ozanzac 0 Posted March 21, 2004 [b said: Quote[/b] ]Athens pool roof scrapped due to time pressure By Karolos Grohmann ATHENS (Reuters) - Plans to build a roof over the main swimming pool for the Olympics have been abandoned because it would not be finished in time for the start of the Games in August, Athens Olympics organisers said on Saturday. Organisers said work on the roof for the outdoor pool was stopped after consulting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Swimming Federation (FINA). "We have come to the conclusion that the timely completion of the roof was not guaranteed and this could jeopardise the running of the competitions," Athens organisers said in a statement. "The IOC has been informed and immediately asked the Greek government and ATHOC to work on contingency plans...to ensure there will be no negative effects for athletes, the sport and broadcasters," it said. The roof had been planned to shade swimmers from Athens' searing summer temperatures and allow high-quality broadcasting of events. While the roof was not an Olympics-related project, it was important for broadcasters because swimming and water polo competitions have been scheduled for midday when the light is brightest. But according to officials, the swimming events were likely to be shifted to early morning and late afternoon to avoid direct sunlight hitting the pool allowing athletes to compete in cooler temperatures. "We are very relieved and so is the IOC and the government with this decision," an ATHOC source told Reuters, adding that organisers would now increase lighting around the pool for the afternoon competitions and add temporary shading above the grandstands. "PERSONAL DECISION" "It was a personal decision by the Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis after being briefed by ATHOC and the IOC. It was a tough decision to make," the source said. Athens will hold the first outdoor swimming events since the 1992 Games in Barcelona. The decision to scrap the roof is the third major shift in organisers' plans since a conservative government came to power in the March 7 election, ending more than a decade of socialist rule. "Seven years after winning the bid and less than 150 days before the start of the Games there are still pending issues," Karamanlis told Parliament on Saturday. "But we are enforcing new, intensive rhythms...and despite delays we are certain we will organise a successful Games." Since Karamanlis came to power, landscaping for the start of the marathon has been trimmed and the transport ministry has scaled down building of a rail line linking the nearby port of Piraeus to central Athens. The actions to get the Games ready in time were part of the "tough decisions" that IOC chief Jacques Rogge demanded when he met Karamanlis a week ago. "This was a wise decision which frees us from more serious problems we could have faced in the coming months if work on the roof started," ATHOC spokesman Serafim Kotrotsos told Reuters. More than half of the venues are not finished, including the main Olympic stadium which will not be ready until three weeks before Games start on August 13. http://www.reuters.com/locales....4611490 Too little, too late. 150 days to go, and still the majority of the venues are not even close to being completed. Will this be the Olympics that the IOC would rather forget? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
llauma 0 Posted March 21, 2004 This is just how Greece works.. Nothing get's done, nothing get's done and then suddenly everything is ready. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ex-RoNiN 0 Posted March 21, 2004 (Llauma @ Mar. 21 2004,10:56) said: This is just how Greece works.. Nothing get's done, nothing get's done and then suddenly everything is ready. Exactly By the way, the majority of the venues are complete. According to the BBC, 24 out of 35 are ready The big problems are the swimming pool, the funky roof for the olympic stadium, and the road from Marathonas into town - the company doing that went into liquidation What pisses me off is the cost - it could have cost 30% less, but Greece has developed a culture of pocketing project money Did you know that the overhaul of the National Gardens cost 1M €? What was done? Some benches, a hut for tools, new sand on the walkways and some new watering stuff was added. Waste of money Whilst I am no fan of the conservatives, I do hope they clear things out. We have been in power for far too long and haven't tapped into our potential. Good luck to Kosta anyway But yeah, the games will be ready, you will see some things held together with blue tack and gum, but things WILL be ready Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lee_h._oswald 0 Posted March 21, 2004 Nah, they just want to keep the "ruine style look" of their buildings! MfG Lee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apollo 0 Posted March 21, 2004 less building's=less chance for terrorist attack's I got a vision recently where some Libian transport accidently paradroped a bunch of Nile crocodile's onto the olympic swimingpool ,wich will lead to a smasching new world record and a new and popular olympic swimming decipline. About the roof of the Olympic stadium ,given the builing contracter's i bet that at the start of the olympic's that stadium will have a roof that will strongly look like the Hull of an ocean vessel put upsidedown above it. (glued to the "super" structure) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Balschoiw 0 Posted March 21, 2004 [b said: Quote[/b] ]less building's=less chance for terrorist attack's You don´t need to have buildings for a terrorist attack. It´s bad planning and corruption that keeps the greek from finishing buildings as planned. Anyway I have a good chance of going there for security reasons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apollo 0 Posted March 21, 2004 [b said: Quote[/b] ]You don´t need to have buildings for a terrorist attack.It´s bad planning and corruption that keeps the greek from finishing buildings as planned. Well .. actually that comment was ment to make an ass of the Greek olympic comitee ,they are pumping all that money in security anyway with the "hughe" chance of an terrorist attack on the olympic's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MSpencer 0 Posted March 21, 2004 I think they won't be ready, and that nothing will happen. If it does, Greek Navy Special Forces will respond, they've been training constantly for some time now. Of course, all this security is the most prepared ever in the history of the Olympics and any worldwide event. It'll take one hell of a lot of bombs to kill them all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozanzac 0 Posted March 22, 2004 (Ex-RoNiN @ Mar. 21 2004,21:06) said: But yeah, the games will be ready, you will see some things held together with blue tack and gum, but things WILL be ready   That's the biggest concern though, or at least it would be if I were competing. All the venues will be so new, that proper testing could not possibly be complete in time. It is very likely that alot of the glitches, no matter how obvious, will not be ironed out, and that takes time. Something that there isn't much left of. Here's part of an Editorial from the London Free Press. [b said: Quote[/b] ]And one personal note: The media village will not be air conditioned even though it was supposed to be. Be forewarned: Those covering the Games will be more grumpy and smelly than usual. That's not gonna be great for publicity! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites