Sindhu supports ‘efforts’ to tackle monkey menace at World Championship venue

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) With the organising committee for the upcoming BWF World Championship 2026 set to employ people to tackle monkey menace in and 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.

With reports surfacing on social media that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) will employ “monkey whisperers” to handle rogue monkeys that have disrupted matches and terrorised players in the past, the matter has attracted ridicule across social media.

Monkeys had disrupted the India Open badminton tournament in New Delhi last year, gatecrashing the designated training area for the players. With the BWF World Championships 2026 set to start next week, the BAI has decided not to take chances and has employed people to tackle the simian menace.

But Sindhu has praised the organising committee for their “efforts” to tackle the problem and praised the people working behind the scenes.

“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.

“Can’t wait for the badminton world to experience it all in Delhi. See you soon!” Sindhu wrote in a social media post.

With the BWF World Championship 2026 fast approaching, the BAI has employed three “experts” to imitate langur calls at the Indira Gandhi Stadium to keep away the troublesome rhesus macaques from the venue. Rhesus macaques are terrified of langurs and usually flee areas where langurs are present.

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

The BWF World Championship 2026 will be held in New Delhi from August 17 to 23 with the World’s top players in the fray. The BAI has faced severe criticism over various issues in organising the event,

–IANS

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