\u201cMany are curious as to why I have pulled out of the India Open for the third consecutive year. Due to the extreme pollution in Delhi at the moment, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a place to host a badminton tournament,\u201d Antonsen shared on Instagram.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 28-year-old further expressed his hopes for improved conditions when the venue hosts the BWF Badminton World Championships in August. He stated, \"Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the summer when the World Championship takes place in Delhi.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Antonsen, who last competed at the India Open in 2023, where he was eliminated in the second round, also said his withdrawal has resulted in a USD 5,000 fine imposed by the Badminton World Federation. \"As a result, BWF once again has fined me USD 5000,\" he concluded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Antonsen\u2019s withdrawal came less than a day after his compatriot, Mia Blichfeldt, complained about hygiene conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. BAI, however, rejected the allegations by the World No. 20 Dane, stating that her comments concerned general playing conditions and were not related to the playing arena for the BWF World Tour Super 750 event.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This year, the India Open, a BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament, moved from the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall to the much larger multi-purpose hall in the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Antonsen\u2019s withdrawal came less than a day after his compatriot, Mia Blichfeldt, complained about hygiene conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. BAI, however, rejected the allegations by the World No. 20 Dane, stating that her comments concerned general playing conditions and were not related to the playing arena for the BWF World Tour Super 750 event.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Notably, Blichfeldt had also made similar allegations about the India Open last year, blaming the dense smog in India and bird droppings inside the stadium for the illness she developed after the event.<\/p>\r\n\r\n