Deadly disease throws La Liga club into chaos

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FT Desk

Rayo Vallecano have been banned from playing matches at, or even entering, their home stadium three weeks before the new season starts in Spain.

The club leases the Estadio de Vallecas from the Madrid regional government, but the stadium has been stripped of its licence to stage matches after an inspection identified serious health and safety concerns that put people at risk of Legionnaires' disease.

Debris inside the stadium, as well as electrical faults, also posed a risk of fires starting throughout the stadium.

Rayo begin their La Liga campaign on 15 August away at Sevilla, but a week later they are supposed to host Deportivo Alaves.

In their first five home matches of the season, they face Alaves, Racing Santander, Espanyol, Athletic Club and Elche.

At the moment, no alternative venue has been identified to host those Primera Division fixtures.

Legionnaires' disease is a serious type of lung infection caused by Legionella bacteria. People usually become infected by breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water, rather than through contact with another person.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the overall mortality rate for Legionnaires' disease is about 5% to 10%, but it increases significantly based on where the infection was caught, how long it has gone untreated and the patient's overall health.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Madrid's regional minister for sport, culture and tourism, Mariano de Paco, said the club had failed to meet repeated requests to carry out maintenance work and submit evidence that the stadium's water quality met the required standards.

"We've tried to get this back on track but we've reached a point of no return - the lack of maintenance has been certified," he said.

"The club failed to comply, leaving the authorities with no choice but to intervene. What has happened is intolerable."

Photos posted by the regional government show rubbish bags piled up inside the stadium, including in the canteen and the concourse.

De Paco says that work on improving conditions in the stadium could take as long as six months, which has thrown Rayo's season into chaos.

Rayo president Raul Martin Presa has been a target of criticism from the club's fans due to his alleged failure to modernise facilities and even keep the stadium clean. The players complained last season about the state of the pitch, cleanliness, and not having hot water in the showers.

The club are the only team in La Liga that does not have an official ticketing website, leaving fans to wait in long queues to purchase match tickets from the small box office.

One option for an alternative stadium to use would be Leganes' as Rayo played a home match against Atletico Madrid there last season after the Vallecas pitch was deemed unplayable.

Despite the ongoing drama off the pitch, Rayo did enjoy success last season, reaching the Europa Conference League final where they suffered defeat against Crystal Palace.