August 7th, 2003
The Vice-President of FIFA, Mr Issa Hayatou, visited yesterday the
construction site of the new KARAISKAKI
STADIUM. "Our visit allows us to be confident about both the
progress of works and the completion of the stadium within schedule",
Mr Hayatou stated. Motivated by this, Stadia.gr presents to
you today all the true facts (not rumours and hearsay) regarding the
Piraeus stadium's reconstruction:
- Works are indeed progressing very quickly. It was announced
yesterday that construction is 23 days ahead of schedule. The
most obvious parts are the foundations at the east section of
the stadium. Click on the photo to see it in full size. It was
shot yesterday from the east of the construction site.
- The company responsible for the project (IntraDevelopment SA)
reassures that the stadium will be 100% ready before the 2004
Olympic Games. There were rumours that the roof would not be ready
on time, but it now seems that everything is going well regarding
this subject.
- There has been "much-talk-no-see" over the stadium's 3d model
during the last 5 months. It has been dubbed "The Phantom Plan"!
The plan has been ready for quite some time now. We have seen
it, but it will not be presented to the public before mid-September.
- Finally, there was speculation regarding the pillars with the
floodlights of the old demolished stadium. They are still in place
and it has been said that they are a back-up plan, in case the
roof of the new stadium is not ready on time (as this is where
the lights will be supported from). This is absolute nonsense,
as the pillars will be torn down in the next few weeks.
Related articles:
Demolition of historic Karaiskaki Stadium
completed (31/5/03)
Karaiskaki Stadium to Olympiakos for
49 years, Parliament votes (6/3/03)
FIFA say Karaiskaki is only suitable
venue for Olympics (10/12/02)
Government intervention puts Karaiskaki
case back on track (16/11/02)
Olympiakos FC say they give up trying
for Karaiskaki Stadium (13/11/02)
Cabinet meeting over new stadia of the
Athens "big 3" (22/9/02)
Olympiakos return home in football and
basketball (24/2/02)
Karaiskaki Stadium will host the football
final in 2004 Olympics (23/01/02)
Olympiakos look set to return once again
to Karaiskaki (2/10/01)
Olympiakos abandon Karaiskaki and will
build new stadium (31/8/01)