The Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) is in consultations with local authorities to identify a suitable location for a new Olympic swimming complex in Limassol district, with two sites currently emerging as the leading options.
Limassol Municipality has responded positively to the plans and proposed several possible locations. Recent serious problems at the existing Olympic Swimming Pool in Dasoudi, which have disrupted training for hundreds of athletes, appear to have accelerated efforts to develop a new, modern facility.
Plans include several pools
According to information obtained by Politis, KOA is examining all available options for the new complex, which would remain under its management.
Plans go beyond a single 50-metre Olympic-size pool and envisage supporting infrastructure and multiple pools to accommodate different activities simultaneously, including swimming and water polo.
Whether the new complex will be indoor or outdoor remains under consideration and will depend on both the available funding and the site ultimately selected.
A fully enclosed swimming complex would significantly increase construction costs but is considered the preferable option.
Also under consideration in the broader context is the Cyprus University of Technology’s planned university swimming pool at Berengaria, in cooperation with Polemidia Municipality. The two projects are not considered to be in conflict.
Parents and athletes protest
Meanwhile, parents of young athletes staged a protest outside the Dasoudi swimming pool on Wednesday morning, calling for KOA to meet its six-week timetable for reopening the facility.
The pool has been closed since 30 August, affecting approximately 1,200 athletes, according to parents. Around 800 are involved in swimming and 400 in water polo.
Athletes from the Limassol, Famagusta and Mesa Geitonia nautical clubs use the facility and have been forced to seek alternative venues for training since its closure.
Late-night training creates problems
Parents said the situation is particularly difficult for young water polo players, who have been moved to the indoor pool at Tsirio, where some training sessions finish as late as 10.40pm.
They argue that these hours create serious difficulties for children attending school.
In some cases, athletes have also been required to travel as far as Larnaca for training.
Extensive damage at Dasoudi
KOA said severe weather caused a main pipe to rupture, resulting in flooding of the underground plant room at the existing swimming pool.
The flooding caused extensive damage to electromechanical installations, pipes and other equipment.
Against this backdrop, both KOA and local authorities increasingly recognise the need for a permanent modern swimming facility capable of meeting the growing demands of athletes across Limassol city and district.
