On Tuesday 8 April, the swimming pool at the Tsirio sports complex in Limassol was closed to the public.
The reason for this was the numerous complaints about its deplorable condition.
At the same time, the closure was prompted by photos showing the extremely poor state of the facility, which went viral on social networks. The pictures clearly showed traces of mould, broken tiles and crumbling plaster on the walls, which caused widespread public outcry.
Incidentally, the Cyprus Olympic Association (KOA) has expressed serious concerns about the state of the pool and said that repairs were urgently needed. In an official statement, the KOA stressed that the facility in its current state does not meet any safety and hygiene standards, describing its condition as 'unacceptable'.
This state of the sports facility endangers the health of athletes and violates the basic principles of the operation of public infrastructure,' the organisation said.
KOA also said it had launched an official investigation into those responsible for maintaining the pool. The aim is to establish possible cases of negligence or dereliction of duty on the part of the staff and management in charge of the facility.
The KOA Board has decided to initiate a disciplinary review of all those responsible for the current condition of the pool. Violations will not go without consequences,' the organisation said.
The closure of the pool has already caused concern among local sports clubs, coaches and parents of young athletes, who have been forced to temporarily suspend training or find alternative venues. The exact timeframe for the pool to be repaired and reopened has not yet been announced, but KOA has assured that the refurbishment will begin soon and has promised to keep the public informed of the progress of the restoration of the sports facility.
Limassol residents, representatives of the sports community and local councillors, on the other hand, are calling not only for urgent repairs, but also for a long-term strategy to keep the infrastructure in good condition. It is proposed to introduce
- Regular inspections of sports facilities,
- transparent reporting on maintenance budgets
- and increased public and independent oversight of health and building regulations.
Many said the Limassol swimming pool incident was another worrying sign of maintenance problems with sports facilities on the island. Complaints about the condition of school gyms, stadiums and indoor pitches have increased in recent years. In 2023, the indoor swimming pool in Nicosia was in a similar situation, where classes had to be temporarily suspended due to roof leaks and faulty ventilation.
Experts stress that investing in sport is investing in the health of the nation and call on the Cypriot government to develop a national programme for the modernisation of sports facilities, including the allocation of stable funding and the establishment of a single oversight body.