NEC expects to be able to receive an audience again in the Goffert Stadium on 15 January in the home game against Heracles Almelo. The people of Nijmegen are currently taking measures to strengthen the stands of the stadium. Research has shown that all parts of the stand have the same shortcoming as the stand that collapsed on October 17 during NEC – Vitesse.
An independent investigation has been conducted by Royal HaskoningDHV into the incident in the Gelderland derby. After that match, a grandstand collapsed under the weight of hopping Vitesse supporters, who were packed in the box. Earlier it appeared that an error has been made in the calculation of the reinforcement of the relevant part of the stand, as a result of which this part of the stadium could fail. Follow-up research revealed that all the stadium’s stands have this shortcoming.
NEC immediately started recovery measures. General director Wilco van Schaik explains that the stands will be reinforced with steel strips in the coming period, after which they are completely safe again. In order to be able to open the stadium again in a month’s time, temporary PAL towers (a kind of scaffolding) will be installed. These can be removed again as soon as a part of the stand has been fitted with steel strips.
“It was a tough decision, because for us this is initially an order of more than half a million euros,” explains Van Schaik in a video message. “The costs are not yet finished with that, because in the coming months we will also have to continue to rent PAL towers. There will be fewer and fewer, but those are costs that we take with us. So we think that a few more tons will be added. compared to alternatives, such as playing in a different location, this was the best we could do.”
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