To host or not - that is the question

I've already posed the question as to whether Cambodia could conceivably host the AFC President's Cup final stage and the simple answer is yes it can, but there is a massive question mark over the existing facilities at the Olympic Stadium. The AFC have already asked the half a dozen federations representing the six finalists whether they are willing to host the Final Stage and require an answer by this coming Friday. The AFC have previously held the Final Stage in four of the countries who have qualified, leaving Cambodia and Palestine as the two countries that have not yet hosted the AFC President's Cup Final. That is in our favour. However, the AFC have very clear guidelines on the stadia requirements to host the Final Stages and this is where Cambodia may be found wanting. There are some very obvious failures with the existing facilities. Let's start with the stadium floodlights, which require a minimum average of 1200 lux (the system for measuring the illumination of the lights at the stadium) and would require a major overhaul of the existing lighting, which is currently considerably less than the required levels. This is especially important as matches in the Final Stages are usually played in the evening. Next are the dressing rooms for the teams and match officials. The current dressing rooms at the Olympic Stadium are unsuitable at this moment in time. To meet AFC requirements they would need to equip four dressing rooms with air-con, a fridge, massage tables, at least four showers and individual toilets and seating for at least thirty players and officials. Similar facilities would be required for the referees and linesmen. There would also need to be professional media facilities put in place ranging from a media room with air-con for up to 70 persons with desks, communication facilities including wireless broadband internet connections, to an air-conditioned press conference room and of course an area in the main stand, set aside for up to 70 press seats, fifty of them with desks with power supplies and internet. There would also need to be six enclosed rooms with air-con for television and radio commentary positions. To be frank, the list becomes almost endless when you include requirements for a fully-equipped medical room, doping control room, a VIP room for fifty people, fixed to the floor seats for spectators, dedicated access for disabled spectators, a stadia control room, proper signage, toilet facilities that conform to a ratio of one seated toilet per 200 spectators and one urinal per 125 spectators and so on. Oh, I nearly forgot the pitch, which the AFC demand must have suitable drainage to avoid flooding. The Olympic Stadium was allowed to be used for the qualifying competition but for the Final Stages the AFC will presumably demand these basic standards. The facilities at Taiwan's Kaohsiung Stadium last year were world class by comparison to the Olympic Stadium and is the level that all countries should aspire to. I have no idea of how much it would cost to bring Cambodia's national stadium up to scratch, but it wouldn't come cheap. I'm told that there is a desire to bring the finals here, so it remains to be seen if the AFC look kindly on Cambodia's application to host the Final Stage, rather than the claims of Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan or Palestine. The finals are scheduled for 24-30 September.