Kochi, Feb 8: Chairman of the National Football League committee, Albert Colaco, inspected Ambedkar Stadium, the alternate venue for FC Kochin’s remaining home matches in the NFL, on Tuesday.
Colaco has submitted his report to the emergency committee of the NFL, comprising six members. A decision in this regard is expected by Wednesday evening. However, he refused to make a comment on the contents of his report. “There is nothing wrong in changing the venue midway through the league. I would like to make it clear that there is no breach of rules,” said Colaco, who was accompanied by SS Shetty, referees instructor and representative of AIFF’s Referees Board.
FC Kochin have played four of their home matches thus far at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor. But a shift in the venue became inevitable after the Stadium was allotted to the One-day International cricket match between India and South Africa.
Colaco was unhappy over the players’ security for which two temporary settlements havebeen raised.
Two alternate venues came to the fore but Ambedkar Stadium, owned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority and on lease by FC Kochin, got the nod ahead of the Maharaja’s ground which has an uneven surface. Ambedkar Stadium was the venue of the Scissors State Football League and the Ernakulam District `A’ Division league.