Shivaji Stadium to shut down, domestic tournaments shifted
NEW DELHI: Shivaji Stadium, the iconic hockey stadium in the city, has been declared “out of bounds” by Hockey India (HI) due to “slippery and dirty” conditions of the Astroturf. The national governing body for hockey has given permission to the Nehru Hockey Tournament Society to hold its junior tournament till November 4.
Thereafter, no Hi-sanctioned event will take place until the pitch is cleaned and a certificate of approval given by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The current FIH pitch certificate was due to expire on June 9, 2019.
In a communication to the Nehru hockey tournament organising committee on October 20, HI said that “the turf is unclean and slippery (and) it could be dangerous to play hockey”.
“No Hi-sanctioned competition will be allowed till the time the turf is clean. Hence we have shifted our next tournament to Chandigarh,” said Kukoo Walia, a member of the organising committee. The tournament could have been shifted to the National Stadium in Delhi but the venue is also under renovation.
“Due to non-availability of the hockey field in the city, the senior competition starting November 14, will be held in Chandigarh.
The Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament, another prestigious domestic competi- tion starting on November 5, has been postponed.
“Financially, it will be big setback because we had booked the stadium and made arrangements for the boarding and lodging of the participating teams,” said a Shastri hockey official.
The New Delhi Municipal Council-run Shivaji Stadium has been in the “eye of a storm” since last year due to poor maintenance.