Iraqi contractor blames negligence for Al-Madina Stadium ruin
Shafaq News– Baghdad
The deteriorating condition of Baghdad’s Al-Madina Stadium has drawn sharp criticism after heavy rain turned the field into mud, forcing the cancellation of a top-flight Iraqi league match.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Falah Manfi, managing director of Iraq’s Global Sport Company —the firm that implemented the stadium project— blamed the Engineering Department at the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the stadium’s decline. He described the pitch’s condition as “tragic,” while arguing that recent technical decisions undermined a field that had once drawn widespread praise.
Manfi detailed how the ministry proceeded with a full replacement of the pitch despite repeated warnings against removing the original surface, which had been built using specialized sand and internationally certified Italian grass designed to withstand weather conditions and ensure effective drainage.
According to Manfi, conditions worsened after the drainage system was removed, the sand replaced with clay, and grass of unknown origin planted. He further noted that the work was assigned to a contractor lacking relevant experience, leaving the pitch unable to withstand its first heavy rainfall.
Cautioning that repairing the damage would require extensive work and substantial costs, he stressed the need for a complete removal of the current surface, replacing the clay with specialized sand, replanting certified Italian grass, and reconstructing irrigation and drainage systems in line with international specifications.
According to the Minsitry, Al-Madina Stadium in Baghdad’s Sadr City broke ground in July 2012 and, after a stop start build that stretched into late 2019, opened officially in December 2021 at a cost of about $100 million. The 32,000 seat arena serves primarily as a football venue and has hosted national team fixtures and regional tournaments since its inauguration.
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