India, Jan. 15 -- The BWF Indian Open in New Delhi has already faced plenty of controversy and challenges in the early days of the tournament, and things did not get any easier for the organisers as a headline match between home favourite H S Prannoy and former World Champion Loh Kean Yew was interrupted for the oddest of reasons - a bird defecating on the court and requiring a mid-match clean-up.

To make matters worse, the same incident occurred twice in quick succession - at a crucial juncture in the first game with Prannoy leading 16-14, and then again at the beginning of the third game. With this match taking place on Court 1, it was an added embarrassment to a tournament that has already suffered from ignominy, just three days into ...