Football banned from Hampden for a year for 2014 Games

Thursday 4 October 2012

No football will be played at Hampden for a year to enable the stadium to host the Commonwealth Games athletics.

Scotland's national football stadium had been earmarked as the venue for track and field in two years' time and the details of the transformation were announced today following talks with stadium management, football parties and the Glasgow 2014 team.

A joint statement revealed that the final football match at Hampden, the home of Queen's Park, would be played in November 2013 before work begins on the installation of a temporary running track.Work to remove the track will begin immediately after the Games and the stadium will be back to normal by "late 2014".The timeframe should see Scotland able to play a potential World Cup qualifying play-off at Hampden next year, but the first few games of their Euro 2016 campaign will need to take place elsewhere.The 2014 Scottish Cup and League Cup semi-finals and finals will also be moved.An SFA statement read: "We support the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee's efforts in bringing world-class athletics to the city and, in particular, to the home of football."Hampden Park is an iconic part of Glasgow's history and heritage and, rightly, it should be the centrepiece for the Commonwealth Games activities."Naturally, this will have an impact on Scotland international matches and Scottish Cup ties but we promised our support to the bid from the beginning and today reaffirms that backing."Contingency plans are well under way with prospective venues and I am sure all sports fans will understand the need to give Glasgow 2014 and Hampden Park Ltd our full support."The Games can unite this city and its people and by staging at Hampden Park, it also provides the national team, in particular, with an opportunity to reach out to supporters in all areas of the country."Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir added: "The Scottish Football League is delighted that the national stadium will take centre stage at the 2014 Commonwealth Games."We will work with Queens Park and other member clubs to ensure that suitable arrangements are made for all displaced league fixtures."Queen's Park president Ross Caven said: "We have all been working extremely hard with our colleagues in Hampden Park Ltd and the 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee. We are very encouraged with progress so far and are all confident that we will be able to ensure successful games for Glasgow."The work will raise the surface of the arena by 1.9m and create a 44,000-seater stadium for the Games, returning to a 52,063 capacity afterwards.Stadium managing director Peter Dallas added: "For decades, Hampden Park has witnessed world-class footballers playing at the peak of their profession. Some of the planet's biggest music stars have also played at the stadium enjoying the unique atmosphere and energy created at Hampden."The Commonwealth Games will add world-class athletes to the list of greats who have enjoyed the Hampden experience."

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Football banned from Hampden for a year for 2014 Games

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