The Hindu : Sport / Football : AIFF inspection team expresses satisfaction

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Wednesday, May 06, 2009
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AIFF inspection team expresses satisfaction

CHENNAI: The two-member inspection team from the All India Football Federation, Anil Kamat and Ravi Shankar expressed satisfaction with the ground conditions and other facilities available at the Nehru stadium here for the Santosh Trophy national football championship starting on May 24.

The two officials had inspected all venues — Coimbatore, Tiruchi and Tiruvallur (DBYC Wisdom town, Red Hills) before visiting the Nehru stadium on Tuesday. “We know the turf here should be very good. Our interest was basically on the floodlights since this will be the only venue where one match will be under lights. Few bulbs in all the four towers need to be replaced to get the settings ready for telecast facility,” Kamat, the AIFF’s Director of competitions said.

The stadium officer said that the SDAT was making arrangements to change the fused bulbs and he assured the visiting officials that by May 20 everything would be in place. Meantime, the SDAT is leaving nothing to chance in giving the turf enough watering and rolling to provide an excellent surface for the national championship.

More or less ready

Kamat and Shankar, who is also the AIFF’s Referees Instructor, said that except for Coimbatore, where the red ant problem in the stadium needed urgent attention, the other venues were more or less ready for action.

“At St. Joseph’s College, the venue in Tiruchi, work is on to get the turf into shape and at Red Hills stadium the turf was in good condition. At both places other requirements like toilets and dressing rooms have been given attention to. We have also given some suggestions,” they said.

According to the two officials the AIFF will arrange for one final inspection just days before the championship to ensure all suggestions had been carried out and arrangements were ready for start of the championship. — Special Correspondent

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