reaction of the female athletes was particularly encouraging.
The changes are felt not only by players and officials but also by spectators. Bupesh Kumar, who came to watch the World Championships with his son on Wednesday, watched matches involving P.V. Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and Ayush Shetty. His initial concern was about the toilets, but to his surprise, they were new and clean. There were staff on duty outside who...
[