Pole vaulter sues Athens’s OAKA stadium management over injury
World champion Kostantinos Filippidis has sued the management of the OAKA Olympic Stadium in northern Athens over an injury sustained while practicing at the facility last month.
In the suit, the pole vaulter claims that he sustained a tear of the meniscus when landing during a practice jump because there was a large hole beneath the flooring and his leg twisted on impact.
The injury occurred on June 19 and the 30-year-old athlete had to undergo surgery, missing out on a series of international meets that he had been working towards competing in and had spent thousands of euros in preparation for.
Filippidis is demanding damages of 538,000 euros in compensation, arguing that OAKA’s management is responsible for ensuring that all of its facilities are maintained to international standards in order to prevent injury and offer athletes the best possible conditions in which to practice and compete.
In the suit, the athlete claims that his injury has already prevented him from competing in the IAAF Diamond League in Paris, Lausanne, Rabat and Monaco.
His doctor on Tuesday also barred him from participating at the World Championships in Athletics in London, running August 4-13.
