CARDIFF UNIVERSITY’S increasingly popular Intra-Mural Games (IMG) are under threat this year, as the fifteen regular football pitches at Pontcanna have been declared unplayable by the Athletic Union and Cardiff City Council, only weeks before the beginning of the season.
During the summer, the University learnt that the 160,000 visitors to the Eisteddfod festival, combined with Cardiff’s poor weather, has left the playing fields at Pontcanna out of action this season while they recover. Despite the Council’s reassurance that the pitches leased by the university would be unaffected by Wales’ festival of the arts and culture, there seems to have been a break down in communication and there is little the AU can do now the damage has been done.
The original solution was to move the games to the fields behind the Blackweir but IMG football has been dealt another fatal blow, as a decision has been taken to relay these pitches this season.
With 29 teams showing interest in playing IMG football this year and space for less than half of these at Pontcanna, our Athletic Union President Scott Pigott has been working extremely hard in conjunction with the newly appointed IMG administrator to find new pitches.
The current plan to move the games to Trelai, four miles outside of Cardiff, is proving unpopular with the team captains, who are already unhappy with the facilities available for trials this week.
Real-Ale FC Captain, Liam Massey realises that “the Eisteddfod is an integral part of Welsh culture but it’s sad that this has happened just as IMG football was starting to find its feet.”
Whether this extra travelling is going to mean an increase in registration fees is yet to be confirmed by the AU. If buses cannot be provided, players will have to make their own travel arrangements every Wednesday. A costing exercise is currently being carried out by the AU to ascertain a more accurate perception of the costs of IMG.
Cardiff has always taken great pride in its Intra-Mural Games and it was part of our new AU president’s manifesto to increase participation in IMG, something that now looks unlikely to happen this year. Although the AU has managed to increase the number of pitches available, places in the league have been allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis and it is likely to result in some of the newer teams being denied a position.
Scott admits “the situation is not ideal, but at least this is one location and everyone will be together. All teams playing at Trelai should reduce some of the confusion IMG football has previously faced.” The University has used the pitches at Trelai in the past, and it does appear to be the best solution given the circumstances. If IMG football is not played here, the teams will be scattered all over Cardiff.
Phil Martin, Captain of Engin FC suggests that: “the main problem is the lack of an IMG Chair before the start of the season and+ council is needed.” However, the AU informed gair rhydd that the opportunity was given to members of IMG to elect a Chair at the end of last year, but nobody was put forward.
It looks like IMG football has a problematic year ahead, but hopefully the new Chair can learn from this year’s difficulties and prevent them from effecting subsequent seasons.
IMG is an integral part of many students’ university experience and the AU are committed to rectifying this inconvenience.
