PV Sindhu defended the organisersโ decision to hire trained professionals to mimic langur calls at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi, after the India Open 2026 had been marred by bird droppings and a monkey entering the stadium.
Indian badminton icon PV Sindhu defended the decision to hire trained professionals to mimic langur calls to keep monkeys away from the stadium during the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi.
The 2026 India Open encountered major animal-related issues after bird droppings temporarily halted matches, and a monkey was spotted inside the stadium.
To tackle the situation, the organisers opted for a very Indian solution by hiring mimic professionals, a decision which led to intense criticism.
‘Every major sporting event has its local challenges’
Sindhu backed the organiser’s decision amid objections from critics, arguing that every major tournament encounters local challenges.
She pointed out that Wimbledon had long used Rufus the hawk to keep pigeons away and the monkey debate is being blown out of proportion.
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“I genuinely donโt understand the outrage. We all love Wimbledon, and theyโve had Rufus the hawk keeping pigeons away for years. Every major sporting event has its own local challenges. This is just one additional measure on top of the countless measures already being taken. Somehow that becomes the talking point,” Sindhu wrote on ‘X‘.
More from Badminton NewsWhat other steps did the organisers take?
After taking lessons from the shortcomings at India Open 2026, the organisers went the extra mile to ensure that there are no hiccups when they host the BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi.
The organisers made significant efforts to address the issues, including the pigeon problem and infrastructure issues.
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Ahead of the 2026 Badminton Worlds, the organisers used pigeon-deterrent gel to prevent bird interference and improved the hygiene facilities and infrastructure by renovating the entire facility. They also built enhanced entry systems and measures to facilitate crowd management.
The organisers also upgraded the lighting and the venue’s playing surfaces to ensure a world-class experience, meeting global standards and putting India on the map as a preferred location for hosting major events.