St. Petersburg Deputy Governor Igor Albin has said that FIFA has "found problems with the retractable pitch at the city's stadium," which will be a 2018 World Cup venue. The 68,000-seat venue, which has been "hit by repeated construction delays and is scheduled to host a semifinal game at the 2018 tournament, uses a mechanism to store the pitch outside and move it in for games." But Albin, in comments to state news agency R-Sport, said that a FIFA inspection on Monday had raised "concerns regarding the retractable field, access control and training fields" (AP, 11/3).
The "murkiness" at the heart of the League One side Millwall compulsory purchase case has "taken another turn," with Lewisham councilors "apparently at odds in the battle to prevent the sale of land around The Den to an offshore-owned property developer." Last week, Alan Hall, head of the council’s scrutiny committee, voiced concerns over the "spectacularly mishandled" scheme. His fellow councilor Jamie Milne has now dismissed those calling for a review of the plan as "Millwall zealots." Milne insisted he is “keeping an open mind on the CPO.” He has since "denied his comments were directed at Hall, who has been a lone voice" in defense of those threatened by the scheme (London GUARDIAN, 11/3).
