Lefkoşa’s Atatürk Sports Hall to close for 2 months

THE TRNC’s main sports stadium has been shut for two months for renovations, plunging basketball, volleyball and handball leagues into chaos.

League planners are now looking at “emergency” measures aimed at allowing matches to take place following the unplanned closure of Lefkoşa’s Atatürk Sports Hall. Sports federations voiced anger at the Sports Department’s decision to close the venue following problems during a tender process for repairs to the building.

The TRNC Basketball Federation made an urgent call to clubs and is now planning to have some home games played away, while the volleyball and handball federations are reported to be continuing to look for a way to solve the problem for their members.

Worst hit is said to be the Girne American University (GAÜ) wheelchair basketball team which is supported by hundreds of supporters at home games played in the Lefkoşa sports hall. Team games will now have to be rescheduled in other sports halls that are not up to international standards, it was reported.