Bhubaneswar: Kalinga Hockey Stadium here is the venue for the FIH Men’s Series Finals in June but some damage control will have to be done at the stadium post Cyclone Fani. The Department of Sports and Youth Services assessed the stadium infrastructure. The hockey turf has suffered a tear at a few isolated places. The team has also observed peripheral and minor damage to the stadium infrastructure.
Vishal. K. Dev, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Services. said, “Our team has taken stock of the situation at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, which has suffered minor damages. These can be repaired by the end of May. We are working relentlessly to restore the stadium operations.
The team from Hockey India along with technical experts was in the city to inspect the stadium and the turf for the upcoming tournament. “Post their evaluation, we will take the necessary action. However, we are hopeful of hosting the event as scheduled”, he added.
The participating eight countries in FIH Men’s Series Finals Bhubaneswar Odisha 2019 are India, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, USA and Uzbekistan. The matches are scheduled from June 6 to 15.