Throw of the game between Bahia and Fluminense at Arena Fonte Nova – Marcelo Gonçalves / Fluminense
Pitch from the game between Bahia and Fluminense at Arena Fonte NovaMarcelo Gonçalves / Fluminense
Published 04/17/2024 19:20
Salvador – The duel between Bahia and Fluminensevalid for the second round of the Brazilian Championship, was marked by the flooding of the Arena Fonte Nova lawn. The match was stopped for more than an hour at the beginning of the first stage, last Tuesday night (16). In a statement, the stadium administration and the Sports Superintendence of the State of Bahia (Sudesb) clarified the causes of the problem.
With heavy rain in Salvador, the game was interrupted 16 minutes into the first half, when Fluminense was winning 1-0. At that moment, the pitch was filled with puddles of water and, as a result, the ball was barely rolling. Later, the confrontation returned and Bahia turned around, sealing the score at 2-1.
In an official statement, Casa de Apostas Arena Fonte Nova, responsible for managing the stadium, stated that the “delay in activating the vacuum drainage” caused the pitch to flood.
Meanwhile, Sudesb, responsible for supervising the Arena’s operation, assured that it will notify the stadium’s administration and request clarifications, as the case “ends up eroding the image of the equipment and the sports system as a whole”.
Check out the full note from Casa de Apostas Arena Fonte Nova:
“Casa de Apostas Arena Fonte Nova clarifies that in addition to the heavy rain that occurred during the Bahia and Fluminense game, there was a small delay in activating the vacuum drainage, which resulted in the temporary accumulation of water on the field. A few minutes after activating the system, the condition of the lawn was returning to normal.
Throughout our 11-year history of operation, the drainage system activation time has proven to be adequate. However, due to the climate changes we are experiencing, it is necessary to review operational practices, including the preventive activation of the drainage system, to ensure that situations like this do not recur.”
Check out Sudesb’s full note:
“Inspection of the operation and maintenance of sports equipment is carried out continuously by the State Government, through Sudesb. Last night (16), Sudesb inspectors were on site, following the entire match. Even considering rainfall intensity, Sudesb will notify the stadium management, requesting clarification regarding the functioning of the drainage system, which ends up damaging the image of the equipment and the sports system as a whole”.
“As is widely known to the public, the management of Arena Fonte Nova is a public concession signed through a Public Private Partnership (PPP), with contractual standards to be complied with and which will be required during the term of the contract.”
“Finally, Sudesb notes that the State’s investment exceeded 10 million reais in the construction of a modern drainage system planned for the Bahian sports equipment.”
