After India Open Criticism, SAI & BAI Overhaul IG Arena Ahead Of BWF World Championships

Published 10 August 2026 · india

News sports badminton After India Open Criticism, SAI & BAI Overhaul IG Arena Ahead Of BWF World Championships After India Open Criticism, SAI & BAI

News sports badminton After India Open Criticism, SAI & BAI Overhaul IG Arena Ahead Of BWF World Championships After India Open Criticism, SAI & BAI Overhaul IG Arena Ahead Of BWF World Championships Reported By, Last Updated: August 10, 2026, 17:27 IST SAI, BAI ensure Indira Gandhi Arena is ready for BWF World Championships. Infrastructure upgrades address past issues, promising a smooth tournament. Rapid Read Indira Gandhi Arena getting refurbished ahead of the BWF World Championships (Picture credit: Megha Mallick) The Sports Authority of India and the Badminton Association of India have come together to ensure that no infrastructure glitches are pointed out when shuttlers from around the world flock to the Indira Gandhi Arena for the BWF World Championships, starting August 17. India’s sports infrastructure came under heavy criticism earlier this year when pigeons disrupted a second-round India Open clash between star shuttler HS Prannoy and Loh Kean Yew, forcing play to be stopped twice because of droppings. The concerns were compounded when Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt described the practice facilities as dirty and unhealthy.

A monkey was also spotted sitting in the spectator area, raising safety concerns. A week ahead of the World Championships, SAI and BAI took the media on a venue recce that involved a briefing regarding the changes and upgrades made by the duo. “Planning began soon after the India Open, in February. The Indira Gandhi Arena is quite old as a venue, and a few structural as well as soft changes have been made ahead of the World Championships," Ambar Pratap Singh, Executive Director of SAI’s engineering division, told the media. “The roof of the arena has been treated and new chairs have been installed. To ensure that pigeons stay away, a machine has been brought in from the United States. A non-toxic gel has also been put into use, which keeps birds away from the roof," the official added. The SAI engineers were in charge of the main arena till July 25 and undertook changes alongside the Central Public Works Department. It was then handed over to BAI, who are applying the finishing touches.

To ensure that animals, like dogs or monkeys, stay away from the arena, SAI, BAI and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are ensuring that during the tournament, no animals are in the vicinity of the venue. In case stray dogs are spotted, they will be immediately taken to shelter homes, the official said. Although pollution and the cold weather had become a problem for the players during the India Open, a tournament in August means one would need to brace themselves for heavy rain. Will the weather conditions be a problem again? “A few roof leakages were spotted during the last spell of rain, but those were identified and solved. The downpour wouldn’t be an issue," the official said. Washroom cleanliness has been a major issue that has been flagged by players in tournaments held at the venue. Nidhin Jose, deputy director of the engineering division, said that 57 out of 66 washrooms have now been refurbished. Nine of them, which were for spectator use, were renovated during the India Open.