Demolition work on the former Olympic Badminton venue at the Goudi complex in east Athens began Thursday following a decision by Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, pursuant to the implementation of a 2012 ruling by the Council of State (CoS), Greece’s highest administrative court.
The building is located within a military camp on land fully owned by the defense ministry. In a press release, the ministry said the demolition was being carried out to ensure compliance with the law.
Eurokinissi: Press Office, Ministry of Defense
The removal of the fire-damaged Badminton building had been unanimously approved by the Athens municipal council following a proposal by the city’s mayor. The move is intended to restore the area’s legal status and accelerate plans for the Goudi-Ilisia metropolitan park.
The venue, which was constructed in an accelerated manner using pre-fabricated techniques ahead of the 2004 Summer Olympics, was severely damaged in a fire that broke out shortly after 8 p.m. on July 12. The blaze was contained inside the abandoned building, but part of the roof collapsed, and the blaze caused extensive damage.
Eurokinissi: Press Office, Ministry of Defense
The Fire Brigade’s arson crimes unit subsequently arrested three men, aged 29, 32 and 52, in connection with the incident. The suspects were identified following an investigation into the cause of the fire.
After the Olympics, the building was repurposed as a major cultural and events venue, reopening in 2007 and hosting theater productions, concerts, musicals and conferences. It was later abandoned and became the subject of long-standing legal disputes over its redevelopment and use.
