When you think of the latest in sports construction, your mind is likely to turn to Wembley Stadium or Zaha Hadid's 2012 Olympic Aquatic Centre. The humble playing surface, be it tracks, pitches or courts, does not get a look in. But over the past few years, artificial surfaces have appeared that are unrecognisable from their predecessors. FIFA, football's governing body, has recognised this and in August gave permission for top-flight games to be played on certified artificial pitches. New European standards for sports surfaces and a standard for roller sports such as skateboarding are also likely to come into force in the middle of the year, although makers who meet other standards, such as the German DIN standard, are likely to already comply with the European rules. Although we mention a few of the makers of the latest surfaces here, the trade body for the industry, the Sports and Play Construction Association, provides a comprehensive list at www.sapca.org.uk.
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