Slipperiness of damp non-filled turf surfaces still problematic

5 Mins Read

June 12, 2023

The current non-filled synthetic turf pitches are still too slippery when damp or wet. An analysis of video recordings shows that every few minutes, a player loses his footing on such a field.

By: Guy Oldenkotte

It is only a few years ago when contractors in the Netherlands had to replace their non-filled synthetic turf surfaces. Players vocally complained about the slipperiness of the surface. New synthetic turf systems were developed that were expected to solve the issue, but a study commissioned by the Dutch FA (KNVB) has ruled differently.

They asked a scientist from the Amsterdam University Human Movements Department to capture games in wet or damp conditions and to plot incidents where players went down.

“An analysis of the recordings showed a player falling down every few minutes, although the incidence-rate differed per system. Information for the various mineral-filled surfaces showed significant differences,” says Patrick Balemans of the KNVB.

10 different incident types

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