Former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore was ruthless on court at the India Open—and just as incisive off it—after speaking candidly about New Delhi’s much-criticised air quality and playing conditions.
World No. 10 Loh said the poor air in the Indian capital has affected players’ energy levels during the India Open Super 750 tournament. He was speaking after his three-game win over local favourite HS Prannoy on January 15.
The Singapore shuttler revealed he has been trying to limit exposure by staying indoors when not competing and wearing a mask whenever possible. His comments came days after World No. 2 Anders Antonsen withdrew from the tournament, citing “extreme pollution” in Delhi.
When asked if the conditions were an issue, Loh was blunt.
“Yeah, of course. Anyone would. I’m surprised you guys (reporters) are okay,” he said with a laugh.
“I breathe less. I just wear my mask when I can and try to stay indoors as much as possible. But there’s only that much I can do.”
Stamina ‘two levels down’
Loh repeatedly returned to the topic during his media interaction. Asked how his body felt at the start of the season, he said: “It was good in Malaysia until I came here. The weather is not so good. Other than that, I’m just taking it one match at a time.”
When quizzed on the secret behind his strong record at the India Open—three consecutive quarterfinal appearances—Loh delivered another tongue-in-cheek response.
“Probably the weather here. Everyone’s stamina has dropped two levels down.”
On court, Loh recovered from losing the opening game to defeat Prannoy 18-21, 21-19, 21-14. The Indian, however, refused to blame the conditions.
“I don’t think so. It’s pretty much the same for all players,” Prannoy said.
“When you’re on court, those things don’t really matter. It’s up to you what you want to do. It’s cold initially, but after the first five minutes, you don’t really worry about it.”
Mounting pressure on badminton bodies
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) have faced mounting criticism this week, with several players raising concerns over air quality, hygiene and playing conditions at the venue.
Antonsen, one of the world’s top-ranked players, pulled out of the India Open for the third consecutive year, sharing an image of Delhi’s Air Quality Index and stating that he did not believe the city was suitable to host a major badminton event under such conditions.
Earlier, fellow Dane Mia Blichfeldt criticised aspects of the tournament setup, particularly the warm-up areas, describing them as “dirty and unhealthy” and pointing to bird droppings and dust as potential health risks.
The BAI has rejected the criticism. General secretary Sanjay Mishra defended the tournament, saying the India Open meets international standards and is serving as a test event ahead of the BWF World Championships later this year.
Mishra downplayed the complaints, arguing that players commenting from abroad could not fairly assess local conditions. He added that many players and coaches had praised the facilities, flooring and overall organisation, insisting there was “no place for politics in sport”.
Former India star Kidambi Srikanth echoed that view, noting that temporary operational issues are common at international tournaments and not unique to Delhi.
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