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Australia finds sailing most vulnerable in security for Olympics
Sydney, May 09: The sailing venue at this year`s Athens Games was the biggest security concern for the Australian team, Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) president John Coates said here yesterday.
Sydney, May 09: The sailing venue at this year's Athens Games was the biggest security concern for the Australian team, Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) president John Coates said here yesterday.
In the wake of bomb blasts outside an Athens police station last week the AOC wrote to games organisers expressing their dissatisfaction with security arrangements outside the Olympic village.
Australia will have a dedicated security officer for the sailing, rowing and village areas.
"There's pretty good security where the rowing and canoeing is...We don't think it will be too difficult to provide extra assistance there," Coates said at the AOC annual general meeting here yesterday.
"The venue for the sailing is more difficult, it's just a downtown three star hotel and some apartments and that's going to be difficult.
"We see that as probably the biggest security issue for us at the moment along with a a bit better accreditation for those people we've got playing a security role."
Coates said the Athens Olympic Committee (ATHOC) wanted athletes to stay in the village but believed it must do more to look after those who could not practicably stay in it.
"Whether it's pressuring us or just making sure the floodgates aren't open -- somewhere in between that," Coates said of ATHOC's stance.
"We didn't provide that sort of security here in Sydney... I would think that the Athens security folk are very keen to encourage everyone to be inside the village -- that's easier for them."
Bureau Report
In the wake of bomb blasts outside an Athens police station last week the AOC wrote to games organisers expressing their dissatisfaction with security arrangements outside the Olympic village.
Australia will have a dedicated security officer for the sailing, rowing and village areas.
"There's pretty good security where the rowing and canoeing is...We don't think it will be too difficult to provide extra assistance there," Coates said at the AOC annual general meeting here yesterday.
"The venue for the sailing is more difficult, it's just a downtown three star hotel and some apartments and that's going to be difficult.
"We see that as probably the biggest security issue for us at the moment along with a a bit better accreditation for those people we've got playing a security role."
Coates said the Athens Olympic Committee (ATHOC) wanted athletes to stay in the village but believed it must do more to look after those who could not practicably stay in it.
"Whether it's pressuring us or just making sure the floodgates aren't open -- somewhere in between that," Coates said of ATHOC's stance.
"We didn't provide that sort of security here in Sydney... I would think that the Athens security folk are very keen to encourage everyone to be inside the village -- that's easier for them."
Bureau Report