Olympic swimming pool converted into a landfill in Holguín

TheGibara Olympic pool, in Holguín, where numerous athletes were trained who became national and international champions, has been converted into a landfill for almost six years.

The facility, where swimming and water polo was widely practiced years ago, was destroyed by Hurricane Irma, and since then it has remained without water and surrounded by waste thrown away by local people.

A report from the official weeklyNow shows the dilapidated state of the pool.

According to the story, the Waldimiro Arcos Riera Olympic pool was completed in 1979.

Before, there was already one in the same place, and although it did not have the same conditions, since it was built by the neighbors themselves in voluntary work, it served for the training of outstanding athletes who placed Gibara as the municipality with the most contributions to the national teams. Years later, the property was rebuilt of masonry.

But in 2008, Hurricane Ike destroyed it.

However, with financing from Unicef and other United Nations agencies, it was repaired to dedicate it to teaching swimming to children. The renovation included special materials so that it could be used with salt water, pumped directly from the sea, and even had lighting at night.

"Nine years later, Irma turned the longing for an Olympic swimming pool into a macro landfill, which affects the environment and the neighbors," laments the author of the report.

"In this way, the training of athletes, the rehabilitation of people with disabilities and other conditions, recreation and teaching swimming to children are limited," he adds.

Now he headed toAndres Ricardo Rivas, president of the Municipal Assembly of Popular Power, who revealed that the facility passed into the hands of Emprestur, which will be in charge of its rehabilitation, without giving more details.

In March of last year, Deputy Prime Minister Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella admitted that more than half of Cuba's sports facilities are in poor construction conditions, including those that are part of educational centers.

In the case of swimming pools, he specified thatOf a total of 273 that the national sports system has, only 27 function, which represent 9.8 percent.

"How is it possible (...) that there are swimming pools in facilities that belong to private companies (...) and the swimming pools that belong to the State cannot be recovered, little by little, and put into use for the recreation of young people "questioned the vice minister.

In December 2021 it emerged that theIsla de la Juventud Olympic pool was going to be repaired, after 13 years of deterioration and abandonment by local authorities.

With a budget of more than a million dollars, the restoration of the cracks inside the pool was announced, in addition to the surrounding buildings, which were also very damaged.