Atletico Madrid to appeal against €350k fine for overcrowding of Wanda Metropolitano

Spanish giants Atletico Madrid were recently on the receiving end of criticism after Spanish football's anti-violence commission imposed a fine amounting to €350,000 for allowing fans in excess to the original capacity in a certain section of Wanda Metropolitano. But the club has appealed against the commission's verdict, detailing the number of fans present in the 18 games prior to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, further raising some crucial questions on the timing of the verdict. 

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Atletico Madrid fine verdict to be opposed 

Atletico Madrid were ordered to pay a fine of €350,000 on allegations that the club allowed fans in excess to the original capacity in the southern bottom tier of Wanda Metropolitano. But the Rojiblancos have strongly denied such allegations. The club released an official statement clarifying its stand on the same. 

The statement provides a detailed update on the number of fans that were allowed at the Atletico Madrid stadium during the 18 games which were played during the 2019-20 season before the lockdown came into force. The club state that the attendance data has been sourced from LaLiga's computerised access control system. 

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Maximum occupancy during Madrid derby 

Atletico Madrid affirm that none of the 18 games saw an occupancy rate of more than 95%, rubbishing the allegations completely. Maximum occupancy was witnessed during the Madrid derby when Real Madrid arrived at Wanda Metropolitano, with a rate of 94.89% to be precise. 

"The proposed sanction is arbitrary, unjustified and totally disproportionate. The note issued by the  Permanent Commission of the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance in Sports is full of generalities, does not refer to any specific party, does not provide any specific data and, surprisingly, is makes a sanction proposal today, December 3, 2020, when nine months have passed in which no match with spectators has been held at the Wanda Metropolitano", said the statement. 

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No factual data to back violation: Atletico Madrid 

The club has raised questions on the other two teams that have been charged for similar violations. The club claims the verdict provides the factual context of the violation by the other two clubs but fails to provide any sort of data to prove Atletico Madrid's violations. 

The club has also been accused of occupying evacuation routes in the animation stands. Atletico Madrid reiterated that it is difficult to completely clear up the stairs surrounding the animation stand since many fans prefer standing in such places. But the club has taken efforts to eliminate or minimise these situations with adequate safety measures. 

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Image courtesy: Atletico Madrid Twitter