Approval of the final budget for the Turin 2006 Games was delayed again Tuesday, one month before the Games begin. Tuesday’s board meeting – originally scheduled for late last month – was adjourned until Monday without any progress on the budget. TOROC head Valentino Castellani said, “we need to clarify some details”, referring to plans covering the shortfall. Castellani said it was possible the budget would not be approved but it was unlikely. He said, “everyone involved wants it to be approved”. Either way, he said approval had no impact on the Games. “The Games could start tomorrow and there would be no problem”, he said.
The government’s Olympic supervisor Mario Pescante told the news conference there was a tussle with the Ministry of Health, which had demanded to oversee doping tests instead of leaving the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in charge. There were no other details mentioned.
Alitalia pilots and flight attendants plan to strike on the eve and the first day of the Turin Games creating possible havoc for arriving fans. Turin organizing committee spokesman Guiseppe Gattino said the situation was being monitored, noting strikes in Italy are often postponed or called off at the last minute. Games government supervisor Mario Pescante said the government was looking into the situation. Several other airlines fly to Turin. The 24-hour strike by flight attendants was originally scheduled for Nov. 28 but postponed because of the proximity of another strike. Mauro Rossi said, “it’s a dispute that has been going on for a long time, and to postpone the strike we would need something really concrete from Alitalia” said Mauro Ross, an official with transport union FILT-CGIL. Rossi said the date was not timed to coincide with the Olympics but was the result of the postponement. He added that it would be difficult to postpone the strike again because the Easter holidays begin shortly after the Games and strikes are banned during that period.
Atos Origin and Lenova have joined forces for the first time for the Turin 2006 Games. They will combine their strengths to deliver Information Technology (IT) with the Opening Ceremonies of the Games. Atos Origin is responsible for the integration of all technology partners to provide and secure the vast IT system that relays results, events and athlete information to spectators and media around the world, in real time.
