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Focus
turns to Paralympics
as
one-year countdown to Sept. 2004 Games commences
 Exactly
a year to the day before the Opening Ceremony of the 12th
Paralympic Games, in the Greek capital from Sept. 17 to 28 next
year, Athens 2004 Organising Committee (ATHOC) President Gianna
Angelopoulou-Daskalaki unveiled the Medal and the Mascot of the
Games at a special event held at organisers’ state-of-the-art
Nea Ionia district headquarters.
The
event capped off a week of high-profile attention on the 12th
Paralympic Games, with International Paralympic Committee
officials joined by ministers, local sports federation
representatives, MPs and athletes.
In
a brief address, Angelopoulou-Daskalaki said that as far as
ATHOC was concerned, the upcoming Paralympics were a top-notch
athletic event, equal to the Olympic Games.
“We
at Athens 2004 – along with the government entities involved
and the ministry of culture – treat it as such … I would
remind you that Athens 2004 is the first Organising Committee to
have assumed the joint preparation of both events – the
Olympic and the Paralympic Games.
“…
We are very proud that in September 2004, exactly a year
from today, Greece will have the pleasure and honour of hosting
the Paralympic Games for the first time. Thus, the 12th
Paralympic Games will essentially be a continuation of a great
global celebration, which will begin with the Opening Ceremony
of the Olympic Games on Aug. 13, 2004 and will end with the
Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Sept. 28, 2004. We
call on all mankind to participate in this great celebration.”
In
citing some figures for the Paralympics, she said some 4,000
athletes from a record number of countries (142) will
participate.
Referring
to a past lukewarm interest by the major media for the Games,
she noted:
“…
it is true that the media have not given the Paralympic Games
the coverage they deserve. We hope this will change. I can
assure you -- as our athletes who are here today will confirm --
that all athletes in the Paralympic Games have to train hard for
several years in order to take part in the Games. The athletes
of the Paralympic Games struggle to offer us highlights in the
history of sport - moments just as exciting as those in the
Olympic Games.
Paralympics’
medal, mascot
In
presenting the new medal and mascot, the ATHOC chief said:
 “As
in the case of the emblem, we sought a medal which would reflect
the visual identity of the Paralympic Games as well as the
contemporary image of Athens 2004”.The design of the medal
depicts the emblem and refers to the city and year, with the
words “12th Paralympic Games Athens 2004” inscribed in both
Greek and in Braille. The Acropolis is depicted on the reverse
of the medal with an engraving, differentiating the medal of the
Athens Paralympic Games from those of previous events. The medal
of the 12th Paralympic Games was designed by Konstantinos
Kazakos.
Based
on the above specifications, the mascot’s creators searched
for an image that would best portray the four unique values for
the Paralympic Games: inspiration, strength, pursuit,
celebration.
One
inspiration came from the sea -- a core element of Greek culture
through the millennia. The sea element has provided Greek
mythology with numerous gods and characters, as well as a series
of heroes who have managed to overcome human limitations and
offer thrilling moments and narrations with their achievements.
Therefore,
a sea horse (hippocampus) – named Proteas -- was chosen as the
mascot for the 2004 Paralympic Games. The name comes from a
divinity of the Greek mythology and embraces the notion of
excellence that is a core notion of the Paralympic Games. The
Greek word “protos” means first in rank, excellent.
IPC
chief
In
his comments, IPC President Phil Craven cited what he said was
significant progress, especially with venue construction, as
well as with the completion of the Olympic and Paralympic
Village.
“I
do not see it as a problem that Athens is dug up at the moment
and many, many works are taking place. When they are completed
Athens will be a wonderful city, and we are not at the Games
yet, we are one year out of the Games … Here you have two of
the world leaders in accessibility that are making sure that the
venues, villages and all the infrastructure are as accessible as
possible. I want to congratulate you once again”.
Culture
minister
On
his part, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the
organisation of the Paralympic Games has double the importance
for Greece, as the “moral achievement is double. It is an
athletic, competitive and a social achievement”.
“We
want our country to be one that is friendly to individuals with
disabilities and individuals with special needs. We want to make
up for chronic infrastructure deficiencies. We want our country
and our society to be accessible to individuals with
disabilities and individuals with special needs. Accessibility
for our country and accessibility for our society do not just
mean the development of necessary technical infrastructures in
all public areas, all public buildings, private buildings of
importance and, of course, all sports and cultural
infrastructures - the Acropolis being a prime example. It also
means something more - that the hearts of citizens must become
accessible to individuals with disabilities,” he said.
Finally,
ATHOC Managing Director Ioannis Spanudakis touched on progress
in preparations for the Paralympic Games, whereas ATHOC’s
general manager for the Paralympics, Ioanna Karyofylli,
described urban accessibility as one of the major legacies
expected to be inherited from the 2004 Games.
Currently,
both the central government and local administrations
(townships, municipalities and prefectures) are involved with
planning, whereas the “HERMES – Accessible Choice”
programme targets increased accessibility vis-à-vis businesses
and stores. The latter programme is being implemented in
cooperation with the various chambers of commerce in Athens and
another three “Olympic cities” -- Thessaloniki, Patra and
Volos.
Athletes
with disability to attempt swim across half the Aegean
as
part of inaugural Aegeathlon
Five
athletes with a disability and two swimmers/coaches will attempt
to swim across the Aegean this month, setting off from Cape
Sounion, in the extreme southeastern portion of Attica
prefecture, in an effort to reach the western Cyclades island of
Milos in five days.
Intermediate
stops will be the other Cyclades islands of Kythnos, Serifos,
Sifnos and Kimolos. The Cyclades, named for the their
circulation formation in the middle of the Aegean, are among the
most popular in the Mediterranean.
The
audacious project, dubbed “Aegeathlon”, takes its name from
the Greek word “athlos”, which means an extraordinary
achievement.
The
crossing comes exactly one year before the Paralympic Games of
2004 are hosted in Athens, with the initiative backed by ATHOC,
in fact. The aim of the project is to better inform and inspire
the public about Paralympic athletes’ potential and their
achievements. It also aims to promote the Aegean islands’
unrivalled beauty and culture.
The
distance between Cape Sounion and Milos is 145 km (78 nautical
miles). However, depending on weather and sea conditions during
the relay, athletes may swim even 160 to 170 km (85 – 92
nautical miles) a day.
Sounion
has long associated with the site where an imposing ancient
temple dedicated to the Olympian god of the sea, Poseidon, still
partially stands.
Athletes
are expected to set off early in the morning and swim
continuously, one after the other, until they reach their next
destination, all without the use of artificial limbs or swimming
aids, such as flippers. Experienced escorts will be nearby on
boats, while a medical team will also monitor the athletes
during the relay.
ATHOC
head briefs Greek president over preparations
 Greek
President Kostis Stephanopoulos received Athens 2004 Olympics
Organising Committee (ATHOC) chief Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki
this week, who briefed him on preparations for the 2004 Games.
Afterwards,
Angelopoulos-Daskalaki said it was important to keep the
country’s “first citizen” abreast over the progress of
Olympic preparations, while noting that Stephanopoulos has shown
a keen interest in Olympics preparations, so far.
Angelopoulou-Daskalaki
also briefed Communist Party of Greece (KKE) General Secretary
Aleka Papariga later in the week on preparations for the 2004
Olympics.
Afterwards, Papariga said her party was concerned over
the high costs of the Games, saying they had greatly exceeded an
initial budget, while also voicing concerns over whether
legitimate security needs may be used as a pretext to install
“police state-like” intervention and surveillance.
Reaction
to press report
Following
the meeting, the ATHOC head was also asked about a foreign
magazine article where the author claimed he paid an Albanian
guest worker at the main Olympic complex (OAKA) in order to
bypass security guards in order to inspect construction at the
venue. She responded by saying the incident was isolated, while
adding that another Australian correspondent who attempted to
sneak onto a 2004-related worksite was detained.
Angelopoulos-Daskalaki told reporters that although construction
firms are still wholly responsible for worksites, rather than
ATHOC, tight security is nevertheless mandated.
Finally,
she said journalists should take advantage of ATHOC’s
extensive tours of venue sites, tours that guarantee the safety
of all parties involved.
ATHOC
cites impressive Phase II ticket sales
The
second phase of ticket sales for the public was launched this
week, one that applies only to buyers who took part in phase
one. Sales started both at branches of Alpha Bank around the
country, and on the website www.athens2004.com/tickets
The
response from the public was reported as impressive, as during
the first three days of sales that the total value of orders
totaling 2.2 million euros.
According
to ATHOC, there are tickets available for most sports, even for
those that went into a random selection process during phase one
of sales, but at a different price level. During the phase two,
tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, with
immediate confirmation of sales, and provided the tickets
applied for, are available.
Phase
two will begin for EU and European Economic Area citizens on
Oct. 1.
Cuban
Olympic greats in Athens this week
 A
pair of legendary Cuban Olympians visited Athens last week for
talks with the country’s sports leadership and contacts with
ATHOC, as Cuban undersecretary for sports and 1976 Olympic
medallist Alberto Juantorena and world-class sprinter and
Olympic medallist Ana Fidelia Quirot arrived following the
recent signing of a Greece-Cuba bilateral sports cooperation
agreement.
“If
I were to choose an athlete from the past to participate in the
2004 Athens Games, I would pick Alberto Juantorena”, Deputy
Sports Minister George Lianis said after the meeting with his
Cuban counterpart.
Lianis
said Juantorena and Quirot were in Greece at a “very opportune
time”, 11 months before the Olympic Games begin in Athens.
He
also pledged support for the bilateral sports agreement, adding
that there would be a Greek team at a fencing world championship
scheduled next month in Havana.
Cuba’s
ambassador to Greece Jorge Quesada, a delegation from the
Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and several noted Greek
Olympians were also present at the meeting. The Cuban delegation
visited Greece at the invitation of the Parliament-represented
KKE.
ATHOC
to hire 6,000 extra staff for Games
Around
6,000 unemployed people, between 18-40, will be offered
temporary contracts ranging from three to 11 months for
positions within the Athens 2004 Organising Committtee (ATHOC),
according to a plan unveiled late this week by ATHOC and the
labour ministry.
Under the plan, presented by Labour Minister Dimitris
Reppas, Angelopoulou-Daskalaki and Manpower Employment
Organisation (OAED) governor Yiannis Nikolaou, ATHOC will hire
5,785 university, high school and technical school graduates
that are currently registered as unemployed. The programme aims
to ensure that ATHOC fields the necessary -- both in numbers and
skills -- staff during the Games.
The ATHOC chief later told reporters that Athens
organisers' staff now total 1,800 people and that the Games
would require around 6,000 people.
On his part, Reppas said the programme is included in EU
co-financed projects and budgeted at more than 17 million euros.
He said college graduates will be paid around 1,310 euros per
month, while high school and technical school graduates will be
paid around 1,000 euros per month.
ND reaction
In a sharply
worded reaction, main opposition New Democracy (ND) deputy Fani
Palli-Petralia said the programme was merely a ''pre-election
trade of hope with an Olympic backdrop''.
Palli-Petralia, who oversees the Olympic Games sector for
the main opposition party, charged that the government has
reneged on promises to keep the 2004 Games out of its campaign
strategy.
Olympian
view for Athens 2004 flag
 The
Athens 2004 flag will soon be flying atop Mytikas – better
known as “Zeus’ throne” – one of the highest peaks on
Mount Olympus, the highest and most celebrated mountain in
Greece.
During
a ceremony this week at the Dion archaeological site in
north-central Greece, ATHOC Managing Director Yiannis Spanudakis
presented the Athens 2004 flag to 60 climbers from the
prefecture of Pieria, where Dion – an ancient site revered by
Alexander the Great’s Macedonians – is located.
Spanudakis
referred to the symbolism of their quest to plant the flag on
the mountaintop where the ancient Greeks believed the pantheon
of “Olympians” dwelled.
The
Athens 2004 flag has already been planted on Mt. Elbrus in the
Caucasus; on Mt. Vinson in the Antarctic as well as on
Aconcagua, in the Andes.
PM
receives top Greek track and field athletes
 Greek
Prime Minister Costas Simitis this past week received several
Greek track and field stars that excelled at the recent world
athletics championships.
Meeting
with the athletes and Olympic hopefuls in his office, in the
presence of a handful of top ministers and sports officials, the
premier said: “With the medals that our champions won at
international meetings, they have elevated Greece even
higher.”
FINA
delegation inspects venues
 The
president of FINA, the Federation Internationale de Natation,
Mustapha Larfaoui, said he was absolutely satisfied with the
Olympic Aquatic Centre at Maroussi (next to the main Olympic
stadium), where the aquatics events will be held in 2004. “The
Maroussi Olympic Aquatic Centre is magnificent and we know this
from previous events. For us it is very important that all four
disciplines should be held in the same place – this was our
first priority”, he said, adding: “We are very pleased with
the answers we received and very confident that everything will
be ready on time, provided, of course, that the present pace of
work continues and schedules are kept”.
Larfaoui
and the entire FINA delegation also met with ATHOC’s top
leadership as well as with Nassos Alevras, the deputy culture
minister in charge of Olympic projects. One of the critical
aspects in preparations for the centre, namely, a new roof over
the outdoor swimming complex, dominated talks.
Pentathlon
federation officials tour venue,
meet
with organisers
The
president and the general secretary of the International Union
of Modern Pentathlon (UIPM), Klaus Schormann and Joël
Bouzou, respectively, last week visited the Olympic Modern
Pentathlon Centre in the Goudi district, a west Athens suburb,
where the venue for the pentathlon events is currently under
construction. The UIPM officials were also briefed by ATHOC
officials on preparations for a “test event” in December, as
well as on the actual tournament during next year’s Games. The
UIPM
delegation was also on hand in Greece for world junior’s
championships in the modern pentathlon, held in Athens earlier
this summer.
Ecclesiastical
leader offers backing
for
first-ever Greek nat’l baseball team
 Archbishop
of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos received members of
Greece’s ambitious national baseball team last week at his
office. Christodoulos, who has met repeatedly with ATHOC
officials over the years for briefings on Olympic preparations,
praised the team for their second place showing at the a recent
European zone championship last July in the Netherlands.
In
brief…
Greek
Public Order Minister George Floridis, who took over
from Mihalis Chrysohoidis at the ministry’s helm last month,
said in statements to the Arab-language “Al Jazeera”
satellite network this week that “the participation of
athletes from the Arab world is yet another opportunity to boost
Greek-Arab relations”. The comments came during a special
feature by the network on the upcoming Athens 2004 Olympic
Games. The high-profile Arab-language broadcaster also
downplayed the possibility of any attempted terrorist strike
during the closely watched Games.
The
official presentation of the eight softball teams that
qualified during the Olympic tournament here last month at the
new Olympic installations of Helleniko will be held at ATHOC’s
conference centre early next week. The leadership of the
International Softball Federation, Athens 2004 executives,
government officials and delegations from various athletic
federations will attend the event.
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