Peace and Friendship Stadium

{{short description|Multi-purpose indoor arena in Piraeus, Greece}}

{{Infobox venue

| name = Peace and Friendship Stadium

| nickname = SEF

| image = Peace and Friendship stadium 02 03 2014.JPG

| location = Neo Faliro, Piraeus, Greece

| coordinates = {{coord|37|56|32.91|N|23|40|02.27|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| broke_ground = 1983

| opened = February 16, 1985{{Cite web|url=http://www.sef-stadium.gr/page4.html|title=Λίγα Ιστορικά στοιχεία |language=el}}

| renovated = 2002–2004

| publictransit = {{ric|Athens Metro}} {{ric|Athens Tram}} {{ric|Athens Metro|M1}} {{ric|Athens Tram|7}}

| owner = Greek State

| operator = Olympiacos

| expanded =

| surface = Parquet

| architect = Thimios Papagiannis

| structural engineer =

| services engineer =

| general_contractor =

| project_manager =

| main_contractors =

| former_names =

| tenants = Olympiacos
Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association
Hellenic Olympic Committee

| construction_cost = € 25 million (1983)
Renovation:
€ 7.3 million (2002–2004)

| seating_capacity = Basketball: 11,640{{Cite web |url=http://www.olympiacosbc.gr/en/team-en/peace-friendship-arena.html |title=The Peace and Friendship Stadium. |access-date=2016-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802204533/http://www.olympiacosbc.gr/en/team-en/peace-friendship-arena.html |archive-date=2016-08-02 |url-status=dead }}(permanent seating)
12,300{{Cite web|url=https://www.fosonline.gr/volleyball/eyropi/article/5287/etoimo-to-sef-gia-ton-teliko-olympiakos-ravena-pics|title=Έτοιμο το ΣΕΦ για τον τελικό Ολυμπιακός-Ραβένα(pics)|first=Στέφανος|last=Λεμονίδης|website=Fosonline.gr|date=10 April 2018 }}{{Cite web|url=https://redaroume.gr/sef-ti-ravena-tin-koypa/|title=Στο ΣΕΦ με τη Ραβένα για την Κούπα!|date=March 21, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ballineurope.com/euroleague-2016-17-preview-olympiacos-piraeus-5415/|title=Euroleague 2016-17 preview: Olympiacos Piraeus|first=Emmet|last=Ryan|date=October 10, 2016|website=BallinEurope}} (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)
Volleyball: 13,200 (during the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics)
Indoor athletics: 10,520

}}

The Peace and Friendship Stadium ({{langx|el|Στάδιο Ειρήνης και Φιλίας|Stadio Eirinis kai Philias}}), commonly known by its acronym SEF (Greek: ΣΕΦ), 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 and its design was inspired by Palasport di San Siro.

The arena complex also contains a 942-seat amphitheater,{{Cite web|url=http://www.sef-stadium.gr/el/infrastructure/conference/melina-merkouri|title=FACILITIES Places Exhibitions / Conferences - Melina Mercouri.}} a weight training room, a full practice facility, three auxiliary courts that house the Olympiacos youth clubs,{{Cite web|url=http://www.olympiacosbc.gr/en/the-academy-en/the-facilities.html|title=The facilities.}} and the Olympiacos team office.{{Cite web|url=http://www.olympiacosbc.gr/en/management-en/olympiacos-bc-hq-en.html|title=Olympiacos BC HQ.}} It is also used as training center for the Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association.

History

File:VolleyballAt2004SummerOlympics-1.jpg.]]

The Peace and Friendship Stadium opened in 1985, and its construction cost was €25,000,000 in 1983 prices. It was designed by the architectural firm "Thymios Papagiannis and Associates" and had a capacity of 14,940.{{cite news |title=Η μεταμόρφωση του ΣΕΦ! Τα βαφτίσια του Ανδρέα, τα ευρωπαϊκά και το λίφτινγκ σε... Χάλα Πιονίρ (ΦΩΤΟ) |url=https://www.sportdog.gr/sports/mpasket/article/772885/h-metamorfwsh-toy-sef-ta-baftisia-toy-andrea-ta-eyrwpa-ka-kai-to-liftingk-se-xala-pionir-fwto |work=sportdog.gr |date=25 June 2023 |language=el}} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://sef-stadium.gr/el/about-sef/stadium-history |title=Στάδιο Ειρήνης & Φιλίας - Ιστορικό |access-date=2016-03-21 |archive-date=2016-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403135508/http://sef-stadium.gr/el/about-sef/stadium-history |url-status=dead }} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.spaziomondo.com/page_progetto.cfm?id_progetto=50|title=Peace and Friendship Stadium|publisher=Mondo Spazio|access-date=April 4, 2013}}

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.[http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/or2004b.pdf 2004 Summer Olympics official report.] Volume 2. p. 421. 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. The Greek Basket League club Lavrio used the arena to host its FIBA Champions League home games, during the 2021–22 season.

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, with additional temporary seating, it currently seats a total of 12,300 people for basketball games. The Peace and Friendship Stadium seats up to 14,776 for basketball games, with all the bleachers in use.{{cite web|url=http://www.stadia.gr/news/news-13-10-2001.html|title=Olympiacos B.C. move|publisher=stadia.gr|date=October 13, 2001|access-date=April 29, 2013}}

Training facility and auxiliary courts

File:Peace and Friendship stadium.jpg and Orléans warm up before a EuroLeague game at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, in October 2009.]]

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.

Other uses

The arena is occasionally used for events like congresses, music concerts, and indoor motocross races. The Scorpions,{{Cite web|url=https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/scorpions-ba2906b9-7bdd-4f77-b14d-c8837d0fc76d|title=10/27/2010: Scorpions @ Peace and Friendship Stadium | Concert Archives|website=www.concertarchives.org}} Phil Collins,{{Cite web|url=https://www.ant1news.gr/General/article/118730/stin-athina-o-phil-collins|title=Στην Αθήνα ο Phil Collins|website=antenna.gr}} Dire Straits,{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/120507277@N06/13179947714/|title=Dire Straits 1985 World Tour Logo|date=March 15, 2014|via=Flickr}} Status Quo, UB40, Gloria Estefan, Deep Purple, A-HA and Placebo,{{Cite web|url=http://www.placeborussia.ru/photos/plive-2014/08-august-2014|title=08 August 2014 - Peace and Friendship Stadium (Athens, Greece) - LJ Placebo Russia Archive|website=www.placeborussia.ru}} 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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sef-stadium.gr/files/presen.pdf|title=Stadium Presentation Brochure.}}

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.

Notable events hosted

File:Kontogeorgakopoulou.jpg

Indoor athletics
1985 European Athletics Indoor Championships
Balkan Athletics Indoor Championships (1991–2002, 2007, 2009)
Volleyball
1989 European Champions' Cup Final
1992 European Champions' Cup Final Four
1993 European Champions' Cup Final Four
1994 World Championship
1995 Men's European Volleyball Championship
1996 European Cup Winners' Cup Final Four
2000 2nd World Qualification Tournament Men Pre Olympic Tournament
2004 Summer Olympics – Volleyball tournament
2005 European Top Teams Cup Final Four
2018 CEV Challenge Cup Second Leg Final
2023 CEV Challenge Cup Second Leg Final
Basketball
1985 FIBA European Champions' Cup Final
1987 EuroBasket
1989 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup Final
1991 FIBA Centennial Jubilee
1993 FIBA European League Final Four
1998 FIBA World Championship
2024 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (Tournament 3)
EuroBasket Women 2025
Handball
2024 EHF European Cup Second Leg Final
Wrestling
1986 European Championships
1988 World Cup (Greco-Roman Men's)
1999 World Championship (Greco-Roman Men's)
Gymnastics
1990 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships
1991 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
Weightlifting
1999 World Championships
Robotics competitions
2024 FIRST Global Challenge

References

External links

[http://www.sef-stadium.gr Official website] {{in lang|el}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160802204533/http://www.olympiacosbc.gr/en/team-en/peace-friendship-arena.html SEF at Olympiacos B.C.'s official website]
[http://www.stadia.gr/sef/sef.html SEF at stadia.gr]
[http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/editorial/peace-and-friendship-stadium-pictures# Basketball images at Getty images]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160910232502/http://portfolio.sport24.gr/sef The transformations of SEF] {{in lang|el}}

{{S-start-collapsible|header={{S-sta|et}}}}

{{succession box

| title=European Indoor Championships in Athletics
Venue

| before=Scandinavium
Gothenburg

| after=Palacio de Deportes de la CAM
Madrid

| years=1985

}}

{{succession box |

title=FIBA European Champions Cup
Final Venue|

before=Patinoire des Vernets
Geneva |

after=Budapest Sportcsarnok
Budapest|

years=1985