The Arrecife Council has addressed allegations made by Juan Pérez, the president of the Lanzarote Federation of Traditional Sailing, who announced the suspension of regattas and sporting events, claiming that the organisation does not receive financial support from the council.

The Sports Department, led by Eli Merino (PP), has categorically refuted these claims, recalling that the Federation was indeed granted a nominated subsidy of €25,000 from the 2023 budget, which was approved in the previous administration. This funding was allocated to the “Traditional Sailing Boats” project and was fully paid under the current municipal government.

However, when justifying the expenses, the Federation submitted invoices with significant defects, transfers made to accounts different from those listed in the justifications, and even documentation with identities that did not match the issuing companies. Following several requests for correction between February and June 2024, the Municipal Intervention issued an unfavourable report in October, highlighting irregularities in the justification.

On 2 September 2025, the councillor for Sports signed a 25-page decree outlining all the incidents and requiring the Federation to refund €18,596.87, as those expenses could not be substantiated. Only €6,403.13 of the subsidy was deemed properly justified.

“It is completely false that this Federation has not received financial support. The issue is that they have not legally justified the granted subsidy, and the regulations require the refunding of the funds,” stressed the Council.

The council also added that, due to the pending justification of the 2023 aid, the organisation was unable to access new grants in 2024, in accordance with current legislation. Furthermore, it emphasised that the Federation ignored the deadline set by the Intervention to submit allegations or clarifications, which facilitated the initiation of the refund procedure.

The Sports Department reiterated that the responsibility for preparing and submitting the correct documentation lies solely with the beneficiary organisation, not the Council. “The Federation of Traditional Sailing must not assume that certain expenses and invoices, which appear different from the actual ones, will be accepted following the analysis of the justification,” warns the decree.

Finally, the Council reminds that the Audit Office of the Canary Islands has repeatedly stated in its reports that all public subsidies must be properly justified, and if expenses are not substantiated, beneficiaries are obliged to return the funds to the granting administration.