Algeria:July 5th stadium caught in the trauma of possible demolition!

The rehabilitation works of the 5th of July Olympic stadium of Algiers, closed since last September, will depend on the definitive expertise reports, the housing and town planning minister, Abdelmadjid Tebboune said Monday in Algiers.

In a statement to the press following a joint working visit to the Olympic stadium together with the youth and sports minister Mohamed Tahmi, the housing Minister affirmed that the overall structure was solid but there are deficiencies at the level of the slabs and water-tightness which have made the stands vulnerable, citing preliminary experts’ investigations carried out on the spot.

Mr Tebboune indicated, to this effect, that the nature of the renovation works to be undertaken would depend on the final reports due to be drafted by the Technical Control Center (CTC) in conjunction of a Turkish expertise office, adding that a possible demolition of the stadium would also be considered by the relevant authorities if the experts’ reports firmly established such a contingency.

It should be noted that the July 5^thOlympic stadium of Algiers was closed on September 21^st 2013 in the aftermath of the deadly fall of two football fans during the USM Algiers – MC Algiers derby match following the collapse of part of the stand n° 13.

The youth and sports ministry decided, as a result, to bar championship matches in this stadium until the finalization of the relevant expertise reports.