BHUBANESWAR: Cyclone Fani, which left a trail of destruction in the Capital, did not spare the Kalinga Stadium which sustained considerable damage due to the tropical storm.In order to assess the damage to the sporting facility, the technical committee of International Hockey Federation (FIH) is likely to visit the stadium soon. The Sports and Youth Services department has conducted an internal review regarding the damage caused by the cyclone.
The Sports department is facing an uphill task of restoring the Hockey complex of the stadium within three weeks as Odisha is set to host FIH Series Final hockey at Kalinga Stadium from June 6 to 16. The teams that are slated to participate in the tournament are expected to reach the City by May 30. Hockey India is keeping a close watch on the situation before taking any decision on shifting the venue.
Sports and Youth Services Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev said, “We are yet to hold any discussions with FIH or Hockey India on the issue. The hockey stadium has not suffered much damage and can be repaired in three weeks.” He, however, said the damage to the hockey turf needs to be assessed by the technical team of FIH.Kalinga Stadium had been renovated in December last year for the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup.