Olympic chief urges Athens to rise to the challenge
Saturday, 13 March 2004 16:59International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has urged Greek officials to rise to the challenges, which stand in the way of this summer's Athens Games being the success they wish it to be.
Rogge expects to see a significant acceleration in the speed of work being undertaken on the venues, which are to host this summer's Olympics in the Greek capital.
Speaking after a meeting with new Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis today, which Rogge described as very positive, the IOC chief backed the Athens organising team to succeed in completing the work on stadiums whose current unfinished state have received considerable unwelcome publicity.
Rogge and the Greek PM were joined in their meeting by additional senior figures within the IOC, and the Athens organising committee president Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki. Karamanlis has, in his first week in office, announced that he will be personally answerable for the success of the Olympics, by appointing himself as head of the Ministry of Culture, a move which Rogge warmly welcomed.
Rogge said: "This was a very positive meeting and the IOC very much welcomes Prime Minister Karamanlis's decision to take the lead in managing the organisation of the Games by taking responsibility for the Ministry of Culture. This demonstrates the importance that he and his government put on the preparations for the Games and their ultimately successful outcome."
He added: "Our experts have confirmed to us that while a lot remains to be done, there is still time for the preparations to be successfully completed if all energies are mobilised and focused in a common direction. We look forward therefore to seeing some positive steps over the coming days and weeks."
Filed by Mark O'Neill-Cummins
