Artificial turf call by soccer chief after outcry over pitch
Head of the Football Association says Hong Kong Stadium's grass should be replaced with a 'hybrid' surface that uses synthetic fibres
The head of organised soccer in the city has called for the removal of the much-criticised playing surface at Hong Kong Stadium in favour of a hybrid one used at Wembley Stadium in London.
Mark Sutcliffe, chief executive of the Football Association, said he wanted the current natural grass pitch to be replaced with a hybrid variety made up "mainly" of natural grass, with synthetic fibres injected into the surface to protect its quality.
Outlining his preferred option, Sutcliffe said the surface had been "tried and tested" at Wembley Stadium, England's national soccer venue, and by more than half the country's Premier League stadiums.
But Dr Eric Lee Yin-tse, a 38-year veteran of turf management on pitches and racecourses, said hybrid grass with artificial fibres should not be an option.
With the frequent changes of weather, the plastic fibre would break and pieces would end up in the soil, hampering the growth of grass, he said.
"Why should we give up natural grass because of the [Leisure and Cultural Services] department's incompetent management? It doesn't make sense."