ATHENS, (Reuters):OLYMPIC OFFICIALS banished long-standing fears that Athens would not be ready for August's Games, giving the Greek capital the green light yesterday.
Denis Oswald, the International Olympic Committee's chief inspector, had repeatedly warned organisers about delays in building facilities but he said his confidence was now sky-high.
"In the past we had doubts. I am very happy to report that all these doubts have disappeared," Oswald told reporters after a final three-day inspection that included talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Athens Games officials.
"We had a lot of yellow or red spots before, indicating some projects were at risk," Oswald said. "In construction now, nearly all is green.
"No single project is at risk. Everything will be delivered on time. A full test on a Games scale will be possible," he added. "I am very confident."
The Greeks have endured withering criticism about the pace of their preparations for the Games that begin on August 13.
Security precautions came under the spotlight last week, when three small bombs exploded without causing casualties near an Athens police station. Greek police blamed the attack on local radicals, who have staged similar bombings.
NOTHING TO CRITICISE
Despite the bombing, Oswald found nothing to criticise in a one-billion dollar security effort that includes the involvement of NATO. The amount is nearly four times the amount spent on the 2000 Sydney Games. "It (the bombing) was a very local activity," Oswald said. "It happens from time to time. It did not happen in a secured Olympic area. This can happen everywhere (in the world).
"It does not effect our assessment on security."
In a sign of their new-found confidence, Athens organisers admitted during Oswald's visit that they had wasted the first three years of preparations, mainly due to political infighting about the awarding of major projects.
Oswald's visit started on Monday when builders successfully began sliding a huge steel roof over the main Olympic stadium - one of the IOC's biggest concerns.
Athens Olympics chief Gianna Angelopoulos said organisers had made up for the lost time.
"Athens has won back three years of lost time ... it's a fact that we are completing a seven-year project in four years," Angelopoulos told Oswald.
"We had promised that Greece was fit for the Games and we are keeping this promise."
More than half the venues, as well as major infrastructure projects, including new train and tram lines, are still weeks from completion, unlike previous Games when most preparations were in place months before the opening ceremony.
Builders are still working round the clock and the Athens landscape changes daily as projects are completed.
