OAKA: The Kasimatis hall is reopening, waiting for the Calatrava canopies

The update

The Kasimatis room at OAKA reopens after an Expert Report of the TEE, which deems it safe under conditions

The offices of the workers in the Central Stadium and the underground hall of the Cycle Track are also considered safe

Yannis Vroutsis: “Our decisions are directly and primarily related to safety – We diligently follow the instructions of the experts and the specific actions they indicate to us»

Awaiting the next TEE Reports on the staticity of the Calatrava Houses and the spaces below them

The Ministry of Sports received from the Technical Chamber of Greece the first Expertise Report, which was carried out on the completed Study on the static adequacy of the Calatrava metal structures and the polycarbonate roofs of the OAKA facilities.

In this first Expertise Report, it is stated, with due scientific clarity and complete documentation, that under the application of specific conditions there are no safety risks for three areas in the central Stadium and the Cycle Track:

This is the “Giorgos Kasimatis” hall, the offices housed in the Central Stadium and the underground hall of the Olympic Cycling Track.

It is recalled that at the end of September, within the framework of the contract between the Ministry of Sports, OAKA and TAIPED for the project “Renovation of the Olympic Sports Center of Athens”, a Study was received which concluded that out of all the Calatrava Constructions, only the two Shelters – of the Central Stadium and of the Cycle Track – did not meet the legally permitted levels of static adequacy.

Until the government received, as it should, a newer independent opinion, it did the obvious and decided to immediately suspend the operation of the two facilities and the adjacent areas, without any exception, in view of the safety of workers and athletes.

Thus, the operation of the “Giorgos Kasimatis” hall, the offices housed in the Central Stadium and the underground hall of the Olympic Cycle Track, which are located near Stegastro, were also suspended.

At the same time, the Deputy Minister of Sports, Yannis Vroutsis, quickly forwarded the Study to the TEE, the most competent, in order to quickly set up a group of experts, in collaboration with the National Technical University of Athens, to evaluate the assumptions and conclusions of the Study and the TEE to decide about whether and what can work safely.

In the first Expertise Report of the TEE, therefore, it is emphasized that “the access and operation of the premises is deemed safe:

> Hall “Giorgos Kasimatis”

> Management and Services Office at the Central Stadium

> Underground multi-purpose hall at the Cycle Track”,

by marking specific points of their free entry and exit, points that are not affected by the Calatrava Shelters.

Already, the Ministry of Sports has issued the Decision to reopen the Kasimati hall (with restrictions on its capacity – due to its special entry/exit points – during trainings, matches and events by its users, who in this one month of suspension had been distributed to other facilities throughout Attica), the underground multi-purpose hall in the Cycling Stadium and the Management and Services offices in the Central Stadium.

At the same time, the management of OAKA is taking care of the settlement of all relevant issues, so that the specific spaces can be used as soon as possible.

In addition, the TEE’s special experts emphasize that their scrutiny continues and in the next period of time they will deliver their newest Report, regarding the condition of the remaining areas, as well as the set of interventions that will need to be done in order to make it completely clean again. safe overall use of the Central Stadium and the Cycle Track.

“We emphasize once again that our decisions are directly and as a priority related to the safety of athletes, athletes, spectators and, of course, workers in all sports facilities in the country” emphasizes the Deputy Minister of Sports, Yannis Vroutsis and notes:

“We carefully follow the suggestions of the experts and implement their suggestions. They indicate to us specific actions for the safe operation of certain areas in the Central Stadium and the Cycle Track and we are implementing them, awaiting their next Report on the issues concerning the two Calatrava Shelters.

The Government has committed, approved and consistently implements in the Recovery Fund Projects the holistic upgrade of the Olympic Sports Center with 57 million euros».