It seems the successful Sydney Games was “a very positive shock” to Gianna Angelopoulos, president of ATHOC, the Athens’ organizing committee. Athens has been heavily criticized for lagging behind in its plans for the 2004 Summer Games.
Angelopoulos said “what I know is that time is lost, time is lost for my country. We have such a heavy task that lies before us. We don’t have time to get distracted”
Meanwhile Athens’ organizers say 72 per cent of their sports venues are in place, a metro system carries 400,000 passengers a day with an extension to increase that number by 40 per cent, security has been addressed and Athens is one of the safest cities in the world.
Athens’ organizers had 130 observers in Sydney watching all aspects of the Sydney Games.
IOC director general Francois Carrard tried to dispell fears that the Olympics could be taken away from Athens. “There is no plan B” he said. “The IOC is absolutely committed to seeing an excellent Games in Athens.”
The Greek government has set March 2004 as the deadline for completing all its work, but the IOC says that’s unacceptable; all venues should be ready a year earlier so test events can be held.
Angelopoulos said she’s pushing the government to move up the deadline and hopes to have an agreement on that by November.
Also in November Athens will meet with the IOC Coordination Committee in Athens and with the Sydney Organizing Committee where ATHOC’s progress can again be judged and the lessons of the Sydney Games will be studied.
