A dispute has broken out between the Municipality of Nice-Rentis and Ionikos over the very poor condition of the Neapolis Stadium pitch and the club has issued a new announcement based on the response received. The municipality stressed that the maintenance work had started on time and Ionikos replied that its administration had invested at least 3 million euros without being obliged to do so.

Communication from the Municipality of Nice-St. I. Renti:

“Announcement from the Municipality of Nikaia-Ag. I. Rentis in relation to the Municipal Stadium of Neapolis, where the Ionikos team is staying.

The municipality of Nice-St. I. Renti has invariably spent around 2,000,000 euros to modernize all the facilities of the city stadium in the last two years, because if he had not done this, Ionikos would not have the right to participate in the highest Greek professional league football.

In particular:

A new, modern and high-quality turf was installed on the pitch of the stadium, while accepting the obligation of annual maintenance, with all the financial implications that this entails for the municipality of Nice-Ag. I. Renti.

Installed: new seats in the outer stands, modern turnstiles at the stadium entrances, electronic fan information board, new light projectors on the columns with Superliga specifications, outdoor surveillance cameras according to the requirements of the organizing authority of the professional league, benches in the playing area for athletes and coaches, partitions with plexiglass in the stands in accordance with the provisions of the relevant regulation, a special canopy for the VIPs stand and a booth for the referees.

In addition, the stands of the stadium were insulated, the interior and exterior of the stadium were painted, the entrance of the teams was decorated with stylish interventions made of plasterboard and borrowed lighting, and defibrillators were purchased as part of the prevention incidents that endanger the health of athletes and fans.

Finally, as for the picture that the turf shows in the current period, these are expected symptoms after the end of the competitive season.

The maintenance work was to be carried out after the end of the professional league, punctually on June 23rd, 2023 the resowing of the lawn, i.e. mowing, deep aeration of the soil, fertilization, irrigation and new sowing began. The equipment used for training can be used from June 15th August ready for use.

The Municipality will continue to respond to the operational needs of the Neapolis Municipal Stadium with the same seriousness and sense of responsibility. and of course he will continue to support Ionikos’ efforts to return to the Super League, regardless of the people managing his stock portfolio.”

Ionian’s answer:

“We have read the message from the municipality of Nice – Rentis very carefully and would like to comment on it!”

Mr Mayor, we agree with what you say about the projects you have carried out at the Neapolis Stadium. From the turnstiles, the isolation in the stands, the lawn and what you mentioned. We’ll tell you how many you’ve forgotten.

Of course, you didn’t specifically mention the canopy… an eyebrow that won’t even cover half a person in the rain and isn’t even suitable for the beach. Therefore we will refer to all of reality so that the world of Ionian and the people who live in the community know what is happening.

Did the team have to reach the top flight to keep the footballers’ heads from watering? Did the team need to get promoted to the top flight to light up the pitch and all that was needed for, as you say, Ionikos to compete in the Super League?

For years you had left things that were and are necessary in every professional field to the grace of God. Probably because, as you say, you don’t have the right staff to meet your obligations.

But who maintains all this in our stadium? Since the money that you say you invested in the Neapolis Stadium reaches the amount of 2 million euros, which of course does not come from your pocket, but from the arrears of all citizens living in the municipality of Nikias-Rentis, you need to know that the administration The Ionian has invested at least 3 million euros. Not because it’s our obligation, but because we hurt and love our team, because we want our footballers to play in a nice stadium, unlike many others in the top division of the Greek league, which are in bad shape. That is why the Ionikos family invests money from their own pockets so that people can enjoy the best possible facilities.

The Ionian family’s greatest accolade is having a stadium jewel that every opponent raved about last season and wanted to know who’s looking after it. Everyone in the Ionikos family knows the answer and it’s not the Nice-Rentis community that did some necessary things and then didn’t bother to preserve the historic stadium of Neapolis.”