Leaders of University of Iowa Recreational Services announced today that a glass guardrail panel on the second level of the pool balcony in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center broke late Tuesday night, sending shards of glass into the water and causing a closure of the main competition portion of the pool.

This accident requires that the pool be emptied, cleaned, refilled and treated, which typically takes up to two weeks. The main competition pool will be closed until the work is complete. The diving well, and the leisure pools, which are separate bodies of water, will remain open.

As a result, the age group State Swimming Championships that are scheduled to begin Thursday afternoon will be moved to the Field House pool.

The UI men’s swim team is preparing for the Big Ten Conference Swimming and Diving Championships next weekend. The team will practice in the Field House pool. The UI women’s team is traveling to Minneapolis, Minn., for the women’s Big Ten championship meet this weekend.

“We are grateful to Recreational Services that our men’s and women’s swimming programs have the facilities available to continue preparations for their championship events. We will work with the appropriate staff throughout the process in order to keep any distractions or inconveniences at a minimum for everyone involved,” says Gary Barta, UI athletic director.

The panel broke around 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 19. The cause of the incident is not known, and UI staff are reviewing the matter to determine the cause of the breakage. There are approximately 100 other similar panels in the pool area.