IBL: Heat could be on in Bangalore without air-conditioning at venue

Bangalore, Aug 23: The Indian Badminton League (IBL) matches at Bangalore's Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium will be played without air-conditioning.

Schedule

Bangalore will host three ties including the second semi-final on August 29. Tomorrow (August 24), Mumbai Masters will face Awadhe Warriors while on Sunday (August 25), hosts Banga Beats meet Krrish Delhi Smashers.

Mumbai Masters' players train at Bangalore's Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Friday evening. Photo: Aprameya .C

According to sources, Banga Beats' owners - BOP Group are not happy with the stadium not equipped with air-conditioning system.

Till Friday evening, final set of preparations were on at the venue. The stadium staff were busy cleaning the seats and corporate boxes and the wooden flooring.

However, the match and practice courts were ready. On Friday evening, Mumbai Masters barring the world number one Lee Chong Wei and few others, trained.

Major concern at the venue starting Saturday will be how the players and spectators (nearly 4,000) cope with the humidity under lights inside the indoor arena without the air-conditioning.

As we all know, Lee suffered cramps during the World Championships final recently in Guangzhou when the air-conditioning had been turned off.

"I cannot tolerate the organisers switching off the air-conditioner in the second game.

"It was so hot inside and Chong Wei was dehydrated. This led to him suffering cramps. During the second game when we realised that it was too hot, we wanted to protest and we asked for an explanation from both the BWF (Badminton World Federation) and the organisers.

"Both BWF and the organisers said that they did not know why the air conditioner was switched off. The organisers said that they were not responsible as it was handled by another department. This is not right. The players were suffering. At one point, Chong Wei was struggling to breathe," Lee's coach Tey Seu Bock had said after Worlds final defeat to Lin Dan.

Bangalore is the only IBL venue which will not be having air-conditioning.

Meanhwhile, the tickets for both weekend matches were sold out online and at the venue box office.

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