TOWARDS A PRO-ACTIVE SPORTS STADIUM INFRASTRUCTURE IN NIGERIA Paper BY CHUKWUEMEKA EJIKE | Page 6
developing nations have shown keen interests in harnessing sports activities by developing
policies that support the growth of sport, and by renovating or constructing sport infrastructures
including sports stadia, as a means of encouraging personal and community sports development
(Coates, 2007; Hanning, 1998).
The just concluded 2018 world cup has a total attendance of 3,031,768 million people. These
figures exclude the greater majority of viewers from different parts of the world. This shows that
the greater majority of the world populations look forward to this great stadium event. The role
of sports activities to every nation cannot be over emphasized; it plays a distinctive role in social
integration, tolerance and understanding (Jader Marques, Mauricio Faria da Silva (2013)
Odireito e a do Mundo de futebol). Furthermore it is available to all, regardless of age, language,
religion, culture, or ability. It is the single most popular activity in modern society. Football or
rather, sports as a whole offers the avenue to learn and perform by a generally approved rules,
to behave admirably both in victory and in defeat and to develop, not only the physical being, but
also social competences and ethical values (Jader Marques, Mauricio Faria da Silva (2013)
Odireito e a do Mundo de futebol). However, these wonderful benefits of sports will not be very
much achieved without the major sports infrastructure which is a stadium. Stadium in itself is an
out-door setting where main sports and other activities take place. Though sporting activities
happen to be the major focus for stadium design, considerations is given also to other great
events like; political rally, festivals, anniversaries, ceremonies of all kinds, to mention but a few.
The hosting of these events is avenue through which stadia generate income to their owners.
Also the community where a stadium is located is not left out of its benefits, as a stadium will
help to elevate the social status of its host communities and lots more benefits.
FIFA, the world football governing body places huge emphasis on ‘safety’ in stadium
design, mainly because of the 1980s, stadium major disasters, remarkably Heysel stadium
disaster of 1985, on 29 th May of the said year. The incident resulted to the death of about 39
people; it also caused a ban on all English teams to play other European teams for five years with
Liverpool going an extra year (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster).
In addition, another stadium disaster, the Hillsborough stadium disaster in Sheffield, England on
15 th April 1989 resulted in 96 fatalities and 766 injuries; which makes it the worst stadium
disaster in England, caused by congestion in the central pens of the stadium stand. The tragedy
led to a number of safety improvements and recommendations in future stadium design. Huge