Although the Athens 2004 Summer Games are still a few weeks away they’re already getting a bad rap.
Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said that the carrying out of the Olympics in Athens will be risky, reports ANA.
He said it would be easier if the event takes place in Rome, which is a bigger city than Athens and Italy is a bigger state than Greece.
He added the decision for the 2004 Olympics to be held in Athens is an expression of gratefulness to Greece where the idea for the Games was conceived 3,000 years ago.
Meanwhile, Dick Pound, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, feels the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Athens will be tumultuous.
He fears air pollution, doping violations, security concerns and incomplete infrastructure in Athens could adversely affect the Games.
Pound told the CBC “they’ll get the core stuff done, the venues and sports facilities, the athletes’ village, the international broadcast centre, the transportation system for athletes and officials and will have a pretty effective security perimeter around all of it. But they aren’t going to have all the subways required to move (the fans) around in an old city.
“They’ve done a good job on security, as much as can be done, but the border is very porous and there are some very, very bad guys on the other side”.
He said there is a chance some high-profile American sprint stars will be banned from the Games for using performance-enhancing drugs.
