'A national landmark is reborn': Bairakdarian announces the reopening of sports stadium

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Nora Bairakdarian, announced on Wednesday “the return to life of the Camille Chamoun Sports Stadium,” after six years of closure and dilapidation, worsened by the Beirut Port explosion in 2020.

“It is with pride and emotion that I announce the return to life of the Camille Chamoun Sports Stadium, this historic national landmark that, for decades, has symbolized Lebanese sports, a place of dreams, ambitions and achievements,” said the minister during a press conference.

"Since its inauguration in 1957, the stadium was much more than just a stadium or an infrastructure: it was a unifying national symbol, witness to the great moments of Lebanese sports, having hosted international matches, continental competitions, and national events that brought together the Lebanese under one banner, far from divisions and sectarianism.”

“Today, we bring this national landmark back to life, and we reopen its doors to athletes, the public, and all Lebanese,” added the minister. "The reopening of the Camille Chamoun Sports Stadium is not limited to a logistical or material aspect; it has a symbolic significance that goes beyond sports to touch the core of national identity.”

Salam's kickoff

The minister, who has shown particular attention to the rehabilitation of the site since assuming office, said that the stadium would be ready to welcome a first football match between Ansar and Nejmeh on Friday, May 23 at 4:45 p.m. as part of the Lebanese Premier League Championship, under the patronage of President Joseph Aoun and in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The minister noted that the stadium was “the largest sports infrastructure in Lebanon” was closed “for six years” adding that Salam “will symbolically give the kickoff which will mark the revival of this complex.”

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She also stated that “the basketball hall is also ready to host competitions.” The reopening of the site was funded “exclusively” by the Lebanese State, “with a very limited budget financed without any external aid or contribution.”

In her speech, Bairakdarian said that her ministry wants to “give back to sports and youth their role in building the future” and plans to renovate other sports sites, including the Olympic stadium in Tripoli, the Baalbeck stadium, the Scouts City in Smar Jbeil, and the Olympic swimming pool in Naccash. Bairakdarian visited the stadium on April 7 and insisted on the need for a study for its rehabilitation. At the end of February, she had already informed Aoun of her intention to renovate the site.

According to information provided by an official present at the stadium, and reported by several local media, the Camille Chamoun Stadium has been equipped with a “natural lawn, marking an important step in its rehabilitation.” A press room was also renovated, and new sanitary facilities were put into operation after being out of use for more than 15 years.

“The stadium has undergone a major cleaning,” and “new sanitary facilities have been put into service after being out of use for more than 15 years,” according to the same source. They also said that the seats were “reorganized and repositioned so that the renovated stands can now accommodate up to 15,000 spectators.”

Inaugurated in 1957, the stadium is an emblematic stadium owned by the state and once hosted the most important sports and cultural events in the region. During the war between Israel and Hezbollah over the past two years, it was transformed into a displaced shelter and housed nearly 1,000 people. On Feb. 23, the funerals of the former Hezbollah leaders, Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Saffiedine, who were assassinated in Israeli strikes, were held there.

Poorly maintained, the site has fallen into disrepair in recent years.