HS Prannoy during the men’s singles round of 16 match against Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew at the India Open 2026 badminton tournament, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: A day after a monkey was seen in the spectator gallery at the India Open badminton tournament, play was disrupted again on Thursday when bird droppings fell on court during the men’s singles match between HS Prannoy and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.The pre-quarterfinal match was halted twice in the second round as the droppings fell from the stadium ceiling. Prannoy and Loh, a former world champion and eighth seed, were involved in a close contest when the interruptions took place.In badminton, courts are usually cleaned when players request it, while referees intervene in case of blood spills as play cannot continue until the surface is cleared. On this occasion, however, bird droppings had to be removed during the match at one of the country’s main indoor venues.The incident added to concerns raised earlier in the tournament. On Tuesday, Danish player Mia Blichfeldt said she was unhappy with the conditions. “The floors are dirty and there is a lot of dirt on the courts. Also, there are birds flying in the arena, there is bird poop also,” she said.Responding to her remarks, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) said there were no issues at the main playing venue. BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra said the player was referring to the training facility. “Regarding the warm-up area, it is important to note that she was referring to the KD Jadhav Stadium, which serves as the training venue, and not the main playing arena,” Mishra said. “The playing arena has been kept clean, dirt-free and pigeon-free, and several players have expressed satisfaction with the conditions at the venue.“Separately, Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen withdrew from the India Open 2026, citing air pollution in New Delhi. In an Instagram story, he said he hoped the city’s air quality would improve later in the year when it hosts the BWF World Championships. Antonsen also said the BWF fined him USD 5,000.Commenting on the withdrawal, Mishra said on Wednesday that Antonsen could not speak about conditions in India from abroad. “He (Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen) can’t comment on the conditions here while sitting in Denmark. His reason for withdrawal was not accepted by BWF, and he was fined.”“There is no place for politics in this sport. It is wrong to support those who criticise our nation from abroad,” Mishra added.