World No.2 Antonsen says he withdrew from India Open due to Delhi pollution

New Delhi: World No. 3 shuttler Denmark’s Anders Antonsen on Wednesday said he had withdrawn from the ongoing India Open due to “extreme” air pollution in the national capital, incurring a $5,000 (nearly ₹4.21 lakh) fine from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for his decision.

The four-time World Championships medallist’s remarks came a day after fellow Dane Mia Blichfeldt criticised the playing conditions at the $950,000 (around ₹8.01 crore) event, the country’s biggest badminton tournament.

“Many are curious 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’t think it’s a place to host a badminton tournament,” Antonsen wrote on his Instagram page.