India Open: Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt Slams Playing Conditions At Stadium

Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt on Tuesday launched fresh criticism of playing conditions at the new venue of IG Stadium, saying the shift in halls has done little to address the "unhealthy surroundings" for players, a charge firmly refuted by the Badminton Association of India.

The BAI has moved this year's India Open Super 750 to the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from the KD Jadhav Hall, keeping in mind the World Championships in August which the country will be hosting after 17 years.

"I am happy with the court conditions but not with health conditions," Blichfeldt told reporters.

The Danish world number 20, who has advanced to the second round, said she had hoped the change of venue would lead to tangible improvements, but found the conditions largely unchanged.

"I actually hoped it was going to be better than the other hall. I think it’s still very dirty and really unhealthy for all the players. Everyone is warming up in two layers of pants and winter jackets and gloves and hats," Blichfeldt told PTI video. "It’s not good warm-up preparation for a player who has to go on court and move fast and go in splits. I know everyone is doing their best to make the conditions better for the players, but I think there is still a way to go."

Rejecting the player’s views, BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra said: "Mia’s comments were made in a broader context around general playing conditions and personal health sensitivities, and not about the playing arena at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open specifically."

"She has clearly stated that the competition venue itself is well maintained. As mentioned in her conversation regarding the warm-up area, it is important to note that she was referring to the KD Jadhav Stadium, which is the training venue, and not the main playing arena."

"As an athlete who is more sensitive to dust and environmental factors, she was sharing a personal perspective on how conditions can sometimes impact her health. The playing arena has been kept clean, dirt-free and pigeon-free, and several players have expressed satisfaction with the conditions at the venue," he said in a statement.

Blichfeldt had criticised the conditions at the KD Jadhav hall too as "unhealthy and unacceptable" when it hosted the last edition of the India Open.

"To be honest, no," she said when asked if the conditions had improved. "Yesterday when I came to the warm-up courts, there were birds flying around and shitting on the court. That’s really unhealthy and not normal."

"But again, I'm sure that everyone around in the Indian association and everyone as a volunteer here do their best. So I'm hoping that it's going to be even better for the World Championships in the summer."

Blichfeldt, while speaking to the media later, said she is more sensitive to environmental factors.

"For me, as a European player, maybe I'm more sensitive also with food and bacteria and that kind of stuff. This time I'm actually just trying to stay in my room and eating so I don't get sick," she said.

"I think it's a good test for me also. So when I come here for the World Championships in August, even though I think maybe the conditions are going to be better because it's summer, the temperature is better."

Calling for intervention from organisers and the sport’s governing body Badminton World Federation (BWF), Blichfeldt said professional standards must be upheld to protect players. "I don’t think so many other athletes would play under these conditions," she said.

"I hope everyone around the tournament, the association, and also the BWF is going to look into this venue because it’s a professional sport."

Blichfeldt warned that the consequences of inaction could be serious. "If players get sick or get injured because of these conditions, it’s unfair," she said, adding that improvements would be essential ahead of the World Championships scheduled to be held at the venue later this year.

Blichfeldt, however, was happy with the playing arena. "I think the arena is really good. It's huge," she said.

"I like to play in conditions like this and the hall fits my game really well. I played two really great sets in the arena now. So I'm happy with the court conditions but not the health conditions."

Canada's Michelle Li also said that the conditions are quite cold at the new venue. "I felt kind of cold, it was hard to warm up in there," Li said.

"It's a lot bigger; I've gotten lost a couple of times already. The other venue is obviously smaller and it's simpler.

"This one is just getting used to a new venue and it's much grander. But I think room playing wise, I think this one has more draft than the other one. I think it's just a bigger stadium and it's colder here than the other one.”

Former world champion Ratchanok Intanon also echoed those concerns, pointing to the cold conditions inside the arena. "We need something like heaters," Intanon said.

"When we want to be ready on court, we have to make it very warm, but now it is still very cold for us. I also do not really know how the weather will be (during World Championships), so I hope we get a much warmer place, something like that."