Basketball moves back to Hot House due to safety concerns at new Mildura Sporting Precinct

MILDURA Basketball Association will immediately move all its games back to the Hot House, due to safety concerns with the flooring at the new Mildura Sporting Precinct.

The decision comes after the much anticipated opening of the new multi-million dollar stadium, with numerous incidents of players slipping on the flooring during the opening two days of competition.

MBA officials spoke to Mildura Rural City Council acting CEO Martin Hawson and stadium manager Don Harley on Wednesday morning to discuss the situation, with all teams in the association to be contacted to inform them of the immediate switch to the Hot House courts.

In a statement on Facebook on Wednesday morning, MBA said:

“Please be advised that due to an unforseen issue with the court surface at Mildura Sporting Precinct (MSP), we have decided to move all Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night games back to the Hot House. Friday Under 10 and Under 12 games are still be confirmed.”

Mr Hawson inspected the stadium on Wednesday morning and said the new floors will be tested.

“The grip level is not the standard we are looking for,” Mr Hawson told Sunraysia Daily on Wednesday morning. “All the specifications of the floor have been checked, these floors are used all over the country, so we are thinking it may be an environmental factor in getting a thin layer of dust that is forming on the court and making it slippery.

“We don’t want to risk the (players) on it until we do some further testing.

“When we clean it is pristine, but then the dust comes and it is a thin layer of dust that is hard to pick up.”

Mr Hawson said council would get the floors, which were manufactured by Ace Flooring, to be inspected by experts to determine if there were any defects with the floor, or if they would need to change their cleaning regime.

“This was the product recommended in terms of durability,” he said. “The boards are tested from the factory and all the standards were met.

“We will be conducting tests and even getting seniors to come and test the courts. It is part of this initial period and it was always going to be our teething phase.”

MBA said it was in “full support” of council and looked forward to returning to the new precinct as soon as possible.