▁spect ators , ▁to ▁host ▁football ▁matches ▁and ▁local ▁athlet ics ▁events . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁occasion ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Pan ▁Arab ▁Games ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁the ▁stad ium ▁was ▁entirely ▁renov ated ▁and ▁the ▁capacity ▁was ▁expanded ▁up ▁to ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁spect ators . ▁ ▁However , ▁after ▁the ▁most ▁recent ▁renov ation ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Abb asi yy in ▁Stadium ▁was ▁turned ▁into ▁an ▁all - se ater ▁stad ium ▁and ▁the ▁capacity ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁seats . ▁ ▁Abb asi yy in ▁Stadium ▁hosted ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁and ▁ 7 th ▁Pan ▁Arab ▁Games ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁respectively ▁as ▁a ▁main ▁ven ue . ▁ ▁On ▁ 6 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁a ▁holy ▁mass ▁was ▁conducted ▁by ▁Pope ▁John ▁Paul ▁II ▁in ▁the ▁Abb asi yy in ▁Stadium . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : Foot ball ▁ven ues ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁Category : Build ings ▁and ▁structures ▁in ▁Dam asc us ▁Sy ria ▁Category : Build ings ▁and ▁structures ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁Category : S ports ▁ven ues ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁Category : 1 9 5 7 ▁establish ments ▁in ▁Sy ria <0x0A> </s> ▁Tim othy ▁" T . ▁V ." ▁Smith ▁( born ▁ 5 ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 6 ) ▁is ▁an