Greater Cochin Development Authority rules out structural issues to Kaloor stadium in Kerala after Asian Football Confederation raised concerns
The Hindu
GCDA dismisses AFC's safety concerns on Kochi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in kaloor as baseless. Stadium's structural issues being addressed; AFC had not raised matter officially with GCDA. KBFC had responded to AFC's concerns. AFC official had expressed reservations about lack of infrastructure, security, segregation of fans, etc.
The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) has dismissed the infrastructure and safety concerns raised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) about the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor in Kochi, Kerala, as baseless.
AFC general secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John had dubbed the stadium “a recipe for disaster” in a chat with The Hindu after having a close look at the stadium during the Indian Super League (ISL) opener opener in September 2023. The stadium is the home ground of the ISL team Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC).
GCDA sources said the AFC office-bearer had not taken up the matter officially with the GCDA which owns the stadium. “We have no information about this other than what has been published in the media. As per our assessment of the stadium done with the help of experts from IIT Madras, there are no structural problems other than some issues to the roof drainage system owing to ‘ageing’ and the resultant leakage. That issue is already being addressed and repair works are likely to be completed before the end of this ISL season,” said sources.
“We have no idea as to what basis the AFC office-bearer had raised the concerns on. Structural repairs are being held regularly and whenever issues are noticed. Except during the pandemic, works were carried without fail,” said sources.
P. Anilkumar, general secretary of the Kerala Football Association (KFA), said the AFC had probably raised the matter with the KBFC since the Kaloor stadium is their home ground. The KFA, he said, has no role in matters related to maintenance since the GCDA is the custodian of the stadium and carries out such works directly after the Kerala Cricket Association gave up that role.
On their part, the KBFC sources said that even before the latest comment by its general secretary, the AFC had raised some concerns with them to which the club had responded. They said they have raised some concerns with the GCDA as well but declined to divulge the details.
“When I saw the match the other day, there were so many families there... children and women... which is very good for football but is a recipe for disaster,” said Mr. Windsor John in a chat with The Hindu on the sidelines of the KFA’s Kerala Youth Development Project’s launch in September.
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