# BWF keeps India Open in Delhi winter window 2026-08-20T12:32:05+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Badminton World Federation will keep the India Open in New Delhi’s first-quarter calendar despite concerns over winter pollution. BWF secretary general Thomas Lund said it had not been possible to move the Super 750 tournament because of domestic and local scheduling commitments. He said pollution data showed conditions improve later in January and February, and that the tour would now start slightly later to give players a longer break. The Hindustan Times reports that the 2027 event is scheduled for February 2 to 7 and the 2028 edition for January 25 to 30. It cites criticism from Anders Antonsen, Mia Blichfeldt, Michelle Li and Ratchanok Intanon over smog and cold. Lund also defended badminton’s 3x15 scoring system, which begins on January 4, 2027, saying it should reduce physical strain. The BWF is also working on synthetic shuttlecocks. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Times of India presents the scheduling issue mainly as a calendar problem, while the Hindustan Times gives greater space to players who describe pollution and cold as health and preparation concerns. The BWF account stresses gradual adjustments, including a later tour start, but does not offer a firm alternative season for the event. The criticism points to conditions athletes may face, while the governing body points to improving pollution later in winter and India’s importance to badminton. A careful reading suggests the dispute is unresolved rather than settled by the calendar change. The dates for the 2027 and 2028 tournaments are the immediate points to watch. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Focuses on BWFu2019s calendar explanation and proposed scoring changes - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Gives prominent space to player criticism and Indiau2019s market importance This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-20T18:13:25+00:00. Tags: Badminton Association of India, BWF, India Open, New Delhi, Thomas Lund Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bwf-seeks-players-support-on-india-open-in-delhi-pollution/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bwf-seeks-players-support-on-india-open-in-delhi-pollution/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/