Egbe urges CAF to enforce ‘sustainable pitches’ across Africa
Morakinyo Abodunrin
January 22, 2024
The CEO of Monimichelle Group, Ebi Egbe, is making a clarion call on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to ensure only ‘sustainable pitches’ are fixed as playing surfaces across the continent, adding poor maintenance of facilities has stifled the development of the game as well as the quality of play over time.
While commending the organisers of the on-going Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Cote d’Ivoire 2023 for providing an appealing playing surfaces, he said it might be difficult to maintain them even in the foreseeable future.
“When we talk about the AFCON it shouldn’t be just an opportunity to only showcase the best African players, it should also be seen as an opportunity to construct sustainable pitches that could outlive the AFCON by another 10 years minimum,” explained Egbe whose company fixed the MJ Arena in Lagos ahead of the Aisha Buhari Cup in 2022 among others in the country. “The beautiful 100 percent natural grass pitches we see on TV during the AFCON are tournament pitches that can’t outlive the AFCON.
“Climate change is really affecting our continent, our raining season in Africa is not same anymore and our dry season is not also same anymore.”
He said good pitches across the continent would not only improve the standard of the game but on the long run fuel the dream of an African team at winning the FIFA World Cup.
“We are missing one vital point that could drastically change the narratives of African football and create an opportunity for Africa to one day emerge as World Cup winners,” he continued. “With our lack of maintenance culture in most parts of Africa, CAF should start thinking of introducing synthetic turf pitches with 100 percent natural infill backed up with proper sprinkler system for the AFCON.
“This lead-free synthetic turf pitches with 100 percent natural plant based infills are TV friendly, eco-friendly, flakes free, natural ball bounce and roll, reduced playing surface temperature and supports speed football.
“The cost and maintenance implications of this 100 percent natural turf pitches are almost half the cost of constructing one of those tournament pitches that can’t withstand the arch African weather and can’t outlive the tournament.
“Football stadiums are all about the pitches, a beautiful stadium with a bad pitch will be marked poorly during inspection by tournament co-coordinators. This is a food of thought for CAF.”
He said no one should be surprised with the quality being displayed by Senegal at Cote d’Ivoire 2023, adding the cup holders are one of the few countries on the country that has embraced sustainable pitches back at home.
“CAF is very much aware of elite players playing elite football in the on-going AFCON. The reigning Champions are the only country with three Elite pitches in West, East and Central Africa,” he revealed.
“Elite pitches are for elite games and they have very high maintenance regimes. Hybrid pitches are for elite football.”
