Swimming in Thessaloniki is Dying as Pools Close
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October 7, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
Swimmers and coaches in Thessaloniki are growing anxious as the government stops funding the city’s two biggest swimming pools.
As a country that is surrounded by sea, one would expect that Greece would be home to many promising swimmers who are capable of winning medals in top events.
However, in the second largest city of Greece, Thessaloniki, things aren’t as they should be.
A city of one million residents, there are only two big swimming pools that can provide athletes with the proper conditions and resources needed for training. Every day the national swimming centre and the Poseidonio swimming pool play host to thousands of young swimmers who dream of one day becoming Olympic champions.
However, Greece’s current economic situation is damaging sport within the country. The government has stopped funding these two swimming pools, which means that athletes have less places to train.
So, what are the solutions to these problems? Other swimming pools in the city of Thessaloniki could provide young swimmers and their teams with the facilities they require but it will be costly. Smaller swimming pools have administrative costs and demand financial compensation in order to allow swimmers to train there.
2005 world champion in the 50m backstroke, Aristeidis Grigoriadis, wants to see an urgent solution to the problem in order to continue his preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
By Euripidis Karydis
[Image courtesy of pressaris.gr]
