AUTHORITIES in Wuhan, in Central China’s Hubei Province, are expressing safety concerns over five football fields placed without city permission under the Hankou Approach Bridge overpass, part of the Wuhan 27 Yangtze River Bridge, CJN.cn reported Wednesday.
The football fields have no enclosure to protect those on the pitch from potential hazards coming from the overpass, which sits right above the five fields.
One netizen, going by the screen-name “blueslube,” posted on the Bulletin Board System (BBS) that people playing underneath the overpass on any one of the five football fields might get hurt by a vehicle if there is a severe accident on the overpass.
A resident who refused to give his name also expressed worry to CJN that players might also cause traffic accidents if they accidentally kicked a football onto the bridge.
The owner of the commercially developed football grounds, who only identified himself as Yu, insisted that the fields’ location doesn’t pose danger to drivers or players, since he believes that ordinary people cannot kick the football higher than the eight-meter fence that encompasses the five fields.
Former national football referee, Yu Yi, said an amateur footballer’s kick can send a ball to a distance of about 100 meters and about 20 meters high.
The five football fields, which cost between 100 yuan (US$16) and 220 yuan per day to use, are operated without a business license and, therefore, are considered illegal.
Authorities for the local Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism are investigating.
(SD-Agencies)
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