Springtime in the snow

18th February 2012

Poland’s Ekstraklasa kicks off its Spring round this weekend, despite the deeply wintry conditions. Two matches are unlikely to go ahead, surprisingly not due to snowbound pitches, but half-built stadiums.

“Despite the inclement weather, the first round of matches this weekend should go ahead as planned. We’re in constant contact with the clubs, and so far there are no unsettling signals,” Ekstraklasa press officer Adrian Skubis told reporters.

However, Gornik v Legia and Slask v Ruch are both doubtful. Gornik’s stadium is one big building site on three sides and has only one stand, that can accommodate 3,000 fans. In Wroclaw, police have refused permission for the match to go ahead. There is still no CCTV operating at the turnstiles, access roads are incomplete and there is no fan identification system in place, meaning hooligans with stadium bans can easily attend. Police are expected to make a decision this Thursday.