Hyderabad’s iconic LB stadium reduced to film venue hire

Hyderabad’s historic LB Stadium, once a hub for cricket and football, now hosts non-sporting events like film functions, reflecting neglect of sports infrastructure even as Telangana unveils ambitious sports plans.

Hyderabad: Some things never change, for sure. A visit to the Lal Bahadur Stadium on Monday morning presented a sorry sight — a symbolic representation of how sports administrators continue to look the other way when it comes to misuse of existing infrastructure in the State, especially in the twin cities.

LB Stadium, more famously known as Fateh Maidan, had apparently been given on hire for a film function scheduled Monday night. Clearly, raising revenue seemed to take priority over preserving the charm of a venue that was once the epicentre of sports activity in the State.

This comes even as Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has drawn up ambitious plans to promote sports in a big way, targeting continental events and framing a new Sports Policy with the aim of giving fresh direction to the sector. Yet, the ground reality appears unchanged.

It is not just LB Stadium that reflects this neglect. A visit to the Gachibowli Sports Complex — built to host the 2002 National Games and the 2003 Afro-Asian Games — reveals how its two astro-turf hockey arenas have been reduced to hosting everything except hockey.

Ironically, top sports administrators remain mute witnesses to such misuse, despite their offices being located within the LB Stadium complex itself.

For the record, LB Stadium once hosted 14 ODIs, three Test matches, Pre-Olympic football, India–Pakistan hockey Tests, and the prestigious Nizam Gold Cup football championship. It was the pride of Hyderabad’s sporting fraternity.

Will there ever be a sweeping ban on leasing sports complexes for non-sporting events? Only time will tell.