Estadio Olímpico Universitario
Encyclopedia
Estadio Olímpico Universitario is a stadium
located in Ciudad Universitaria
, Mexico City
. It was built in 1952 and at that time was the largest stadium in Mexico
. This stadium has a capacity of 63,186 . During the 50s and the 60s this stadium was used mostly for college American football matches between the largest Mexican public universities: UNAM
and IPN
. From the late 1950s it was used for football matches, some American football
matches and athletics
contests. It resembles a volcano, due to it being built in a volcanic stone surface.
The Olímpico Universitario hosted the Olympic Games
of 1968; for the event the seating capacity
was increased from 70,000 to 83,700 spectators (without substantially modifying the original structure) to cover the IOC requirements for an Olympic stadium. It was the location of the track & field competitions, equestrian events, certain association football matches, the arrival of the marathon and the opening & ending ceremonies. This was the Olympics in which Tommie Smith
and John Carlos
protested against the treatment of black people in the USA by performing a black power salute during the medal ceremony for the 200m. The stadium also hosted several games of the Football World Cup 1986, but the final match was played in the Estadio Azteca
in Mexico City.
The Tartan track
was the first All Weather Running Track to be used in the Olympics. Such a track is now a requirement.
Now it is the home stadium of American football
team Pumas Dorados de la UNAM
and the football
team Pumas de la Universidad
.
During the final matches of the Mexican football league between Club America and UNAM Pumas in 1985 the authorities of the UNAM Pumas allowed more spectators into Estadio Olímpico Universitario than the capacity allowed for the building. During the attempt of the fans to get to the pitch in one of the access tunnels (the tunnel number 29) a number of people got stuck and died of suffocation.
This sport facility is part of the Ciudad Universitaria
("University City"), the main campus of the UNAM
.
On the east side of University Olympic Stadium, is a mural by Diego Rivera, called "The University, the Mexican family, peace and youth sports. In the construction of the relief in natural colored stones shows the university shield, with the condor and the eagle on a cactus. Under their wings outstretched, Rivera placed three figures representing the family: the father and the mother giving the dove of peace to his son. At the extremes are two gigantic figures that correspond to some athletes, male and female, who light the torch of Olympic flame. A huge feathered serpent, the symbolic image of the pre-Hispanic god Quetzalcoatl, complements the composition at the bottom.
Diego Rivera had planned to cover the entire outside of the stadium with designs similar to this, but the artist's death prevented him.
The asymmetric shape of the stands of the stadium-side with the more developed west-emphasizes the final composition of the joint project of the University City, which finished off its axis and principal, the stands closest to the Avenida Insurgentes, emphasizes the sense league stadium to the rest of the set.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
located in Ciudad Universitaria
Ciudad Universitaria
Ciudad Universitaria , Mexico, is UNAM's main campus, located in Coyoacán borough in the southern part of Mexico City. Designed by architects Mario Pani and Enrique del Moral, it encloses the Olympic Stadium, about 40 faculties and institutes, the Cultural Center, an ecological reserve, the Central...
, Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. It was built in 1952 and at that time was the largest stadium in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. This stadium has a capacity of 63,186 . During the 50s and the 60s this stadium was used mostly for college American football matches between the largest Mexican public universities: UNAM
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
and IPN
National Polytechnic Institute
The National Polytechnic Institute colloquially known as the Polytechnic is one of the largest public universities in Mexico with 153.027 students at the high school, undergraduate and postgraduate levels...
. From the late 1950s it was used for football matches, some American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
matches and athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
contests. It resembles a volcano, due to it being built in a volcanic stone surface.
The Olímpico Universitario hosted the Olympic Games
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
of 1968; for the event the seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
was increased from 70,000 to 83,700 spectators (without substantially modifying the original structure) to cover the IOC requirements for an Olympic stadium. It was the location of the track & field competitions, equestrian events, certain association football matches, the arrival of the marathon and the opening & ending ceremonies. This was the Olympics in which Tommie Smith
Tommie Smith
Tommie Smith is an African American former track & field athlete and wide receiver in the American Football League. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith won the 200-meter dash finals in 19.83 seconds – the first time the 20 second barrier was broken...
and John Carlos
John Carlos
John Wesley Carlos is a Cuban American former track and field athlete and professional football player. He was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics and his black power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy...
protested against the treatment of black people in the USA by performing a black power salute during the medal ceremony for the 200m. The stadium also hosted several games of the Football World Cup 1986, but the final match was played in the Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca is a stadium in Santa Ursula, Mexico City, Mexico. It is the official home stadium of the Mexico national football team and the Mexican team Club América.The stadium was the venue for football soccer in the 1968 Summer Olympics....
in Mexico City.
The Tartan track
Tartan track
Tartan Track is the trademarked all-weather synthetic track surfacing made of polyurethane which is used for track and field competitions. It lets athletes compete in bad weather without serious performance loss and improves their results over other surfaces...
was the first All Weather Running Track to be used in the Olympics. Such a track is now a requirement.
Now it is the home stadium of American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team Pumas Dorados de la UNAM
Pumas Dorados de la UNAM
Also known as "Pumas CU", "Pumas", or "Universidad" is the varsity American football team representing the National Autonomous University of Mexico . Is one of the most important and oldest teams in Mexico...
and the football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team Pumas de la Universidad
Club Universidad Nacional
Club Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City...
.
This sport facility is part of the Ciudad Universitaria
Ciudad Universitaria
Ciudad Universitaria , Mexico, is UNAM's main campus, located in Coyoacán borough in the southern part of Mexico City. Designed by architects Mario Pani and Enrique del Moral, it encloses the Olympic Stadium, about 40 faculties and institutes, the Cultural Center, an ecological reserve, the Central...
("University City"), the main campus of the UNAM
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
.
Architecture and art stadium
It is the work of architects Augusto Perez, Raul Salinas and Jorge Bravo Moro. The "Estadio Universitario, original name, was built specifically for the former practice of football.On the east side of University Olympic Stadium, is a mural by Diego Rivera, called "The University, the Mexican family, peace and youth sports. In the construction of the relief in natural colored stones shows the university shield, with the condor and the eagle on a cactus. Under their wings outstretched, Rivera placed three figures representing the family: the father and the mother giving the dove of peace to his son. At the extremes are two gigantic figures that correspond to some athletes, male and female, who light the torch of Olympic flame. A huge feathered serpent, the symbolic image of the pre-Hispanic god Quetzalcoatl, complements the composition at the bottom.
Diego Rivera had planned to cover the entire outside of the stadium with designs similar to this, but the artist's death prevented him.
The asymmetric shape of the stands of the stadium-side with the more developed west-emphasizes the final composition of the joint project of the University City, which finished off its axis and principal, the stands closest to the Avenida Insurgentes, emphasizes the sense league stadium to the rest of the set.