LEKAN SALAMI STADIUM: IMC PLACE ‘BELOW STANDARD’ 3SC HOME GROUND ON TEMPORARY APPROVAL
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Farouq Oduola A.
Lekan Salami Stadium, the home ground of the Shooting Stars Sport club (3SC), has been placed on provisional approval by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Wednesday due to its current state, after failing to meet the infrastructure requirements of the Club Licensing.
The Ibadan-based team’s home turf was deemed substandard and unsuitable for television by the independent regulatory body of the Nigerian Professional Football League, who directed the club to address the issue before the first half of the season ends.
The IMC wrote: “The present condition of the playing turf at the Lekan Salami Stadium, is not television friendly and falls short of acceptable standards. You are therefore directed to take immediate steps to improve the condition of the playing pitch before the end of the first half of the season (Week 9).”
The body further forewarned that failure to comply before the start of the second half would result in the relocation of its home games to a different pitch.
Given that this development occurred less than two years following the stadium’s extensive renovation in 2021, it is clear that the stadium has received poor maintenance.
The renovation, which saw numerous improvements in both the physical and technological aspects, including the expansion of seating capacity from 8,000 to 10,000, introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) facilities, electronic scoreboards, pitch-side monitors, and a well-equipped Studio, among other things, was approved by the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, back in August 2020.
The Ogunbote boys have only earned eight points in six games this season—two wins, two draws, and two losses—putting them sixth in Group A in the NPFL standings.
On Sunday, the Oluyole Warriors welcome the league’s top-ranked Bendel Insurance in an effort to make up for recent disappointing results amid worries over their playing turf.
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