The stadium that was constructed for the 2004 Athens Olympics has been closed indefinitely due to safety concerns regarding its iconic roof, which was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
After undergoing extensive inspections, it was determined that the roof did not meet the minimum static adequacy levels required by law.
As a result, the state asset utilization fund TAIPED, which owns the sports complex at Maroussi, announced the suspension of all sporting and cultural activities in the Central Stadium and the Cycling Track until further notice. The administrators of the stadium expressed their understanding of the frustration caused by the closure but emphasized the necessity of prioritizing the safety of athletes and fans.
The maintenance of the stadium is set to be included in the Recovery Fund, with a budget of approximately 56.5 million euros. The government has assigned relevant tenders to the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) of TAIPED, aiming to expedite investments and utilize resources from the European Recovery Fund (RRF).
The stadium had previously raised concerns when a soccer match between AEK Athens and Bayern Munich revealed significant movement in the upper section of the stadium. In response, a specialist engineering consultant was hired in the summer of 2019 to assess the safety of the structure. While the central stadium was found to be statically safe, improvements to the support method of the perimeter concrete frame were deemed necessary for the upper tier.
As a result of the closure, Panathinaikos will have to relocate its remaining soccer games for the Europa League to its Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. This includes matches against Rennes and Maccabi Haifa during this stage of the tournament.
