Pollution forced me to pull out of India Open: World No.3 Antonsen

World No.3 Anders Antonsen on Wednesday said he has withdrawn from the ongoing India Open due to “extreme” air pollution in the national capital and copped a USD 5,000 fine from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for his decision.

A four-time World Championships medallist, Antonsen’s remarks came a day after fellow Dane Mia Blichfeldt criticised the playing conditions at the USD 950,000 event.
“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.