3SC Blames Dry Season for Lekan Salami Stadium Pitch Issues, Vows to Revamp

The management of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) has officially responded to the recent controversy surrounding the state of the pitch at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. In a statement released on Saturday, the club attributed the deterioration of the playing surface primarily to the current dry season and harsh weather conditions. This explanation comes in the wake of a directive from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) board, which flagged the pitch as unsuitable for hosting league matches due to its poor quality.

The NPFL's notification has placed the club under significant pressure to rectify the situation or face the possibility of playing their home games away from Ibadan. In their response, 3SC management emphasized that they are not oblivious to the problem and have already initiated a series of deliberate measures aimed at revamping the turf. "In recent weeks, deliberate measures have already been implemented to improve the quality of the turf, including intensified pitch maintenance, grass treatment, levelling, and regular watering," the statement read. The club argues that while the weather has been a major impediment, their maintenance team is working around the clock to ensure steady improvement.

The club reiterated its commitment to meeting the standards required for professional football, stating, "Shooting Stars SC remains fully committed to providing a safe, professional, and broadcast-friendly playing environment that reflects the club's history and status in Nigerian football." This assurance is critical as the NPFL places a high premium on "TV-friendly" pitches to enhance the broadcast quality of the league. The management is hopeful that these ongoing efforts will yield visible results soon, potentially averting a long-term ban from their home ground.

The urgency of the situation is underscored by the postponement of their matchday 24 fixture against league leaders Rivers United, originally scheduled for Sunday. While this postponement was due to Rivers United's CAF Champions League engagements, it provides a brief window for 3SC to address the pitch issues. However, the NPFL board has already suggested alternative venues, asking the club to choose between the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta and the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos for their subsequent home games. It remains uncertain whether the league authorities will allow them to remain in Ibadan if the pitch condition does not improve drastically.

The poor state of the Lekan Salami Stadium pitch has attracted criticism from various quarters, including NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye, who described it as "embarrassing" during a recent radio interview. The issue has also had international repercussions; the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was forced to move next week's U-20 Women's World Cup qualifying match between the Falconets and Senegal from Ibadan to Abeokuta. This cumulative fallout highlights the severity of the infrastructure challenge facing the club and the state government.

Currently sitting sixth in the 2025/26 season table with 35 points from 23 matches, 3SC will be keen to avoid the destabilizing effect of playing home matches away from their fan base. The club's management is banking on their intensified maintenance regimen to restore the pitch's playability and convince the league regulators to rescind the ban.