Although the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro were pitched as one of sustainability, the lingering images from a Games now 6 months removed can only be described as disturbing. What once held images of American Michael Phelps clinching his 23rd Olympic gold medal and Australian Kyle Chalmers shocking a loaded men’s 100m freestyle field is now left in shambles, as Rio’s Olympic Aquatics Centre is now in a dilapidated state.
The stadium hosted both competitive pool swimming and water polo events during the Games, while also displaying Rio’s colorful culture. 27m tall panels displayed Brazilian artist Adriana Varejao’s Celacanto Provoca Marmoto mural surrounding the building, now seen as flapping in the wind of the abandoned structure.
The 15,000-seat capacity stadium was built specifically for the Olympics, with plans to dismantle and repurpose the actual pool. The facility was to be broken down and reconstructed into two smaller aquatics facilities to serve the community after the Olympics wrapped up. However, as the world has witnessed with past Games, the aquatics center now rests empty, decaying and in a state of utter disrepair.
Legacy. Rio Olympic Park has been left to rot. Here's the warm up pool. https://t.co/YW90A4sRo0#copadascopas pic.twitter.com/mbhUSBFoMe
— Andrew Downie (@adowniebrazil) February 4, 2017
The aquatic stadium isn’t the only ‘legacy building’ that’s been neglected since the Olympics. We previously reported how Maracanã Stadium, home to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies, had already fallen into a state of utter disrepair.
Summer time in Rio, and this looks like a GREAT place to breed Zika mosquitoes.
It looks like the warmup pool was already moved? That would be my guess. They shouldn’t just leave a hole in the ground like that.
The pools and facilities may be in disrepair but this pic is misleading. The practice pool in this pic is not even a finished pool it is a shell. This picture was before the olympics even happened.
Are you certain of that?
While I hope for best, it sounds like Rio was flattened out financially by these Games. The venues for other sports & the Olympic Stadium are also mentioned as falling into neglect by some media outlets. Heartbreaking if this is the case.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/rios-olympic-aquatic-centre-left-in-ruins-after-grand-promises/news-story/f0d7a5aedfd314c41ae42f66b98d5ca3
How is it possible for these facilities to be this bad this fast (unless my interpretation of the written words are different from the writers intentions)? Where they not constructed properly? It is 5 months since the start of the Paralympics.
Dan – I would assume it has to do with the nature of the facility – it was built as a temporary building, to be disassembled and the materials used for other projects after the Games. So, without maintenance, it wouldn’t take long for it to start to deteriorate.
The pools should have been given away to the first group willing to pay for the teardown and shipping
BO SWIMS,
the pools are packed and will be delivered at their destination before July.