Although the World Junior Rowing Championships at Schinias, the first test event this year for the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games, met the approval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when it finished Saturday, there are problems plaguing the Athens 2004 Games a year before the event has even begun.
German athletes, coaches and other staff were stricken by the salmonella bacterium after they had eaten in the restaurant at the Hotel Nireus where the team was staying. The restaurant was temporarily closed down.
It was later revealed that following a preliminary inspection of the hotel’s kitchen by local authorities on July 23, there were 13 breaches of hygiene.
Also, reports say that almost 25 per cent of volunteers failed to show up at the test event in Schinias; there were transportation mishaps affecting the Ukrainian and Korean teams; and policemen were unable to operate the communications system.
But on the bright side, archery, the second test event, is proceeding smoothly at the Panathenaic Stadium.
Looking ahead, the countdown to Athens 2004 will be celebrated on Wednesday in Lausanne and four Greek municipalities.
In Lausanne International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge will sign the invitations addressed to the NOC’s of Greece, Italy, China and Canada, the countries where the next four Olympic Games will be held, and the nine countries bidding for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Celebrations will be held in the four Olympic cities.
Also, the four Greek municipalities are organizing simultaneous open concerts on Wednesday.
