The Spanish Federation had been warning him for nearly three years. If the damage to the Joaquín Villar athletics stadium was not fixed, he would have lost his homologation. And so it was. The unfortunate condition of the facility, the sense of neglect it imparts, and the destruction that can be seen without even the need to enter the track, have resulted in the absence of official athletics competitions at this time. Complaints from users, elite athletes and clubs are almost daily. Almost the best athletes from other countries move as they do when the track has a very different look. Although the City Council has launched a reform plan in 2021 that follows its course, although deadlines are not fast, there is an urgent lack of reform in every corner of the sports field.
Not only is the tartan subject to numerous cracks that pose a danger to athletes, but there are also breaks in the launch cage, among many other damage, the arena of the long jump pit is not in good shape. On top of that, a guaranteed maximum pole vault mat was purchased and recently burned by vandals at a facility that is safe to enter at any time of the day. Due to the general abandonment of the sports field, the fences also had to be repaired by hand.
It is also not easy to do athletics in the dim light of the track at night, because most of the lights do not work, a situation that has not been resolved for years despite numerous complaints from paying users. to access the facility.
Sergio Berbegal, coach and president of Alicante Athletics Club, sees the situation as unsustainable. “I asked for the track and the facility in general to be fixed many times. It’s a shame that this sports ground is like this due to lack of maintenance,” he said. Paralympics included Iván Cano.
“The holes in the launch cage are dangerous because the discs could come out and hit a user,” the trainer denounced, making it clear that all the damage was due to “lack of maintenance.”
Alicante City Council went out to tender in September 2021 for the preparation of the renovation project of the Joaquín Villar athletics stadium with a preliminary project value of 1,297,349.90 euros. The draft of the project discussed the renovation of the eight-lane athletics track and equipment, the creation of the artificial turf training corridor, the consolidation of the concrete slabs in the north, south and east perimeters, and the construction of a biologically healthy circuit. south yard and north yard kiosk, among many other ideas. Also, in a second energy efficiency improvement contract, it was planned to replace the luminaires to complete this upgrade. For now, it’s time to wait for the City Council’s deadlines to run their own routes.
“We know and there will be a total reform”
Alicante City Council Sports Council Member José Luis Berenguer is aware of the status of the facility and attributes it to “many years already”. “We have an action to reform the entire stadium, including the lighting, but we are not setting the times,” says Berenguer, who hopes the reform can begin “in the first part of 2023.” The councilor does not think that the shortcomings are due to a lack of maintenance. “Everything that is demeaning is due to the many years the facility has had, just as with Pitiu Rochel,” he said.