India Open badminton: Bird poop halts match, adds to list of concerns

On a day that saw some incredible matches on the court, the spotlight for the third straight day of the India Open badminton tournament stayed firmly on the conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Thursday (January 15, 2026).

After birds flying around on the practice courts and a monkey in the stands, this time around the action was right in the middle of the competition venue, on Court 1 during the match between HS Prannoy and Loh Kean Yew, which saw play stopped twice due to bird poop on the floor. Play was first halted in the first game when officials had to rush in with tissues to clean, then again in the third.

“I think it was bird poop,” agreed Prannoy after the match.

While the BAI has so far defended the conditions and the arrangements, Thursday’s incident has further raised questions on the venue’s preparedness for the World Championships in August.

It also adds to the list of embarrassments for the BAI and points of review for the BWF, which is monitoring the venue.

The city’s pollution and weather conditions have already been flagged by players with Loh adding to the concerns.