Athens 2004 Olympics in Jeopardy

Greek officials are reeling from unexpectedly harsh criticism of preparations for the 2004 Olympics in Athens by IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch last week. Samaranch stated that Greece is rapidly approaching the "red alert" stage and without dramatic improvements by the end of the year, they may lose the Games. The city of Seoul, which hosted the Games in 1984, is standing by to take over if necessary, adding to the pressure on the Greek government.

Greece and the IOC have had a stormy relationship, beginning with the passing over of Greece for the landmark Millennium Games this year. Greece, and many outside observers, felt that Greece, birthplace of the ancient Games and site of their renaissance a little over a hundred years ago, would be the logical place for the beginning of the games in this new millennium. However, the IOC disagreed.

Criticism of the Greek preparations is not limited to the IOC; some Greek newspaper editorials have also been lamenting the state of the preparations. With so many large-scale civic projects underway, including the Athens Metro expansion and the building of the new international airport, some feel that the always-tricky Greek bureaucracy has been simply overwhelmed.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis responded swiftly to the warning, stating that the Games will be the nation's top priority, starting immediately. Some feel that the recent elections, which Simitis' party won by a very narrow margin, may have contributed to the problems, as officials in various ministries waited to see who would be the victor.

Many travelers are already planning for the Athens games in 2004. While it is highly unlikely that the Games will be pulled from Athens, the wise traveller will avoid making hefty deposits on lodgings or services, at least until the end of the year, when the IOC will decide if Greek efforts have been sufficiently vigorous to retain the Games.

-deTraci Related Links:
The Athens Olympics 2004
News and Media in Greece