Published: January 3, 2026 at 11:50 pm
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has been going to town about his ambition of making the state into a sports hub. In August 2025, Reddy, while announcing the sports policy at the Telangana Sports Enclave, had expressed confidence that future Olympic gold medallists would emerge from the state.
“This sports policy is not a mere piece of paper, but a document etched in gold,” he said and added that the policy was prepared after a comprehensive review of the state’s sports infrastructure, its pool of talented athletes, and Telangana’s potential to win medals at national and international levels.
The chief minister also took part in a much-publicized football exhibition match against the legendary Lionel Messi last month. Reddy had, in fact, trained hard to play against the Argentine legend. The government also has ambitions of hosting major international sporting events.
But the fact remains that things are not so rosy at the ‘ground’ level. It looks as if the chief minister’s vision has no bearing on the Sports Authority of Telangana (SATS) officials, who are the administrators of sports in the state. It is their responsibility to not only encourage sports and develop a sports culture but also to maintain the various grounds and stadia in the state. However, things are getting bad to worse with regard to maintenance of sports infrastructure.
In the very heart of the city of Hyderabad and where the SATS office is located, is the historical Lal Bahadur Stadium. The ground on which the stadium was later built has a history which goes back hundreds of years. During the eight-month siege of Golconda in 1687, the Mughal soldiers were camped on a vast open ground. After their victory, this ground was named as Fateh Maidan (Victory Square). During the Asaf Jahi period, Fateh Maidan was used as Polo grounds. Later, in the 1950s, cricket was played here. The stadium was renamed as Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in 1967. It has been the venue for many national and international sporting events, especially football and cricket.
LB Stadium is a breeding ground of filth and neglect
Stadium turns a breeding ground of filth
But now, the stadium is a breeding ground of filth and neglect. SATS officials are letting out the stadium for non-sporting events and that is severely impacting sports activities.
A state, which aspires to not only host international events but also produce Olympians, is not able to maintain a stadium, where hundreds of aspiring sportspersons come daily for practice and training. Infrastructure is essential for the promotion of sports and having properly maintained grounds is a non-negotiable aspect. By neglecting the upkeep of the ground at the LB Stadium, the officials are showing where their loyalties lie.
The LB Stadium is the main ground of SATS, which was formed to take care of sports and its activities in the state. But right now, the stadium is in a dilapidated condition, and the ground is not suitable for playing any sport. SATS, which manages the stadium, is responsible for its poor state. After cricket was moved to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, the LB Stadium has been given a step-motherly treatment.
The condition of the stadium is deteriorating day by day
Misplaced priorities of SATS officials
The purpose for which this stadium was built has been forgotten. Instead of promoting sports and its related activities, the authorities are leasing out the stadium for non-sports related events for money. Due to these non-sports events, the condition of the stadium is deteriorating day by day, affecting the players who practice there. Because of the bad condition of the ground, players are not even able to do their daily warm-up exercises, let alone participate in actual sports activities. Players are also suffering injuries while warming up on the poorly maintained ground.
This ground, which is used for football, athletics, karate, and other sports competitions besides cricket, was once bustling with players. Today, the stadium’s deplorable condition is evident from the patchy grass, scattered stones, strewn garbage, leftover food from parties, and the uneven ground.
Players and parents have repeatedly appealed to the authorities to improve the stadium’s condition and stop using it for non-sports-related events, but the authorities have remained indifferent to their pleas. One parent said that his son is paying the prescribed monthly fee under the “pay and play” scheme, but he hardly gets a chance to practice in the stadium because the ground is used for film audio releases, social events, and government programs. The stadium is handed over to the organizers a day before the event and after the event, the stadium remains unusable for practice for a week or so. Such is the pathetic condition of the stadium and its precincts.
The officials are compromising this valuable asset of players for a few rupees
Grave injustice to further athletes
An official from SATS, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that nothing can be done about government programs due to pressure from senior officials and political leaders. However, other private events could be restricted, but the officials are compromising this valuable asset of players for a few rupees. This is indeed a grave injustice to the future generations of athletes.
A former international player said the only option left was to take the matter to the court and seek some relief as the SATS officials had turned a deaf ear to all pleas of sportspersons.
