No FIFA Certification for New Kaohsiung Football Stadium 楠梓足球場耗3.5億 未獲FIFA認證遭質疑

The Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium, which cost NT$350 million to construct hoping to host international tournaments, was revealed that it has not been approved by FIFA. 

Staff spray water to maintain the 11-a-side football field with natural turf. Next to this, there is an 11-a-side football field with artificial turf. The two are collectively known as the Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium, which costs NT$350 million to build. It was declared at the time of construction that it would be a football field that meets international certification standards. The Kaohsiung City Government asked the Ministry of Education last year to switch the positions of the artificial and natural turf fields. The artificial turf field was also designated as a venue for 8-a-side matches. However, this means that the stadium can no longer meet FIFA's certification standards.

Citizen: “I feel that if it is the same specification, and they end up spending money like this, it does not seem to meet the ultimate needs of the people.”

Hou Tsun-yao, Director, Kaohsiung Sports Dev. Bureau: “Due to the sun, when the players are kicking the ball, it's hard for them to get used to it. We painted 2, 8-a-side football fields on the 11-a-side artificial grass field.”

The promise of international certification has disappeared. Questions abound about the waste of public funds as the entire budget was spent.

Pai Chiao-yin, Kaohsiung City Councilor Elect (KMT): “The stadium was built using FIFA's name. In the end, it was not certified by FIFA. Thus, this stadium originally meant for international games has become a farce.”

The city government stated that the Kaohsiung National Stadium can host international games. The design change was to solve problems in the original venue design and to make the stadium suitable for use by local schools and teams to increase the utilization rate. The sticking point is the marking of the 8-a-side football fields. They could be erased and applying for FIFA certification shouldn't be difficult.


 

天然草皮的11人制足球場，工作人員撒水維護場地，但除了這處，旁邊還有一座是人工草皮的11人制足球場，兩處涵蓋起來，統稱為高雄楠梓文中足球場，耗費3.5億元經費打造，而且闢建時宣稱，會是符合國際認證標準的足球場，卻被發現，市府在去年向教育部申請將人工與天然草皮位置對調，人工草皮的場地也劃設成能讓8人賽比賽的場地，但也代表球場已無法符合FIFA國際足總認證的標準。

民眾說：「就覺得，如果是一樣的規格，但最後卻（只有）花這樣的錢，好像不符合民眾最終的需求。」

高市運發局長侯尊堯表示：「因為陽光的關係，所以會讓球員在踢球的時候，一時是很難適應的，11人制的（人工）草地上面，有劃了2座8人制的足球場。」

說好的國際認證標準消失，卻花一樣的預算，也遭質疑浪費公帑。

國民黨高雄市議員當選人白喬茵表示：「當初打著FIFA的名號，最後卻沒有得到FIFA的認證，導致於開工是國際，完工是鬧劇。」

市府表示，國際標準的球場世運主場館也有，變更是考量場地當初規劃有問題，以及要讓球場符合在地學校以及球隊使用提高使用率，但主要癥結點在於8人賽制的標線劃設，若真要申請國際標準規格，只要塗銷8人賽標線即可，申請難度不高。針對近日新聞報導高雄市政府申請體育署前瞻計畫經費興建楠梓足球場，卻未能申請國際認證致使政策美意大打折扣一事，高雄市政府侯尊堯局長今（9）日對外界鄭重澄清。