Real Madrid is accused of having operated illegal events for more than two decades – the club issues a statement
Real Madrid have been accused of operating without the relevant municipal licenses to host events, football matches and concerts, something the club has strongly denied.
The Neighborhood Association of those damaged by the Bernabeu“, who are fighting against hosting concerts in the renovated stadium because of noise pollution, claimed that Los Blancos were operating without an events license, as their previous one expired in 2001. Sport explain his claims are that since 2019, when work began on the renovations of the Bernabeu, the Council has not given Real Madrid a permit to operate activities such as concerts, check the correct conditions regarding the safety, environment and health are in place.
Official announcement.#RealMadrid
— Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid) October 10, 2024
His assertion is that the Council gave permission to Real Madrid to host concerts without these checks having taken place. However, Real Madrid did not take long to deny this information as “categorically false”, and also accused the association of deliberately and maliciously placing those claims in the public domain.
So far they have not taken legal action, but they say that the permits referred to by the Association are not necessary for Real Madrid to host football matches or concerts.
The matter is currently part of a court case against Real Madrid, while a separate case is ongoing against 'Real Madrid Estadio', a subsidiary of the club, over an underground car park that would have direct access at the stadium. The sister company secured the rent on the parking lot, which is expected to bring more than half a billion euros in the next four decades, but the construction was stopped by a judge.
Full statement below:
Real Madrid CF, in view of the dissemination of categorically false information by “Asociación Vecinal de Perjudicados por el Bernabéu” (Neighborhood Association of People Affected by the Bernabéu), in the context of the Preliminary Procedure 2034/2024 of the Court of Madrid Instruction n. . 53, and published by various media, meant the following:
1. Real Madrid has, and has always had, the corresponding municipal license for activity and operation, which fully covers the celebration of sporting events at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. In addition, it is absolutely false that Real Madrid does or has carried out its sporting activity under an expired license, nor is it true that this license has been used by third parties fraudulently before any public administration.
2. The concerts held in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium do not require the issuance of a municipal license, but rather the agreement of an administrative authorization which, if necessary, is granted to the musical promoters of each event from the Public Entertainment and Recreational Activities Zone of the Community of Madrid, in accordance with Law 17/1997, of July 4, on Public Entertainment and Recreational Activities of the Community of Madrid. All concerts held at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium have been granted such authorization by the Community of Madrid to the individual organizers of each event.
3. Real Madrid works actively, together with the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council, for sustainability and coexistence so that the activities in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium are carried out with full respect, not only for the law, but also for the environment and the neighborhood.
4. The club regrets that the “Asociación Vecinal de Perjudicados por el Bernabéu”, in addition to proving to be outside the efforts of Real Madrid to guarantee the interests of this group, maliciously and knowingly transmits to the legal bodies and to public opinion. information that is categorically against the truth.