New Delhi: While Diljit Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati concert in Delhi won the hearts of numerous music lovers, it turned out to be a nightmare for athletes training in the national capital region in a shocking turn of events. After back-to-back shows at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium over the weekend, the premises were left in a complete mess.
Showcasing the disarray, middle-distance runner Beant Singh took to Instagram on Monday (October 28, 2024) to post visuals of the stadium. In the video, the stadium’s track and field area was seen littered with garbage and alcohol containers. Adding to the misery of athletes, equipment was also observed in a damaged condition.
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In no time, the short clip went viral on the popular photo-sharing platform, garnering lakhs of views and leading to social media outrage. “You are right, brother. Those who give permission to organise events here should see this! These people cannot understand the value of a sportsman’s training. Seeing this feels very bad,” commented a netizen. Another wrote, “Sad reality.”
SAI steps in
After the massive uproar on the Internet, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) immediately jumped into action and issued a statement, claiming that the competition area and its surroundings have been restored. The SAI was quoted as saying by news agency PTI that the main area of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be in top shape to host the Indian Super League (ISL) football match between Punjab FC and Chennaiyin FC on Thursday (October 31, 2024). It added that for the Diwali game, the turf has been restored to match playing condition.
