BWF Gives Thumbs Up to Revamped World Championships Venue After India Open Controversy

Months after drawing sharp criticism during the India Open Super 750, the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium has undergone an extensive transformation, with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) expressing satisfaction over the improvements ahead of the BWF World Championships, scheduled to begin on August 17.

The venue had faced widespread complaints earlier this year over poor hygiene, damaged infrastructure, unclean washrooms and the presence of pigeons, monkeys and stray dogs within the sports complex. The issues had raised concerns about India's readiness to host one of badminton's most prestigious tournaments.

However, following several rounds of inspections over the past seven months, BWF Events Director (Tournament Operations) Selvaamresh Supramaniam said most of the shortcomings highlighted after the India Open have now been addressed.

According to him, the stadium has undergone deep cleaning, complete renovation of toilets, replacement of damaged seats, repairs to broken ceilings, waterproofing of the roof and improvements to electrical wiring. To tackle the bird problem, officials have also applied a special anti-bird gel on roof beams, preventing pigeons from perching inside the arena.

Supramaniam said he had not spotted any pigeons or monkeys during his recent visits, indicating that the measures appear to be working effectively. He also appreciated the efforts of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in relocating dozens of stray dogs from the complex while continuing efforts to remove the remaining animals.

While expressing satisfaction with the progress, the BWF official stressed that maintenance and cleaning would continue until the tournament begins, especially with workers still on-site and monsoon conditions making upkeep more challenging.

The federation is also working to improve the venue's lighting after it received criticism during the India Open. Experts from Indonesia, who have previously worked on the Indonesia Open and Indonesia Masters, have been brought in to enhance the presentation.

Despite these upgrades, Supramaniam emphasised that the BWF's top priority remains delivering a smooth, problem-free competition, ensuring players can focus entirely on their performances.