The games will be held in Athens. No question about that. Last year IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch handed the Greek capital a blunt warning that the 2004 Games could be in danger if they failed to improve their organization. It is a very good organising committee.
Deadlines have to be met.
If they continue at the same pace, we will have a fantastic Games. The media reports about Sydney and Seoul were discussed at a meeting on Friday attended by Michael Knight, Australia's former Olympic minister who ran last year's successful Sydney Games and who is advising the Greeks on their preparations. He said there was no way they would want to do it a second time. HOT TIP Rogge, a hot favorite to win July's vote for the IOC successor to Samaranch, said it would be impossible for another city to step in to organize an event which demanded major planning. Athens already had an impressive Olympic Stadium and swimming complex in place before it won the right to stage the Games in 1997.