Olympic Hall Juan Antonio Samaranch

Olympic Hall Juan Antonio Samaranch
Zetra Arena
Location	Koševo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates	43°52′18.5″N 18°24′34.4″E / 43.871806°N 18.409556°E / 43.871806; 18.409556Coordinates: 43°52′18.5″N 18°24′34.4″E / 43.871806°N 18.409556°E / 43.871806; 18.409556
Opened	1983
Renovated	1999
Owner	Sarajevo Canton
Operator	ZOI '84 organization
Surface	versatile
Construction cost	€ 16.4 million (1999 renovation)
Capacity	12,000 (18,000 for concerts)
Tenants
KK Bosna Sarajevo (2009-) RK Bosna Sarajevo

Olympic Hall Juan Antonio Samaranch (Old name Olympic Hall Zetra^[1]), also known as Zetra Ice Stadium and Zetra Arena, is an indoor multi-purpose arena in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Named in honour of Juan Antonio Samaranch in 2010 after his passing, it was used for various sporting events at the 1984 Winter Olympics.

History

Olympic venue

Olympic Hall Zetra was constructed specifically for the 1984 Winter Olympics, hosted in Sarajevo, and was completed in 1983. Its first major event was the 1983 World Junior Speed Skating Championships. It was described as an "ultramodern, angular edifice"^[2] with a copper roof. The indoor venue hosted ice hockey and figure skating events, as well as the last closing ceremony held in an indoor place until Vancouver 2010.^[3][4][5]

From 1984 to 1991, Zetra remained in service as a venue for ice sports. It served as the venue for several international speed skating events, and several speed skating world records were broken here.

Destruction

The arena suffered substantial damage and was almost completely destroyed by shelling, bombing and fire by the Bosnian Serb forces on Monday, May 25, 1992 during the Bosnian War.^[6] The remaining areas of the structure, such as the basements, were put into service as a morgue^[7][8] and as storage space for medication and supplies.^[9][10] The wooden seats from the venue were used as material for coffins for civilians killed in the war.^[11][12]

Reconstruction

After the war, it was discovered that though the building was badly damaged, the foundation was secure. In September 1997, reconstruction on the venue, facilitated by the SFOR, began. The International Olympic Committee donated $US 11.5 million to the project,^[9] which cost an estimated DM 32 million (€ 16.4 million).^[7] The reconstruction was completed in 1999.

Current use

Zetra hosted the Balkans Stability Pact Summit in July 1999.^[13] It is currently in service as a sporting arena.^[3] The hall also contains a small museum about the 1984 Winter Olympics.^[14]

References

1. ^ http://www.sportsfeatures.com/olympicsnews/story/47010/sarajevo-olympic-hall-renamed-after-juan-antonio-samaranch
2. ^ "Now Bring On The Torch" Bob Ottum, Sports Illustrated, March 14, 1983
3. ^ ^{a b} ZOI '84 OCS
4. ^ "A little touch of Heaven" B.J. Phillips, Time, February 27 1984
5. ^ 1984 Winter Olympics official report. pp. 71-2, 87-88, 105-8.
6. ^ "The Killing Ground" William Oscar Johnson, Sports Illustrated, February 14 1994
7. ^ ^{a b} "Zetra returns to the future" David Taylor, SFOR Informer #57, March 17, 1999
8. ^ "1984: Sarajevo" Bonnie DeSimone, New York Times, February 5 2006
9. ^ ^{a b} "Sarajevo 2010? Collateral Damage" Sports Illustrated, April 9 1999
10. ^ "Guns Now, Butter Later" James L. Graff, Time, July 20 1992
11. ^ "TV SPORTS; Goodwill Games Headed for Bosnia?" Richard Sandomir, New York Times, July 7, 1999
12. ^ "Sarajevo's Olympic Seats Are Now Coffin Boards" Mark Milstein, London Observer news service, August 5 1993
13. ^ Balkans Stability Pact Summit David Taylor, SFOR Informer, July 28 1999
14. ^ Roberts, Patrick (14 January 2011). "Side Order: In Sarajevo, a small museum with an Olympian message". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011404095.html. Retrieved 28 February 2011.