During the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026, a video shot at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi sparked widespread discussion and concern regarding food safety and hygiene practices at the venue. The clip circulated widely on social media platforms, where it appeared to show a stadium vendor collecting remaining soft drinks from disposable cups and pouring them back into larger bottles.
Supporters and cricket fans who saw the video were alarmed by what was shown, with some commenters suggesting that leftover beverages might be reused or resold. The optics were particularly troubling given the high prices paid for refreshments and the expectation of strict food-safety standards at a marquee global sporting event like the T20 World Cup, where thousands of spectators pack into the stadium for matches.
One widely shared social post lamented:
“BEWARE The leftovers of soft drink … are being poured into large pet bottles and sold later.”
This comment captured the anxiety of many who saw the footage and assumed the worst about hygiene practices at the ground.
DDCA Responds With Clarification
In response to the uproar, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) — the body responsible for cricket operations at the venue — issued an official statement to rebut the negative interpretation of the video. The DDCA categorically rejected the suggestion that leftover drinks were being tampered with or resold for consumption.
Addressing the matter publicly, the association explained that the action seen in the video was part of standard waste-management procedures undertaken by an authorised concessionaire. The DDCA emphasised that the operation was agreed to under the commercial and operational arrangements for the event, and that all work was carried out in accordance with established protocols and guidelines.
The association stated:
“We have come across a video … alleging that a vendor was seen pouring cold drinks back into bottles during a recent match.”
This statement acknowledged the online attention the clip had received and set out to put the matter into context.
Hygiene Assurances and Waste Handling
To further reassure spectators and the public, the DDCA highlighted that robust hygiene protocols were in place throughout the tournament. It explained that what the video showed was not an attempt to reuse beverages for sale, but rather part of a waste-segregation process.
The statement clarified:
“In the instance shown in the video, the vendor, while segregating wet and dry waste, poured the unused beverage back into the bottle before disposal as part of the waste collection process.”
The DDCA also noted that these bottles were collected and processed according to the stadium’s waste-management and recycling policies and then “disposed of responsibly in line with established environmental and operational guidelines.”
By addressing the issue directly and laying out the procedures followed, the cricket body aimed to quell rumours and reassure fans that hygiene and safety remained priorities at one of the T20 World Cup’s key venues.
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