Peace and Friendship Stadium

The Stadio Eirinis kai Philias (Greek: Στάδιο Ειρήνης και Φιλίας) or Peace and Friendship Stadium, commonly known by its acronym SEF, is a multi-purpose indoor arena that is located in Piraeus, on the coastal zone of Attica, Greece. The arena is mostly known for being the home to EuroLeague team Olympiacos, and is the central venue of the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex. It opened in 1985.

Stadio Eirinis kai Philias
SEF
LocationNeo Faliro, Piraeus, Greece
Coordinates37°56′32.91″N 23°40′02.27″E
OwnerGreek State
OperatorOlympiacos
CapacityBasketball:
11,640[1]
(permanent seating)
12,000[2][3][4]
(including court-side seats - current for Olympiacos games)
14,776
(all collapsible bleachers in use)
14,940
(all collapsible bleachers in use, plus court-side seats)
16,000–17,000
(full configuration of the arena - during EuroBasket 1987)
Volleyball:
13,200
(during the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics)
Indoor athletics: 10,520
SurfaceParquet
Construction
Broke ground1983
OpenedFebruary 16, 1985[5]
Renovated2002–2004
Construction cost€ 25 million (1983)
Renovation:
€ 7.3 million (2002–2004)
ArchitectThimios Papagiannis
Tenants
Olympiacos[6]
Olympiacos B Development Team

The arena complex also contains a 942-seat amphitheater,[7] a weight training room, a full practice facility, three auxiliary courts that house the Olympiacos youth clubs,[8] and the Olympiacos team office.[9]

History

The Peace and Friendship Stadium opened in 1985,[10] and its construction cost was €25,000,000 in 1983 prices. It was designed by the architectural firm "Thymios Papagiannis and Associates". The arena is built opposite to the Karaiskakis Stadium, located in the western end of the Phaleron Bay. It was inaugurated on February 16, 1985, at the first Panhellenic Athletics Indoor Championship, and hosted the 1985 European Athletics Indoor Championships in March.[11] Originally it was designed and operated for a dual use as an ice hockey rink and as basketball stadium. The first Greek Ice Hockey Championship was held in the stadium in 1989. The operation of the skating rink was stopped for the use of other sports.

In 1991, the arena won the Golden Award from IAKS, the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities.[10]

Since the 1991–92 season, the Peace and Friendship Stadium has been the home court to Greek League and EuroLeague professional basketball club Olympiacos. The arena was closed from April 2002, to early 2004, for renovation works, at a total cost of €7,300,000, and hosted the indoor volleyball tournament during the 2004 Summer Olympics.[12] During the period that the arena was closed for renovations, Olympiacos played at the Glyfada Makis Liougas Sportshall, during the 2001–02 season, and at the Korydallos Sports Hall, during the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons.[13]

The arena's total capacity varies, depending on the collapsible bleachers used in the lower level, besides its 11,640 permanent seating in the mid and upper levels,[1] with additional temporary seating, it currently seats a total of 12,000 people for basketball games.[2][3][4] The Peace and Friendship Stadium seats up to 14,776 for basketball games, with all the bleachers in use.[13]

Olympiacos and Orléans warm up before a EuroLeague game at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, in October 2009.
13,200 seat configuration during the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics Volleyball Tournament.
During the Greek figure skating championship (before 1991)

Training facility and auxiliary courts

The arena features a full training court for the senior men's team of Olympiacos, which is also used by the club's reserve team, Olympiacos B Development Team. The arena also has additional auxiliary basketball courts. The auxiliary courts are used by the youth clubs of Olympiacos.[14]

Other uses

The arena is occasionally used for events like congresses, music concerts, and indoor motocross races. The Scorpions,[15] Phil Collins,[16] Dire Straits,[17] Status Quo, UB40, Gloria Estefan, Deep Purple, and Placebo,[18] are among the artists who have performed at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Outside the main arena, in the same stadium building, there is a 942-seat amphitheater, and various other halls of a total area of 16,048 sqm, where exhibitions and congresses take place.[19]

Transportation

The Peace and Friendship Stadium is located in the Neo Faliro area of Piraeus municipality, on the coastal Poseidonos Avenue, and at the end of the Kifissou Avenue. It is 2 km away from the port of Piraeus. It sits on a major transportation hub, next to the Faliro metro station on Athens Metro Line 1, and the SEF tram stop, the terminus of Athens Tram.

Notable events hosted

See also

References
  1. "The Peace and Friendship Stadium". Archived from the original on 2016-08-02. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  2. Έτοιμο το ΣΕΦ για τον τελικό Ολυμπιακός-Ραβένα(pics) (in Greek).
  3. Στο ΣΕΦ με τη Ραβένα για την Κούπα! (in Greek).
  4. Arena: Peace and Friendship Stadium aka the SEF (11,600/12,000).
  5. Λίγα Ιστορικά στοιχεία (in Greek).
  6. "Olympiacos Piraeus". Euroleague Properties. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  7. FACILITIES Places Exhibitions / Conferences - Melina Mercouri.
  8. The facilities.
  9. Olympiacos BC HQ.
  10. "Peace and Friendship Stadium". Mondo Spazio. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  11. History (in Greek)
  12. 2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 421.
  13. "Olympiacos B.C. move". stadia.gr. October 13, 2001. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  14. The facilities.
  15. https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/scorpions-ba2906b9-7bdd-4f77-b14d-c8837d0fc76d
  16. https://www.ant1news.gr/life/article/118730/stin-athina-o-phil-collins
  17. https://www.flickr.com/photos/120507277@N06/albums/72157642413676423/
  18. http://www.placeborussia.ru/photos/plive-2014/08-august-2014
  19. Stadium Presentation Brochure.
Events and tenants
Preceded by
Scandinavium
Gothenburg		 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
Venue
1985		 Succeeded by
Palacio de Deportes de la CAM
Madrid
Preceded by
Patinoire des Vernets
Geneva		 FIBA European Champions Cup
Final Venue
1985		 Succeeded by
Budapest Sportcsarnok
Budapest
Preceded by
Schleyerhalle
Stuttgart		 FIBA EuroBasket
Final Venue
1987		 Succeeded by
Dom Sportova
Zagreb
Preceded by
Palais des Sports
Grenoble		 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup
Final Venue
1989		 Succeeded by
Palasport di Firenze
Florence
Preceded by
Abdi İpekçi Arena
Istanbul		 FIBA European League
Final Four
Venue
1993		 Succeeded by
Yad Eliyahu Sports Hall
Tel Aviv
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