'Don't Understand The Outrage': PV Sindhu Defends 'Monkey Whisperers' Ahead Of BWF World Championships, Cites Wimbledon's Rufus The Hawk

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has come out in strong support of the unusual measures being taken to keep monkeys away from the venue ahead of the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi. Sindhu took to X to dismiss the criticism surrounding the preparations and said every major sporting event has to deal with its own local challenges.

“100%. I genuinely don’t understand the outrage,” Sindhu wrote, pointing to Wimbledon’s long-standing use of Rufus, a hawk employed to keep pigeons away from the All England Club. She argued that using a similar preventive measure in Delhi should not become the primary talking point surrounding India’s preparations to host the prestigious tournament.

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has reportedly brought in three experts to imitate langur calls to deter rhesus macaques from the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium complex. The unusual step follows incidents at the India Open last year, when monkeys entered areas around the venue and disrupted proceedings.

Sindhu also highlighted that the monkey-control measure is only one part of the wider preparations being undertaken for the World Championships. “This is just one additional measure on top of the countless measures already being taken. Somehow that becomes the talking point,” she said, urging people to focus on the broader efforts going into staging the event.

The 2019 world champion further expressed confidence that India would successfully host the tournament and showcase its hospitality to the international badminton community. “Can’t wait for the world to experience Indian hospitality. I’m 100% sure we’re going to deliver a world-class World Championships,” Sindhu wrote.

The BWF World Championships are scheduled to take place in New Delhi from August 17 to 23, bringing the world’s leading badminton players to India. Sindhu, who has previously won a world title, will be among the home stars carrying significant expectations as she aims to make an impact in front of the home crowd.