Denmark’s Bedminton player Anders Antonsen has pulled out of the 2026 India Open. This marks the third consecutive year that he has stepped back, citing hazardous air pollution in Delhi. He further questioned whether the city is currently fit to host an elite badminton tournament. His decision has marked a heavy financial penalty from the Badminton World federation.
Who is Anders Antonsen?
Born on 27 April 1997 in Denmark, Ander choose badminton in his life and won silver at the 2017 European Championships and gold at the 2019 Indonesia Masters, during his early professional years. However, what brought him global recognition was his performance at the 2019 BWF World Championships in Basel, where he captured the silver medal.
Another major milestone in his career came when he won the BWF World Tour Finals, defeating fellow Dane Viktor Axelsen and marking himself as a world-class competitor. Over the years, his journey has been highlighted by victories at the European Championships in 2021 and 2024, as well as team triumphs at the European Mixed Team Championships.
Antonsen’s excellent performance at the China Masters 2024 helped him secure his fifth title of the year.
Why did Anders Antonsen withdraw from the India Open 2026?
On Tuesday, 12 January, the world No. 3 took to social media to explain his withdrawal from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) India Open Super 750 event, which was scheduled to be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from 13 to 18 January.
In an Instagram post, he stated that due to the extreme pollution in Delhi at the moment, he does not believe it is a suitable place to host a badminton tournament. The 28-year-old’s statement followed concerns raised by his compatriot Mia Blichfeldt, who highlighted issues related to players’ health and training conditions at the same event.
How much Anders Antonsen have to pay for the Penalty?
In his Instagram story, Antonsen mentioned that his withdrawal once again attracted a heavy financial penalty of USD 5,000 (₹4,50,928), as the India Open is a mandatory tournament for top-ranked players. Along with this, he shared a screenshot of Delhi’s Air Quality Index, which stood at 348 and was classified as hazardous.
The post read:
“Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the summer when the World Championships take place in Delhi. As a result, BWF has once again fined me USD 5,000.”
This was the three consequetive year, Antonsen has stepped down from the India Open due to severe air pollution in new delhi. The National capital witnessed peak worst Air quality in the last month of the year 2025 reaching it to 461.
