Burst underground pipe to blame for Hong Kong Stadium pitch farce

A burst underground pipe, and not heavy rain or an intense match schedule, was primarily at fault for the turf fiasco at the Hong Kong Stadium that threatened the Barclays Asia Trophy and Manchester United's exhibition game at the end of July.

Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) officials said the international embarrassment caused by the poor surface had nothing to do with the schedule - five matches in five days - or bad weather, but the installation of pipes when the pitch was relaid in 1994.

HKFA Chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak told the South China Morning Post "the true story is that a pipe from the underground sprinkling system had burst.

"Unfortunately, this was right under the centre circle and no one knew about it for a long time.

"Every time they turned on the sprinklers, water was gushing out from the broken area saturating the ground underneath."

A South China Morning Post source said the saturated aquifer under the pitch had resulted in algae growing on the surface due to it being "permanently wet", which suffocated the grass and prevented it from taking root and growing.

The condition of the surface had been further compromised by the death of a large area of grass where the British and Irish Lions logo had been painted for the match against the Hong Kong Barbarians on 1st June.

HKFA Chief Executive Mark Sutcliffe added "the excuse that the Hong Kong Stadium pitch couldn't handle the frequency of matches was a complete red herring.

"A well-maintained pitch could have coped, whereas the stadium pitch turned into a quagmire. So the volume of rain was a contributory factor only."

Stadium authorities only found out the problem a few days before the Barclays Asia Trophy featuring Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and South China, but by then it was too late as the grass cover was almost non-existent in large swathes near the centre circle.

Sutcliffe added "as a result of both problems the grass cover was insufficient and repairs had been less than adequate.

"This coupled with poor drainage because of a heavily compacted sub-base meant the pitch was ill-equipped to cope with the rain."

The pitch was closed for 53 days, during which emergency repairs and maintenance was undertaken, and has now been opened.

However, Sutcliffe, who has suggested that the grass should be replaced by a hybrid surface similar to that used at Wembley Stadium in London and Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, concluded that "it still needs some further improvements."

An expert working group comprising the HKFA, the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU), the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is looking at medium-term and long-term options to improve the pitch.

Jockey Club Chairman and HKRFU President Brian Stevenson has called on the Hong Kong Government to look at "the totality of stadium maintenance and not just the turf" and to increase the capacity of the venue while it remains Hong Kong's premier sporting arena until the Kai Tak complex is ready in 2019 or 2020.

28th July 2013 - PLAYING SURFACE WOES INTENSIFIES DEMAND FOR NEW HONG KONG STADIUM