Kanteerava in need of attention

Stadium to host Asian Grand Prix
Kanteerava in need of attention
Deccan Herald

The state of the Sree Kanteerava Stadium track came into sharp focus once again on Friday, a day after a violent mob went on a rampage inside the sporting arena, attempting to get a final glimpse of Dr Rajkumar’s mortal remains.

The occasion was the press conference to launch the Asian Grand Prix athletic meet, scheduled at the Kanteerava Stadium on May 22. As the officials of the Karnataka Athletic Association, the organisers, tried to explain the details of the event, they were forced to face the inevitable question — how suitable is the track for the event?

A statement made by the Athletics Federation of India secretary Lalit Bhanot last July that no senior meet will be held here because of the poor condition of the track, added strength to the question.

But after much fumbling and stonewalling, the answer that emerged lacked conviction — the meet will be held irrespective of the track conditions, with minor repairs to be gone through soon.

“We have approached sports goods manufacturer Shiv Naresh for the repair work and it will be taken up soon. I admit the track is not in perfect condition, but we can make it better. Our intention is to conduct the Grand Prix well so that our bid for the 2009 Asian Championship is successful,” said KAA secretary Satyanarayana at the press conference.

Thursday’s mayhem, thankfully, did not cause any damage to the track as such. It remained in its worn-out shape but the trackside curbs had been ripped out by the fans who also set fire to a high jump pit and battered many hurdles into pieces. Window panes had been smashed to smithereens, necessitating a big clean-up operation. With a little over a month left for the event, Kanteerava presents a sad picture and is in dire need of a makeover.

D K Audikesavulu, KAA Chairman, admitted the track was not in good shape but said there wasn’t enough time to relay it. “We will repair it for the time being and work towards getting a new track before the Asian meet,” he said.

Satyanarayana admitted that Bhanot’s statement was made with the aim of getting a new track here. “But right now, we don’t have enough time to get a new track. If the current track fails to meet international specifications, the event can be gone through, but athletes will not get ranking points,” he said.