According to AS, Rayo Vallecano released a nine-page statement in response to the suspension of the Vallecas stadium concession and, as a result, the team's inability to play home matches. The club directly accused Madrid regional sports authorities of "deliberately harming the club's interests at all levels and intentionally delaying the team's return to playing at Vallecas," and stated that the Madrid regional government bears sole responsibility for matches against Alavés and Racing Santander not being played at home.

Rayo Vallecano pointed out that the Madrid regional government presented an audit report on July 27, which was dated July 14. However, the club claimed that this report was actually "a Word document created on December 12, 2024, converted to PDF." Rayo Vallecano questioned why, if the report had existed long ago, it was "inexplicable that authorities concealed it for more than seven months."

The club also stated that the audit report contained obvious errors and deficiencies, and therefore "no one truly believes this report." Rayo Vallecano emphasized that over the past 10 years, during Raúl Martín Presa's tenure as president, more than 200 matches have been held at Vallecas stadium without any incidents related to safety, accessibility, or hygiene involving fans, players, staff, or security personnel.

Rayo Vallecano also reported that on August 13, the club formally filed a request to overturn the temporary suspension of the stadium concession. However, the Madrid regional government informed the media that the match against Alavés could not be played at Vallecas before providing any justification to the club.

The club believes the same applies to the match against Racing Santander. The statement claimed that on August 28, authorities again published information in the media stating the match could not return to Vallecas, but as of the statement's date, Rayo Vallecano had still not received an official denial.

Rayo Vallecano stated that the club had filed an appeal, but the appeal challenges the termination of the stadium concession rather than the suspension measure itself. The club also emphasized that the Madrid regional government never asked it to implement any specific remedial projects, only refused to lift the suspension.

Therefore, Rayo Vallecano stated bluntly in its statement: "The authorities' actions are not based on the principle of legality, but serve other interests."

The club also linked the dispute to a comprehensive Vallecas stadium reconstruction plan proposed by the Madrid regional government in June of this year. Rayo Vallecano stated that the other side's logic is as follows: either the club accepts this comprehensive reconstruction plan with total investments exceeding €60 million and continues as the stadium's operator, or the current concession will be terminated.

Rayo Vallecano noted that the existing concession was originally valid until June 30, 2039, and could have been extended until June 30, 2049 upon the club's request. However, the club does not support the reconstruction plan proposed by the Madrid regional government because, according to the plan, stadium capacity would increase only from approximately 15,000 to roughly 18,000.

At the end of the statement, Rayo Vallecano emphasized that the club had submitted the latest safety report for Vallecas stadium facilities, and La Liga also published an emergency report on August 15, confirming that the club fully complies with all relevant stadium regulations and no defects were found.

Rayo Vallecano therefore reiterated that, since the audit report was created in December 2024, the Madrid regional government never asked the club to take measures to address the alleged problems. Thus, the Madrid Regional Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports should be held responsible for the match against Alavés not being played at Vallecas; if the match against Racing Santander also cannot be played at home, the other side should also be held responsible.

However, Mariano de Paco, head of the Madrid Regional Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports, presented a completely different version of events. He stated that Rayo Vallecano previously "lost more than a month" by not submitting the required documentation as demanded by the administration, and only now is the club rushing to remedy the situation.

De Paco emphasized that the Madrid regional government will not currently provide a specific timeline for Rayo Vallecano's return to Vallecas stadium, and safety remains the sole priority.

He said: "Once the Madrid regional government receives an audit report confirming the stadium's safety – rather than one merely based on Rayo Vallecano's own opinion – the stadium will be reopened."

"We certainly hope that Rayo Vallecano returns to playing at its stadium as soon as possible, but only if the stadium meets the required conditions and is properly maintained."

Переведено ИИ.

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