Before the flames took over, the Goudi Olympic Hall was remembered as the stage where one of badminton’s most iconic Olympic moments unfolded. During the Athens 2004 Games, Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat thrilled thousands of fans by defeating South Korea’s Shon Seung-mo to claim the men’s singles gold medal. Nearly two decades later, the same Olympic venue that once echoed with celebrations has been reduced to ruins after a massive fire tore through the building.

The fire broke out on July 12 at the former Olympic venue in Goudi Park, Athens, which had reportedly remained unused for several years. Flames quickly spread through the structure, causing part of the roof to collapse and leaving the building with major damage.

The Greek fire department launched a major response, sending around 40 firefighters and 13 vehicles to battle the blaze. Fire crews worked through the night before bringing the flames under control in the early hours of Monday, July 13. Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported, while the cause of the fire remains under investigation by Athens’ Fire Investigation Directorate.

Interestingly, the venue’s history dates back to the Athens 2004 Olympics. But after the Olympics ended, the facility was given a new purpose. It was transformed into the Badminton Theater, a private concert and performance venue that hosted major productions such as Cats, Mamma Mia!, and Jesus Christ Superstar. But at the same time, the future of this facility seems uncertain over the years.

The complex was a major investment, costing over $23 million to build for the Olympics, per Agence-France Presse. However, it ultimately ran into legal hurdles. In 2012, the highest administrative court of Greece decided that the building violated regulations and ordered it to be demolished. However, complex legal ties between the private operators and state property managers stalled its immediate destruction.

The city of Athens confirmed that the venue’s 20-year lease expired just before the fire. But this wasn’t the first time that an Olympic venue faced such a fate.

Fire strikes another Olympic site as Rio Velodrome’s roof suffers damage

Another facility constructed for the Games was the Rio Olympic Velodrome, which was damaged by fire in April 2026. The fire erupted in the Olympic Park velodrome in Rio de Janeiro. It was constructed for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and used for track cycling. The fire began in the roof structure (with a fabric cover) and resulted in a large-scale emergency response.

Firefighters arrived about 4:17 a.m. local time, with almost 80 firefighters and 20 fire trucks deployed to extinguish the blaze. The fire caused some damage to part of the roof, but the main cycling track inside the venue remained intact. The building was confirmed to be in a safe structure, as the Olympic Museum inside was also protected. The museum featured important Rio 2016 memorabilia, such as Olympic medals, the Olympic torch, and other significant artefacts from the Games.

Despite these hurdles, the venue was in operation after the Olympics, serving as Brazil’s main track cycling facility and a training center for athletes.