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Four venues named for turf tests

Stadium

UEFA has selected four stadiums to test the viability of artificial turf for its competitions.

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 Örebro, Sweden; and the Atatürk 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, Örebro 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 René 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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