Indian Football Infrastructure
ashindia
9509 Points
ashindia
9509 Points
ashindia
9509 Points
Comments
New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) In a bid to improve football infrastructure in the country, the sports ministry is going to develop the showpiece Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, into a football hub.
Sports Minister Ajay Maken, during a South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) seminar here Thursday, spelt out the steps being taken to improve the standard of the game.
'First, we are going to lay down synthetic turfs in the states where All India Football Federation (AIFF) doesn't have any infrastructure. We would also request the AIFF to give us the technical expertise to lay down the turfs. We have cerated huge infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games and we are looking to develop them into hubs for different sports. The Nehru Stadium will be developed into a hub for football,' said Maken, a day after he feliciated the footballers who represented India at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
The training of the national team and interntional matches will be held at the Nehru Stadium.
Maken also said that besides Nehru Stadium the sports ministry has also identified two more stadiums, with floodlight facilities, in the national capital that would be used for football.
'We are also trying to identify which of the 79 Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centres can be developed for football. We have similar plans for our 12 centres of excellence in the country,' said Maken.
AIFF president Praful Patel, also India's heavy industries minister, said the federation has earmarked $8 million for developing infrastructure.
'Of the $8 million, around $5.5 million will be spent on laying of synthetic turfs in the country,' he said.
Patel also thanked Maken for helping Indian football.
'When you have a young sports minister after a long time, changes like these are bound to happen,' he said.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.sify.com/news/jawaharlal-nehru-stadium-to-be-developed-into-football-hub-news-national-leoqEodjedh.html">http://www.sify.com/news/jawaharlal-neh ... djedh.html</a><!-- m -->
In what can potentially be the answer to city’s infrastructural woes, FIFA has sanctioned $2 million for the renovation of Cooperage football ground, a top All India Football Federation official informed.
The amount has been granted as a part of FIFA’s Win in India with India programme, and Cooperage is the only ground from the country to receive the financial assistance. The decision was announced during a meeting of Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Ad Hoc committee for Indian Professional Football in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting was presided by AFC president and FIFA presidential candidate Mohammad bin Hammam.
“Cooperage has a nostalgia attached to it, and it is a very important venue for football in the country. It is a known fact that the ground needs to be refurbished and that is the reason why we have decided to sanction the amount to Cooperage,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told DNA. “FIFA has allotted $2.5 million for stadium renovations. Out of that, $2 million is allotted to Cooperage and the rest of the amount will be divided among other venues. This grant does not include the cost FIFA is bearing for laying of the artificial turfs which are sanctioned by them,” Das added.
The Western India Football Association (WIFA) has already chalked out the plan to refurbish Cooperage. It is learnt that apart from new flood lights, temporary stands with proper seating facilities will be created, which can accommodate up to 6,500 people. The dressing rooms will also be renovated. “We all know that Mumbai desperately needs a good football ground and our aim is to provide that. It is very good news for us,” said CEO, WIFA, Henry Menezes.
The process to lay the artificial turf at Cooperage has already begun and is expected to take two to three months at least. But because of a High Court order, the WIFA cannot make physical changes to the ground. An AFC committee will inspect the progress at the venue in July.
Meanwhile, there was more good news in store for the city-based clubs as the AIFF eased its stand against the three clubs who were to be eliminated from the I-League. Air India, ONGC and Bangalore-based HAL have been given an extension of one year to meet the guidelines set by the AFC.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_fifa-sanctions-2-million-grant-for-cooperage_1532025">http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_fi ... ge_1532025</a><!-- m -->
The speed is impressive. The announcement was only made last week and they're already working on it! But aren't there I-League games to be played there in Round 23?
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.sportzpower.com/?q=aggregator/categories/5">http://www.sportzpower.com/?q=aggregator/categories/5</a><!-- m -->
but the work is complete now
Paljor Stadium has become only the fourth Stadium in the country to have an international standard artificial turf