Delhi's JLN Stadium cleaned up after athlete outrage over Dil-Luminati mess

Hours after the messed up state of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium following a twoday concert by singeractor Diljit Dosanjh triggered outrage its owner the Sports Authority of India SAI said that the iconic venue has been cleaned up and is ready to host its next sporting engagement on October 31Widespread littering at the end of Dosanjhs DilLuminati concert on Saturday and Sunday that drew nearly 40000 fans each night led to sharp criticism from Delhibased athletes who regularly train at the stadiumIt wasnt the first time that such an event was held at the venue which has hosted concerts by top international stars such as Bryan Adams 2004 and Ricky Martin 1998 in the past But the aftereffects of Dosanjhs gig were heavily criticised by the athletesSAI sprung into action once the criticism went viral across social media and issued a statement to say that the competition area and its surroundings have been restoredThe Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Main Arena will be in top shape to host the Indian Super League ISL football match between Punjab FC and Chennaiyin FC on October 31 2024 Thursday The turf has been restored to match playing condition before the Diwali game the SAI stated along with pictures of the restored venueAlso Read Nassau Stadium home to tense World Cup matches set for demolitionEarlier Delhis middledistance runner Beant Singh posted images and a video of the stadiums track and field area which was littered with garbage alcohol containers and damaged athletics equipmentThis is where athletes train but here people had alcohol danced and partied Because of these kind of things the stadium will remain close for 1010 days The athletics equipment like the hurdles have been broken and thrown here and there he wrote on the InstagramAlso ReadNo major turn expected on Wankhede pitch SourcesThis is the situation of sport sportspersons and stadium in Indiamedals do not come in the Olympics because there is no respect and support for sportspersons in this countryThe 25yearold Singh had won a silver and a bronze in the 2014 and 2018 National Open Championships respectivelyThe SAI on its part said that its contract with the concert organisers was very clear the stadium would be returned to the body in the same condition that it was handed over to them The organisers of Diljit Dosanjhs concert had booked the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium till October 28 2024 for cleaning at full rental charges it statedA Delhi coach told PTI that some athletes have written to the SAI requesting for compensation as their hurdles and boxes containing starting blocks and other equipment such as shot put discus and medicine balls have been damagedEach hurdle costs Rs 30004000 and you need 10 hurdles for 400m hurdles or 100m hurdles or 110m hurdles race These young athletes have arranged money to buy these equipment and it is not easy for themThe locks of the boxes containing starting blocks and other equipment such as shot put discus and medicine balls have been damaged and broken So some equipment have been damaged the coach said on condition of anonymitySo the athletes have written to the SAI for compensation and let us see what happens He said the athletes have been told not to train inside the stadium till October 31They will not been able to train inside the stadium tracks for 10 days till October 31 We are doing training at the outside track but the condition is not good thereIt has disturbed the training schedule of the athletes We have the National Junior Championships and national school competition coming up This is not the first time that the JLN Stadium has been left in such a messy condition after public functions attended by large crowdsAthletes who train here have voiced their disappointment in the past also but nothing has changed said a track and field athlete from Delhi on conditions of anonymityCurrently the stadium is not hosting any national camp It is however part of the Come and Play scheme of SAI which allows children and beginners to use the stadiums facilities free of cost for training purposesThe venue was constructed to hold the athletics competitions of the 1982 Asian Games It was renovated for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and both the opening and closing ceremonies of that showpiece were heldWith agency inputs