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IOC inspector labels Olympic organisers `miracle` workers
Athens, Aug 20: IOC chief inspector Denis Oswald backs Athens 2004 `miracle` workers.
Athens, Aug 20: IOC chief inspector Denis Oswald backs Athens 2004 "miracle" workers.
International Olympic Committee Inspection Chief Denis Oswald said in Athens on Tuesday that if Olympics organisers kept up the current pace in preparations, Greece would have magical Games, adding that the Greeks could work miracles. Organizers received criticism after a series of mishaps during the first test events, which the inspection chief brushed aside and gave them high marks.
The IOC inspection chief, after a brief tour of some venues and construction works, focused his attention on areas of concern for the Olympic committee such as progress on a new roof for the Olympic stadium, a tram system which will connect the south of the city to the centre.
Oswald, who has also been monitoring test events, gave praise to Athens organisers for the events despite an unfortunate start with the rowing competition.
The Athens Olympic organising committee and government have been receiving flack from the press over preparations for the Olympic Games and the test events, after the first test - the world junior rowing championships - fell into disarray when high winds caused the postponement of some races and caused rowers to capsize. Further to event woes, the German rowing team returned to Germany after suffering salmonella poisoning, prompting an investigation by the government.
Further test events of cycling, show jumping, canoe and kayak and archery competitions have gone off without a hitch in the past few days however.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials have in the past warned Athens that time would be tight until the end, as sports venues and construction projects remain uncompleted.
But hard-pressed organisers (ATHOC) are still tackling the tricky issues such as security. Several newspapers around the world say organisers have not yet grasped the potential threats to the games and have provided only patchy plans, but Greek officials have rejected those claims Athens as unsubstantiated.
Even Greek opposition parties, usually locked in a bitter war of words with the government over Olympic preparations, rejected a series of articles in the international press challenging the games security plans as an orchestrated effort to attack the Games.
Oswald, answering questions from journalists on security, threw his support behind the organisers' plan and said it was progressing, giving assurances that everything would be done to make the Athens Games safe.
More than 45,000 security officials will be on duty during the Athens Olympics, three times as many as in the Sydney in what is the biggest security operation for any Games.
Sensitive to global security concerns after the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities, Greece has drawn up the Games most expensive security plan estimated at $600 million. But organisers have yet to finalise the make-up of the consortium that will implement the $255 million security contract.
Bureau Report
Further test events of cycling, show jumping, canoe and kayak and archery competitions have gone off without a hitch in the past few days however.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials have in the past warned Athens that time would be tight until the end, as sports venues and construction projects remain uncompleted.
But hard-pressed organisers (ATHOC) are still tackling the tricky issues such as security. Several newspapers around the world say organisers have not yet grasped the potential threats to the games and have provided only patchy plans, but Greek officials have rejected those claims Athens as unsubstantiated.
Even Greek opposition parties, usually locked in a bitter war of words with the government over Olympic preparations, rejected a series of articles in the international press challenging the games security plans as an orchestrated effort to attack the Games.
Oswald, answering questions from journalists on security, threw his support behind the organisers' plan and said it was progressing, giving assurances that everything would be done to make the Athens Games safe.
More than 45,000 security officials will be on duty during the Athens Olympics, three times as many as in the Sydney in what is the biggest security operation for any Games.
Sensitive to global security concerns after the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities, Greece has drawn up the Games most expensive security plan estimated at $600 million. But organisers have yet to finalise the make-up of the consortium that will implement the $255 million security contract.
Bureau Report