Monkeys vs. Badminton: Delhi’s Challenge Before The World Championships

NEW DELHI-With organizers of the upcoming BWF World Championships 2026 set to employ people to tackle the monkey menace around the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Complex in New Delhi, former champion and India’s top hope PV Sindhu has come out in support of the move.

Reports on social media that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) would employ “monkey whisperers” to handle rogue monkeys that have disrupted matches and troubled players in the past have attracted attention online.

Monkeys disrupted the India Open badminton tournament in New Delhi last year after entering the designated training area for players. With the BWF World Championships set to begin next week, the BAI has decided not to take chances and has brought in people to tackle the problem.

Sindhu has praised the organizing committee for its “efforts” to tackle the issue and the people working behind the scenes to prepare for the tournament.

“You can laugh at the solution, but you have to love the effort. So many people are working behind the scenes to make sure India is ready to welcome the world. Our solutions may be uniquely Indian, but so are our warmth, our spirit and our hospitality.

With the BWF World Championships fast approaching, the BAI has employed three “experts” to imitate langur calls at the Indira Gandhi Stadium to keep rhesus macaques away from the venue. Rhesus macaques are known to flee areas where langurs are present.

For years, langurs have been used to deter monkeys from important government installations and central government offices in New Delhi.

The BWF World Championships 2026 will be held in New Delhi from August 17 to 23, with the world’s top players set to compete. (IANS)