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Extra security not to turn Athens into military camp
Athens, Feb 04: Athens Olympic chief says that extra security will not mean the city will be turned into a military camp.
Athens, Feb 04: Athens Olympic chief says that extra security will not mean the city will be turned into a military camp.
Athens Olympics chief Gianna Angelopoulos said on Tuesday (February 3) that extra security to protect the event would not turn the Greek capital into a military camp.
With constant drills planned in coming months to protect the Games against global terrorism including nuclear, biological and chemical attacks, Angelopoulos said security would always come first and vigilance would be maintained until the Games end.
"We are doing whatever is humanly possible to provide the world with safe and secure Games," Angelopoulos told Reuters Television in an interview ahead of next week's six-month countdown to the Games start on August 13. "But these will not be military games but on the other hand, everybody from the sports people, from the athletes, from the media people, from the spectators, from the Olympic family will feel secure and happy in celebrating unique games in Athens." She said from the first minute Greece learned about the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Athens organisers realised their security plans had to move into high gear.
In a sign of the ever changing security needs, Greece this week raised the number of direct military personnel on duty during the Games by 2,000 to 10,000.
It also said an additional 40,000 troops will be on call which will be involved in sealing off the borders with Albania, Turkey, Macedonia and Bulgaria prior and during the Games.
Greece is spending a record 650 million euros (806.4 million USD) for the Games security and has already said it will mobilise about 40,000 police and security staff, in addition to the military personnel, three times as many as in the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
More anti-terrorist training exercises are planned for this month with the participation of experts from an International Advisory Board of seven countries assisting Athens in security plans.
"I think there is no country around the world that feels relaxed," she said. "It's a global concern anymore, and there are always, I'm afraid, events that make people be vigilant. We are vigilant and thank god we were alert from minute number one."
On a lighter subject, Angelopoulos would not be drawn on plans for the Games' opening and closing ceremonies, but laughed off suggestions of a Janet Jackson-style Super Bowl incident.
She said details of the August 13 opening ceremony would be cloaked in secrecy until the event but there would be no uncloaking like during the broadcast of the Super Bowl halftime show when pop diva Jackson's bodice was ripped by singer Justin Timberlake to expose her right breast.
Asked if she had ordered extra scrutiny of plans for the opening ceremony in view of the Jackson controversy, Angelopoulos laughingly avoided the question but replied: "Even if you insist, I won't disclose the secrets that we are preparing for the opening and closing ceremonies in Athens. I don't know if they had any high expectations during the Super Bowl but here (in Athens) I know they that there are high expectations and we will try not to disappoint them, she told Reuters Television in an interview."
Bureau Report
"We are doing whatever is humanly possible to provide the world with safe and secure Games," Angelopoulos told Reuters Television in an interview ahead of next week's six-month countdown to the Games start on August 13. "But these will not be military games but on the other hand, everybody from the sports people, from the athletes, from the media people, from the spectators, from the Olympic family will feel secure and happy in celebrating unique games in Athens." She said from the first minute Greece learned about the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Athens organisers realised their security plans had to move into high gear.
In a sign of the ever changing security needs, Greece this week raised the number of direct military personnel on duty during the Games by 2,000 to 10,000.
It also said an additional 40,000 troops will be on call which will be involved in sealing off the borders with Albania, Turkey, Macedonia and Bulgaria prior and during the Games.
Greece is spending a record 650 million euros (806.4 million USD) for the Games security and has already said it will mobilise about 40,000 police and security staff, in addition to the military personnel, three times as many as in the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
More anti-terrorist training exercises are planned for this month with the participation of experts from an International Advisory Board of seven countries assisting Athens in security plans.
"I think there is no country around the world that feels relaxed," she said. "It's a global concern anymore, and there are always, I'm afraid, events that make people be vigilant. We are vigilant and thank god we were alert from minute number one."
On a lighter subject, Angelopoulos would not be drawn on plans for the Games' opening and closing ceremonies, but laughed off suggestions of a Janet Jackson-style Super Bowl incident.
She said details of the August 13 opening ceremony would be cloaked in secrecy until the event but there would be no uncloaking like during the broadcast of the Super Bowl halftime show when pop diva Jackson's bodice was ripped by singer Justin Timberlake to expose her right breast.
Asked if she had ordered extra scrutiny of plans for the opening ceremony in view of the Jackson controversy, Angelopoulos laughingly avoided the question but replied: "Even if you insist, I won't disclose the secrets that we are preparing for the opening and closing ceremonies in Athens. I don't know if they had any high expectations during the Super Bowl but here (in Athens) I know they that there are high expectations and we will try not to disappoint them, she told Reuters Television in an interview."
Bureau Report