York Hall in Bethnal Green could remain closed for several months after finding traces of pneumonia-causing bacteria.
The East London leisure centre, which is almost 100 years old, was closed after traces of Legionella bacteria were found in the cold water system in July.
When inhaled with water vapour or mist, the bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, which is a type of pneumonia.
It is usually treated with antibiotics, with the majority of people making a full recovery after a few weeks.
The bacteria is often picked up from things like air conditioning systems, humidifiers, hot tubs and taps and showers that are not used often.
Councillors had hoped the centre would reopen in January but now the BBC reports there is a ‘possibility that that might not happen’.
Ageing pipework has posed a problem for the building, with some fixtures supporting pipes made from asbestos, so they had to be removed.
A report read: ‘York Hall is nearly 100 years old and has a complex water system, some of it original. There is no complete record of the pipework and some pipes cannot be traced.
‘For these reasons, it is taking longer than expected to eradicate the Legionella.’
Earlier this year, a small outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease hit London, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) normally logging around 300 cases each year in England and Wales.
The closure is estimated to cost around £924,000 in repairs and lost income.
In 2004, the venue was threatened with closure, but three years later it had undergone a huge renovation project, expanding the spa services and upgrading the gym.
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York Hall first opened as a Victorian-style Turkish bath and sports centre in 1929 and became known for hosting boxing matches from 1940 onwards.
Icons of the sport like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, David Haye, and Chris Eubank have all sparred there.
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