SINGAPORE - The iconic domed roof at the new National Stadium will be repaired to avoid a repeat of the leaks during a rain-hit Jay Chou concert last month.
Additional flashing, or rain deviators, will be installed to channel water more efficiently. The works will be completed before popular boyband One Direction's scheduled March 11 concert at the Kallang venue.
Sports Hub officials said a technical investigation found a "combination of factors", among them heavy rain and strong winds, resulted in water dripping from the roof at locations not detected previously. Angry fans at the Jay Chou gig posted pictures and videos of water-soaked seats and concert-goers carrying umbrellas indoors to stay dry.
Officials also confirmed that the stadium's much-maligned pitch will be replaced by a new natural turf, under the "lay-and-play system", for the SEA Games in June.
"Our main focus is towards ensuring every part of the Hub is in top order for the SEA Games - we want to and will deliver a venue that Singaporeans can be proud of," Sports Hub chief operating officer Oon Jin Teik told The Straits Times following interviews with several media.
The 2015 calendar is expected to be released in the coming weeks, with the Barclays Asia Trophy in mid-July among the highlights. The Asia Trophy - the only EPL-affiliated competition held outside England - features three Premier League sides and a host team. FA Cup winners Arsenal are expected to headline the tournament, which has been hosted in football-mad Asia every two years since 2003.
Hong Kong staged three of the six editions, including the last two. Bangkok, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur have also played host.
