Bengaluru FC could lose home ground due to legal problems

The Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru is in the centre of an ongoing court case

Bengaluru FC could lose home ground due to legal problems [File] Bengaluru FC has lined up backup grounds in case the court ruling goes against them | AFP

Reigning ISL champions Bengaluru FC could end up losing their home ground with the 2019-2020 season set to begin just a month from now as the Kanteerava Stadium, which is also used by the Karnataka Athletics Association, is in the centre of an ongoing court case.

BFC Director Parth Jindal had tweeted on Monday that he hoped the club can continuing playing at the ground. “Hoping and praying that @bengalurufc can play it’s games in Bengaluru. I urge all the authorities to ensure that the beautiful game of football remains in Karnatka and in Bengaluru. From @TheJSWGroup I assure all including those in Athletics association of Karnatka of our support [sic],” he wrote from his Twitter handle.

Earlier in July, athletes had objected to Bengaluru FC using the stadium citing challenges they faced when the club was playing and the artificial grass used on the ground. The natural grass was replaced keeping in view of player injuries if they fall. They said advertising hoarding and television crew cables posed a problem for the athletes while they practised.

The club's CEO Mandar Tamhane had told reporters last week that they are not going to stop any sport and are hopeful of things working out. “It's no secret that it is going to bother us to go out of Bengaluru and play, whether it's the fans or the comfort zone that the players enjoy here. We are just hopeful that things get sorted out. It's not as if we are there to stop any sport. We ourselves as a group promote so many sports―cricket, kabaddi, athletics, judo, etc. At the end of the day, what happens is not in our control.”

If the court does not rule in favour of Benglauru FC, the club has lined up Ahmedabad and Pune as their backup grounds. BFC had played their first Indian Super League season at the Bangalore Football Stadium (BFS), before shifting to the Kanteerava Stadium in the 2014-15 season. However, going back to the BFS is not an option as it does not meet ISL's requirements.

Two ISL clubs have shifted their venues and been revamped for the new season. FC Pune City is now Hyderabad FC and Delhi Dynamos is now Odisha FC.