Organizers for the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games have turned down Australia’s plans to provide security for their athletes at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, reports Reuters.
An Athens 2004 Olympic spokesman said that Greece would never allow another country to take over security on its soil.
Serafim Kotrostos said, “Greece is a sovereign state and it will guarantee the safety of the Games”.
He said Athens’ $600 million security plan, headed by Peter Ryan (who was responsible for the security at the 2000 Sydney Games), was so good it had convinced the U.S. basketball team to stay in the athletes’ village for the first time since the Barcelona Games in 1992.
Athens organizers have formed an international committee to advise them on security matters. The eight-nation members represent Greece, Great Britain, the United States, Germany and Austria – all countries regarded as high profile targets.
