Sports Authority of India Steps In After 'Dil-Luminati' Mess At Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium: Venue Cleaned up Following Outrage

29.10.2024 - 08:35 sports.ndtv.com

Hours after the messed up state of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium following a two-day concert by singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh triggered outrage, its owner, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), said that the iconic venue has been cleaned up and is ready to host its next sporting engagement on October 31.

Widespread littering at the end of Dosanjh's 'Dil-Luminati' concert on Saturday and Sunday, that drew nearly 40,000 fans each night, led to sharp criticism from Delhi-based athletes who regularly train at the stadium.

It wasn't the first time that such an event was held at the venue, which has hosted concerts by top international stars such as Bryan Adams (2004) and Ricky Martin (1998) in the past.

But the after-effects of Dosanjh's gig were heavily criticised by the athletes. SAI sprung into action once the criticism went viral across social media and issued a statement to say that the competition area and its surroundings have been restored. "The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Main Arena will be in top shape to host the Indian Super League (ISL) football match between Punjab FC and Chennaiyin FC on October 31, 2024 (Thursday).

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After the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was left in a state of disarray following a music concert, the Asian Games medallist athlete called for a ban on holding concerts or any programme in the stadiums, which are a "sacred place" for the athletes. The stadium had hosted Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh's Dil-luminati concert and that had left trash all around with alcohol bottles on the track and the long-jump pit, rotting food strewn around on the track.

SAI's Claims JLN Stadium After Diljit Dosanjh's Concert Contradicts Ground Reality

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) released a statement on Monday claiming the readiness of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where two shows of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh's ‘Dil-Luminati' music concert took place after social media videos showed the venue in disarray with piles of trash littered all around. IANS visited the site on Tuesday, two days after the event took place, only to discover the ground was still in need of a thorough cleaning as the aftermath of the concert was still on full display. The dismantling of the makeshift structure, close to the athletic track, used for the concert was still going on around 3 pm. The track around the ground, including the sand pit for the long jump, was littered and in need of dire work ahead of Punjab FC's ISL clash against Chennaiyin FC on Thursday.

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"People Had Alcohol...": Athlete Rues Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium's Condition After Diljit Dosanjh Concert

For sports fans in India, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi is a hallowed venue. In the past it has hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games, footballer Bhaichung Bhutia's farewell match against Bayern Munich, the SAFF Championships as well as many other events. Recently, however, it hosted a music concert of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh on Saturday and Sunday as part of his Dil-Luminati Tour. The concert, which was a well-attended event, is however generating negative news after what it allegedly did to the JLN Stadium.

SAI's Claims JLN Stadium After Diljit Dosanjh's Concert Contradicts Ground Reality

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