The grass of Gangwon FC’s home stadium was again at the center of controversy. It is pointed out that it is urgent to prepare countermeasures because it can adversely affect the performance and lead to serious injuries. Even though the same problem has been repeated for several years, the Chuncheon City Corporation, the managing body, has not yet identified the cause.
On the 13th,안전놀이터 the 13th round of Hanawon Q K League 1 2023 between Gangwon and Suwon Samsung held at the main stadium of Songam Sports Town in Chuncheon, the grass condition was frowned upon even before the game. The commentators ahead of the game also said, “Since there is a mistake in the management of the stadium, the players see the damage intact. It is a pity,” he said regretfully.
Although supplementary work was carried out on the damaged turf, the ground condition was a mess. It was not part of the field, but was greatly damaged across the street, and the condition of the grass near both sidelines and goal areas was also severe. It was to the point where I doubted whether it was the stadium where professional football, and even the top league games, were held.
The players’ play was affected by the damaged turf. The ball was irregular, such as less bouncing, and there were also players who missed the ball because of the grass or slipped and fell on the grass while breaking through the side. Both teams clearly had their limits when it came to showing their best performance for the fans.
Performance wasn’t the only problem. There was a great concern that the uneven turf conditions were directly linked to injuries to players. This is because it can lead to injuries in the process of jumping or landing, or in the process of sliding on the grass, as many players have done.
On the 13th, the match between Gangwon FC and Suwon Samsung was held at the main stadium of Chuncheon Songam Sports Town. relay screen capture
On the 13th, the match between Gangwon FC and Suwon Samsung was held at the main stadium of Chuncheon Songam Sports Town. relay screen capture
On the 13th, the match between Gangwon FC and Suwon Samsung was held at the main stadium of Chuncheon Songam Sports Town. relay screen capture
On the 13th, the match between Gangwon FC and Suwon Samsung was held at the main stadium of Chuncheon Songam Sports Town. relay screen capture
Several concerns and comments have been made about the condition of the turf from several years ago, but the same situation is being repeated. So is this season. Turf problems were pointed out from the beginning of the season, and eventually the club last month said, “The grass condition is not good due to management problems. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We are doing our best to cooperate with related organizations,” he asked for understanding from fans.
The problem is that Chuncheon City Corporation, which is the main body of management, cannot even properly find the cause. A construction official said in a phone call with this magazine, “Even though we requested various requests from specialized companies and research institutes to understand the situation, we could not find the exact cause. The stories are all different, so I couldn’t catch a specific element. A certain part continues to do this, but last week I did a supplementary meal and caught a large damaged part. We are planning another supplement in the future,” he explained.
As the same problem repeats every year, there are voices calling for fundamental measures to be taken. On the club’s social media (SNS), there are already voices of fans criticizing the condition of the grass, such as ‘Would you come to your senses if a player slipped and was out of season’ and ‘It’s too embarrassing to say it’s a professional team’. Even the fans of the club, which is going to the next Gangwon expedition, appeal for a stadium change.
It is said that the Gangwon club has no plans to hold home matches in other regions, such as Gangneung, other than Chuncheon. An official from another K-League club said, “Fans cannot see the best performance, and players have to run with the fear of injury. It is a nuisance to all visiting teams. We need to come up with countermeasures,” he pointed out.