The dream of the 2032 European Football Championship also hinges on a divisive and worrying decision: the athletics track at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium will be removed. This necessary intervention will bring the facility up to international football standards, but it will leave its historic landmark without thousands of residents and athletes who use the track every day when Napoli isn't playing.
The issue is now on the table of the City of Naples, called upon to provide concrete answers to a sporting community that fears being sacrificed for the sake of this major event. The Maradona track is currently managed by five clubs and is frequented daily by a veritable community of athletes, for whom the stadium represents much more than a football facility.
Councilor for Infrastructure Edoardo Cosenza offered reassurance, at least in his intentions, confirming that the removal of the track is inevitable but underscoring the administration's commitment to protecting athletics. The stated goal is to enhance the city's sports offerings, focusing on existing facilities such as the Collana, the CUS, and especially the Parco dello Sport in Bagnoli, which is set to become the new hub of Neapolitan athletics.
Bagnoli itself boasts a track built in 2010 within a large sports complex costing €37 million, now in critical condition due to neglect and vandalism. In recent days, Mayor Gaetano Manfredi accompanied CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio on an inspection of the area, part of the broader revitalization project for the Sports Park.
The facility will be completely renovated and entrusted to the management of the Fiamme Oro, with the aim of transforming it into a modern sports center, also open to Paralympic sports. According to Cosenza, access to sports clubs will be guaranteed, and it is not excluded that, in the future, the area could accommodate new facilities, taking advantage of the large available spaces and the expected improvement in public transportation connections.
However, the political and symbolic issue remains: the loss of the Maradona track marks the end of a long coexistence between football and athletics in one of Italy's most iconic stadiums. For many, this decision represents the price to pay for entering the great stage of the European Championships, but it now requires the City of Naples to demonstrate that athletics in Naples will not be left behind.
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Comments (3)
The situation is complex, and there are many people who are fond of the Maradona track. I only hope the new facilities live up to expectations and aren't abandoned like others.
It's true that the facilities need to be modernized, but the history and importance of the track for so many athletes can't be ignored. I hope the City Council makes decisions that don't penalize anyone.
I don't quite understand the decision to remove the athletics track from the Maradona Stadium. Many athletes use that track every day, so it would be important to find a balance between football and athletics.