Nolhivaram football turf again set on fire

Haa Dhaalu atoll’s Nolhivaram island’s football turf has been again set on fire.

Police said the fire was reported at 5:24 a.m. on Monday.

Police said no one was injured in the incident and the matter is being investigated.

Fazuhan Adam, president of the island’s 'Club Huvas' association, told Atoll Times that this is the second time this has happened.

"They always set fire during tournaments. We have a tournament ongoing even now. Last time they set fire during a veterans tournament," he said.

Fazuhan said the association learned of the fire this morning. Although it is not confirmed whether it is arson yet, he said the turf mats would not burn by itself.

"The mats were set on fire. About 40% of one half of the turf was burned down," he said.

The stadium is currently unusable due to the fire, but Club Huvas is preparing a sand pitch in the island to continue the tournament on schedule.

Nolhivaram Council President Yusuf Moosa told Atoll Times that the football field has been damaged in various ways in the past.

"Before, the fire had broken out in the centre circle of the football stadium. Then it was extinguished without much damage because someone saw it. This time one-fourth of the mats were burnt," he said.

"Another time they set fire to the transformers of the lights of the football field”.

Yusuf added that the turf mats brought to make the turf were also set on fire two or three days before the work had begun.

However, no one ever sees the culprits because it is far from the residential area, he said.