Athens Games a Great Success

Former US President George Bush and NY Mayor Bloomberg praise Greek spirit and security
ATHENS – Former US President George Bush paid tribute to Greece, its hospitality and the pride of its people, noting that he leaves the country with very good impressions on all counts. He did acknowledge however that doping was becoming a problem, affecting not just Greece but also his own country and other nations.

Speaking to the press at Megas Alexandros airport in Kavala, he said the Greeks completed the infrastructure projects for the 2004 Olympic Games and they did so in a splendid manner. He said the Games are progressing very well, security is excellent and Greek and US forces have a wonderful cooperation on security matters.

Bush arrived in Greece twelve days ago ahead of the opening ceremony (Friday 13th August) which he attended.

He repeated his praises for the opening of the Games, said he was very pleased his compatriots were doing very well in sportive events and expressed regret about the increase in the number of athletes who test positive in the use of forbidden substances, saying that this affects many countries and people should say ‘no’ to doping.

Asked what he would take back home with him, he said he would take back the national pride all Greeks feel for their country, which he said was wonderful for Greece.

George Bush senior flew out of Kavala airport on board a Boeing 757 for Washington, via Dublin, escorted by FBI agents and US administration officials, while strict security measures were in place before his arrival and during his brief stay at Megas Axelandros.

His wife Barbara and two granddaughters also left with him.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG
Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni hosted a reception for her New York counterpart Michael Bloomberg at the Athens town hall’s roof garden on Friday night, who said the decision to award the Olympic Games to Athens was correct. Bakoyianni said the Olympic Games have returned home, where the Games are taking place following a great effort made by the Greek government, the 2004 Athens Olympic Games Organising Committee, the municipality of Athens and, mainly, by all the patient Athenians and the thousands of volunteers from Greece and all over the world.

Bloomberg, focusing on the issue of security, said many had doubts about the security of the Games, adding that there were front-page reports all over the world which had questioned Greece’s ability to hold them.

However, he added, all were proved wrong and it was proved that the decision to award the Olympic Games to Athens was correct.

Bloomberg also said the Games contributed to infrastructure projects being carried out in Athens, which will be useful for the city in the future, while noting that New York will be ready to welcome the Olympic Games in 2012 if its candidacy will be supported.

DEFENSE MINISTER
The first week of the Games have gone by without incident, and Greek Defense Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos is feeling a lot easier than he did a few weeks ago. That was when western security experts and the international news media were warning that the delay in completing Athens’ Olympic structures was hindering the ability to test security systems at the installations.

At a luncheon in his office for foreign correspondents, the minister said Greece had done everything possible to stage the safest possible Olympics in a new environment, shaped by the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States.

“All the Olympic Games that will be organized in the future, they will be having security as the main focus of consideration, and that will be the model for the future organization of the Olympic Games,” he said.

Mr. Spiliotopoulos says a succession of pre-Olympic exercises allowed institutions as different as the military and police, the electric power company and hospitals, among others, to cooperate as they never have before. He says the goal was to prepare for what he calls a worst-case scenario, a deadly attack that could cause thousands of casualties.

“We had to take into consideration that the security environment today is very unpredictable,” he added. “That means you don’t know when, how, where from, and from whom there will be any action, and against whom. That’s why you have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. So we spent a lot of money, because we had in our mind the worst-case scenario.”

The minister says Greece is spending $1.2 billion on security for the Games. That’s less than private estimates, but still four times as much as Australia spent for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. Greece has been advised by a platoon of security experts from seven countries, including the United States, Australia and Israel, to help it direct operations. Mr. Spiliotopoulos says Greece is now confident that it can help China with security preparations for the 2008 Games.

But Mr. Spiliotopoulos says that, even though everything has gone smoothly so far, Greece has no intention of letting its guard down, until the Olympics and the Para-Olympics for handicapped people, which will follow the Games themselves, are over at the end of September. Nobody is relaxing, he says. Nobody is being complacent.

OLYMPIC OFFICIALS
International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge visited the Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall on Saturday where he had the chance to watch the men’s fly weight (51kg) round of 16 and to tour the facilities afterwards, escorted by the Mayor of Peristeri Andreas Pahatouridis.

“We are very happy with the staging [of the Olympic Games]. Everyone is happy – the athletes, the spectators, the journalists, everyone. Also millions of television viewers worldwide are watching the major events going on in Athens. I will tell you at the end of the Games if these Olympic Games have provided the world something different and special. They are admittedly well organised but the final conclusion can only be reached in the end. However, I am very optimistic,” Rogge said upon leaving the Hall.

Asked about ticket sales, Rogge replied, “The issue isn’t about selling more tickets, it’s a question of whether people are going to the stadiums.” While the stands seem to be filling up as the days pass, Rogge called on Greeks to support the Olympic Games and go to the venues.

Mustapha Larfaoui, President of the International Swimming Federation (FINA), said he was very impressed with the very good Olympic facilities in Greece, all the infrastructure work and attendance of swimming events.

Speaking to Athens News Agency, Larfaoui said FINA officials are absolutely satisfied with the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and noted that for the first time all swimming facilities are under one roof.

The ATHENS 2004 has done a very good job and the level of the athletes is very good in all fields, he said.

FINA president thanked Greece and its people for the warm hospitality and the huge effort they have put into these Games, which he described as wonderful.