Badminton World Federation announced the postponement of India Open 2021 due to the unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases in Delhi and India as a whole. The India Open was scheduled for May 11-16 but cannot go ahead as of now because of rampant increase in the number of Covid-19 cases. This is the Olympic year and the qualification for Tokyo Games is still ongoing.
“Tournament organisers Badminton Association of India (BAI) have postponed the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2021 scheduled for 11-16 May 2021. The decision was made in consultation and collaboration with local health authorities in Delhi and the Badminton World Federation. All attempts were made by organisers to conduct a safe tournament environment for all participants, but the recent spike in COVID-19 cases and gravity of the situation in Delhi left BAI no choice but to postpone the tournament,” BWF said in its statement.
The BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament was classified as one of the last few qualification tournaments for the Tokyo Olympics and had attracted top players including Kenta Momota, Victor Axelsen and several other Top-10 players along with representation from 33 countries. The 2021 edition was already scheduled to be held in a biosecure bubble with no spectators and media.
“Considering the current challenges, BAI is left with no option but to announce the postponement of the tournament for the time being. We had an entry of 228 players and close to 300 peoples gathering including coaches, support staff and officials and the circumstances are such that the 2021 edition of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open seems, for now, a very risky affair. Several rounds of discussions were held with BWF as well as the Delhi Government and other stakeholders and accessing the safety of players and officials BAI needed to take this decision,” said BAI General Secretary Ajay Singhania.
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