The reason why Borussia Dortmund players refused to use the showers at Baku Olympic Stadium following their 2-1 victory over Sabah in the third round of the UEFA Champions League league phase has emerged.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing German newspaper Bild, Borussia Dortmund officials were concerned about the possible presence of Legionella bacteria in the stadium's water supply. These bacteria can cause serious infectious diseases, including Legionnaires' disease.
According to the German publication, the club decided not to take any risks with the players' health, as Legionella bacteria can multiply in plumbing systems, particularly when water remains stagnant in pipes for extended periods. Infection can occur through inhaling tiny droplets of contaminated water, such as those produced while taking a shower.
However, Bild provided no evidence that Legionella bacteria were actually present at Baku Olympic Stadium. The concerns reportedly expressed by the German club should therefore not be confused with any confirmed contamination of the stadium's water supply.
It was also reported that Borussia Dortmund had booked a hotel spa area in advance, allowing their players to shower and undergo recovery procedures following the match.
Following the encounter, Dortmund head coach Niko Kovač revealed that the players had been advised against using the stadium showers. The same precaution had reportedly been taken after the team's pre-match training session. Club sporting director Ole Book, meanwhile, remarked that the showers at the hotel appeared more appealing.
However, Firuz Abdulla, Head of Public Relations and Event Organization at Baku Olympic Stadium, rejected suggestions of any problems with the venue's water supply or shower facilities in an exclusive comment to İdman.Biz.
"There are no problems with the water supply at the stadium. Both hot and cold water are available, and the showers are fully operational. Our teams also use these facilities after training sessions and matches. I do not understand where the information about any problems came from. I checked the technical aspects, and there are no issues whatsoever," Abdulla stated.
The stadium representative also pointed out that just a week earlier, on October 13, the same venue had hosted a Champions League match between Baku's Sabah and Slavia Prague, which ended in a 2-0 victory for the Azerbaijani club.
According to Abdulla, no concerns about the shower facilities were raised on that occasion, and no cases of infection involving the bacteria in question had been recorded.
"I would like to emphasize that Baku Olympic Stadium undergoes annual sanitary inspections to ensure compliance with international standards. Such an inspection was also carried out this year, and the stadium received the relevant certificate confirming its compliance," Abdulla added.
Therefore, reports suggesting the presence of Legionella bacteria in Baku Olympic Stadium's water supply remain unsubstantiated. Stadium officials insist that all shower facilities are functioning properly and that the venue has passed the necessary sanitary inspections, casting serious doubt on the grounds for Borussia Dortmund's concerns.
