New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) With the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium littered with debris following a music concert, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) got into damage-control mode, claiming that the stadium has been restored to its usual conditions. On Monday night, SAI informed that 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 Thursday.

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 track and vehicles driving on the track.

But on Monday, SAI claimed that the turf had been restored to match playing condition before the Diwali game.

"In the light of media reports about the organisation of Diljit Dosanjh’s Dil-luminati concert, Sports Authority of India (SAI) would like to clarify the following:

"1. The organisers of Diljit Dosanjh’s concert had booked the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium till October 28, 2024 (Monday) for cleaning at full rental charges. SAI’s contract with the organisers clearly states that they will return the concert venue (JLN Stadium) to SAI in the same way that it was handed over to them.

"2. The only athletes who train or practice at the JLN Stadium are allowed under the ‘Come and Play’ Scheme, which is mostly for children who are just starting. With this being the off-season, no Elite, junior, or sub-junior athletes are currently training at the JLN Stadium.

"3. There are no camps underway right now. No competing athletes of the junior or senior train in JLN.

"4. Around 70,000 people attended the concert over two days and the cleaning is already complete," SAI claimed in its statement.

It also provided some photographs of the stadium to prove that it has been cleaned.