IOC officials feel a little more confident regarding the delays in three major projects related to the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said at a news conference, “we had concern with the tramway and our experts made a visit and discussed with the builders and the concerns about the tramway have been resolved. The same concerns about the suburban railway have been completely resolved and we have noted with great pleasure the good progress on the construction of the Calatrava roof over the Olympic Stadium.
Greece will be getting help from the British-based Health Protection Agency (HPA) after it requested the organization to provide public health assistance for the Games. Professor Pat Troop said in a statement “so far, seven Greek scientists and medical officers have attended an anthrax workshop at a diagnostic laboratory at the agency’s Porton Down site. In addition, we are contributing speakers and training materials for infectious disease courses run by the Greek government. The first of these will be held in Greece next month”. The HPA provides rapid response to health emergencies, including the deliberate release of biological chemical, poison and radioactive materials.
IOC President Jacques Rogge stressed that everything humanly possible has been done to ensure security for the 2004 Games, but added there could be no guarantee of total success. But it seems that someone decided to test Rogge’s security plans ahead of the 2004 Games. Reuters reports that IOC member Alex Gilady of Israel had a bag stolen from a limousine that was parked in front of the offices of the Greek Olympic Committee. The bag contained about $500, official documents and personal papers.
