Visited the Eufa site after seeing the ticketing announcement and found this.
I've heard its better than the old stuff. If it's a success it could certainly
help us but there would be a lot of opposition from football in general - loss of
tradition etc.
Went to see Oldham a few times when they had their plastic pitch - very odd
watching a proper football match (not your mates playing 5 a-side) be played in
trainers.
TC
Four venues named for turf tests
Tuesday, 28 January 2003
UEFA has selected four European stadiums for further research into the possible
future use of artificial turf playing fields for UEFA competition matches.
Various venues
The four venues are the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, which already has an
artificial turf pitch; the new Salzburg stadium in the Austrian city of the same name;
the Eyravallen stadium in �rebro, Sweden; and the Atat�rk Stadium in the Turkish city
of Denizli. The artificial turf surface at the Salzburg stadium should be ready by the
spring, while the pitches in Sweden and Turkey are still at the planning and
construction stage.
Close UEFA involvement
The choice of venues is the latest step in UEFA's close involvement in the
development of artificial turf, which may culminate in the widespread replacement of
grass pitches by artificial turf pitches, as the football authorities search for
solutions to enable football to be played in all weather conditions on surfaces that
are as close as possible to natural grass.
UEFA subsidy
In addition to the Luzhniki Stadium, the three other stadiums concerned are
being fitted with artificial turf with the consent of the clubs, national associations
and leagues concerned. The selected clubs - FC Torpedo Moskva, SV Austria Salzburg,
�rebro SK and Denizlispor - will play domestic matches on this turf, and will receive
a UEFA subsidy of up to ?204,500. In return, they will be asked to co-operate with
UEFA-appointed specialists who will study biomechanical and medical aspects of the
turf.
Signing contracts
"We will sign contracts with the clubs concerned, and UEFA's panel of artificial
turf experts will meet to decide what we specifically expect from the clubs in terms
of helping us carry out research," said UEFA senior manager for competition
administration Ren� Eberle.
Making comparisons
The research carried out at the four venues is expected to centre on
interactions between the players and the field (biomechanical tests), the safety of
the players, and injuries (player-field impact and player-player impact), to enable a
comparison to be made with natural grass playing surfaces.
Player questionnaires
UEFA is also discussing the idea of gaining first-hand information by asking all
opposing players and coaches who come to the four venues to fill in a questionnaire
about their experience with the artificial turf pitches. "We would like to know about
the pitches from those who are using them," said Mr Eberle.
Until 2005
The pilot project is expected to last until 2005. "I would expect the results to
be ready then, after which UEFA will decide, and to what extent, whether artificial
turf can be allowed for its competitions," said Mr Eberle. If UEFA does choose to use
artificial turf, this would mean that a team which qualifies for a UEFA competition
would no longer be able to refuse to play if the opposing team's pitch was football
turf installed in accordance with UEFA's requirements.
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