Sports
San Siro on course for demolition after sale to Inter and AC Milan approved
One of the world’s most famous stadiums is set for demolition after Milan city hall yesterday approved the sale of San Siro, nicknamed football’s La Scala, to the city’s two football giants.
Inter and AC Milan had both threatened to abandon the city had the sale not been approved after having looked at sites in nearby suburbs.
More than 11 hours of debate at city hall ended with 24 votes in favour of the sale for 197 million euros ($231 million) and 20 against, enough for Italy’s economic capital to decree that Inter Milan and AC Milan will become owners of both the iconic stadium and adjacent land.
Confirmation of a vote in favour of the resolution did not come until after a long night which included discussion of a raft of proposed amendments.
In the end Inter and AC Milan, both owned by US investment funds, and the mayor of Italy’s economic capital Giuseppe Sala got what they wanted after years of uncertainty over a 1.2-billion-euro project.
The clubs proposed purchasing the site in March after a previous project in which the land remained public was abandoned in 2023.
As long as the sale is completed by November 10, when a public building protection order preventing the demolition of the San Siro comes into effect, Inter and AC Milan will take control of just over 28 hectares (70 acres) of public land in a densely populated area on the western outskirts of Milan.
It is on the land to the immediate west of the San Siro, currently occupied by matchday car parking and a local park, where a modern 71,500-capacity arena will be built.
Once the new ground is constructed, San Siro will be almost entirely demolished to make way for new parkland, office space and entertainment facilities with everything to be designed by architectural firms Foster and Partners and MANICA.
It will still be some years before the bulldozers come for the current San Siro, where Inter and AC Milan will continue to play their matches to crowds of up to 75,000 until 2031 when the clubs hope to have the new stadium finished.
The clubs and Sala were helped by the abstention of councillors from the right-wing Forza Italian party founded by deceased former prime minister and ex-AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi.
The other opposition parties, the hard-right League and Brothers of Italy, both voted against the proposal, as did a number of councillors from the left-leaning majority which backs Sala’s local government.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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