G'day mates!
Yet another one of us..!
As you can understand we are all members in a similar forum in Greece and as info these days speads very quickly, it was not long before info about your forum got in our hands.
I guess you can understand some of the reactions and silly posts that registered in the last hours, but do try to consider also our anxiety about the OG2004 and the degree of readiness that we will have. As we have the previlege to see how things are progressing/changing every hour, it is very hard for us to accept all the bad publicity and comments that have been posted/written/broadcasted, especially during this running year!
In our forum in the last couple of years we have spent hours agonising about the progress of works and preparations, and lately we see things actually coming into their own, as they should have been almost a year now, but then again they were not...
Anyways i believe that it would be good if you find the time to visit our forum at "www.stadia.gr". It is in Greek with a small English section, but by browsing in the pages about the OG2004 you will find lots of pictures of the venues. I believe that the mods of the Greek Forum do not object in this invitation, it would be good to know/share yor experiences from the Games as well as the "after" usage and status of the venues in Sydney!
All the best!
Athens Olympic Stadium
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Mike D.
- Bronze
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 10:38 am
I feel I overreacted in my last 3 posts, so, I had to remove them.
Sorry guys....
Just asking you to place yourself into our position, and realize that what Greeks have been suffering all this time, is not just mere criticism; it goes further. Just refresh your memory and re-read the 3 first pages of this topic.
No time to explain anything else, afterall it's useless. The time has come and the truth will come up soon.
Cheers.
Sorry guys....
Just asking you to place yourself into our position, and realize that what Greeks have been suffering all this time, is not just mere criticism; it goes further. Just refresh your memory and re-read the 3 first pages of this topic.
No time to explain anything else, afterall it's useless. The time has come and the truth will come up soon.
Cheers.
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2004:The year of Greece
- Bronze
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:02 pm
Finally, I see that the peaceful and logical voices are increased in this forum... Lets be friends!! 
...As a traditional Greek , after Stratis I will also invite you in our Greek Forum www.stadia.gr/forum ...Dont forget that the meaning of the word <<Hospitality>>(Filoxenia in Greek )appeared first in Ancient Greece and was one of the most important things in the daily life of our ancestors.. ...We really want to help people have a good time and feel comfortable in our country!!
I think that we have the most well-informed forum in the Global Internet anout Athens Olympics...We are really crazy...Many members act as real Journalists and spend hours taking pictures and informing each other about the venues
To finish up,I feel the obligation to apologize about some really immature or very nervous co-patriots...But you have to understand them how bervous they became reading some posts here!!
Lets be friends!! ...As a traditional Greek , after Stratis I will also invite you in our Greek Forum www.stadia.gr/forum ...Dont forget that the meaning of the word <<Hospitality>>(Filoxenia in Greek )appeared first in Ancient Greece and was one of the most important things in the daily life of our ancestors.. ...We really want to help people have a good time and feel comfortable in our country!!I think that we have the most well-informed forum in the Global Internet anout Athens Olympics...We are really crazy...Many members act as real Journalists and spend hours taking pictures and informing each other about the venues
To finish up,I feel the obligation to apologize about some really immature or very nervous co-patriots...But you have to understand them how bervous they became reading some posts here!!
Last edited by 2004:The year of Greece on Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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marin
- Bronze
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:37 pm
Yes the question posed by theyearofgreece is one we are all anxious about...It would be nice to hear what happened after the lights went down, on Sydney. Any Sydney-siders?
Anyhow I would also like to profer here some of the reasons why the venues were delayed. In no way am I using this as an excuse, and I am not an apologist of our governments or ATHOC but there were some problems that are unique to Athens.
1. Our bureucracy, and multitude of laws were to blame for getting things started late. In addition to that consider the fact that under our constitution all big projects had to be publicly announced, and go through a bidding process. That alone cost us valuable time and hindsight is 20-20 as they say, so I think that there should have been an all comprising olympic law that would have dealt with this side of things.
Also they had to be advertised in the EU formal newspaper and get bogged down in further bureaucracy a fact that any EU country that bids for the games has to contest with.
2. We are fortunate enough to live in a city with a 4000 year past. While that may be inspirational and an amazing privilege it does create huge problems day to day. Every single project that started had to either relocate or stop until the archaeological excavations brought to light whatever they found and until the archaeologists were satisfied that nothing of major importance was destroyed. And in Greece whatever the archaeologists say goes! Noone disputes them!
I am sure that you are aware of the thousands of antiquities unearthed during the construction of our Metro system. To our credit we tried to accomodate all the findings at the spot where they were found wich resulted in Metro stations that double up as museums.
Even in the main OAKA comlex as we call our Olympic comlex during the foundation work for the Calatrava roof they found a whole irrigation plant/system complete with aquaducts and wells dating back to BC times. This again is now exhibited next to the stadium.
All in all these excavations are very very timeconsuming.
3. INFRASTRUCTURE. I cannot stress this enough because Athens before this olympic expedition did not possess a Metro or a brand new huge international airport, or the 250 km of brand new roads or the new Tram. In effect we yanked our city into the 21st century within 5 years a feat that given the afformantioned problems was nothing short of miraculous.
4.The deliberate political decision to build permenant structures resulting in 38 new or renovated permenant structures as opposed to the 9 of Barcelona (everything else was temporary).
5.I would also like to mention here if I may the security issue. This has long been a thorn on our side, but consider how the Sydney games would have to be protected if they were happening AFTER Sep the 11th, and given the fact that Australian government is an active participant of the coalition. The amount of stuff needed to protect these games borders on the ridiculous. We Greeks normally feel very safe in Athens and apart from the odd antiglobalisation/anarchist moron who thinks that destroying public property (ie small gas can or molotof coctail hurled towards the national bank) we never have felt threatened by international terrorism.
I hope this helps you all in understanding the pronlems and challenges Athens had to face and please let me know of your views and questions!
Marin
Anyhow I would also like to profer here some of the reasons why the venues were delayed. In no way am I using this as an excuse, and I am not an apologist of our governments or ATHOC but there were some problems that are unique to Athens.
1. Our bureucracy, and multitude of laws were to blame for getting things started late. In addition to that consider the fact that under our constitution all big projects had to be publicly announced, and go through a bidding process. That alone cost us valuable time and hindsight is 20-20 as they say, so I think that there should have been an all comprising olympic law that would have dealt with this side of things.
Also they had to be advertised in the EU formal newspaper and get bogged down in further bureaucracy a fact that any EU country that bids for the games has to contest with.
2. We are fortunate enough to live in a city with a 4000 year past. While that may be inspirational and an amazing privilege it does create huge problems day to day. Every single project that started had to either relocate or stop until the archaeological excavations brought to light whatever they found and until the archaeologists were satisfied that nothing of major importance was destroyed. And in Greece whatever the archaeologists say goes! Noone disputes them!
I am sure that you are aware of the thousands of antiquities unearthed during the construction of our Metro system. To our credit we tried to accomodate all the findings at the spot where they were found wich resulted in Metro stations that double up as museums.
Even in the main OAKA comlex as we call our Olympic comlex during the foundation work for the Calatrava roof they found a whole irrigation plant/system complete with aquaducts and wells dating back to BC times. This again is now exhibited next to the stadium.
All in all these excavations are very very timeconsuming.
3. INFRASTRUCTURE. I cannot stress this enough because Athens before this olympic expedition did not possess a Metro or a brand new huge international airport, or the 250 km of brand new roads or the new Tram. In effect we yanked our city into the 21st century within 5 years a feat that given the afformantioned problems was nothing short of miraculous.
4.The deliberate political decision to build permenant structures resulting in 38 new or renovated permenant structures as opposed to the 9 of Barcelona (everything else was temporary).
5.I would also like to mention here if I may the security issue. This has long been a thorn on our side, but consider how the Sydney games would have to be protected if they were happening AFTER Sep the 11th, and given the fact that Australian government is an active participant of the coalition. The amount of stuff needed to protect these games borders on the ridiculous. We Greeks normally feel very safe in Athens and apart from the odd antiglobalisation/anarchist moron who thinks that destroying public property (ie small gas can or molotof coctail hurled towards the national bank) we never have felt threatened by international terrorism.
I hope this helps you all in understanding the pronlems and challenges Athens had to face and please let me know of your views and questions!
Marin
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Jeffles
- Platinum
- Posts: 9499
- Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2002 8:44 pm
- Location: The Jet Set Lounge - Henson Park
Ela and Yasu to all the Greeks on our forum. I am of Portuguese heritage but am gallant enough to be civil with you all.
2004:The year of Greece, the use of Olympic Venues afgter the Games has come up in Sydney media this week. A local newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald, had a report on its front page Monday 26 July 2004. The Government of New South Wales subsidises Olympic venues in Sydney to the tune of $46m per year (25,000,000 Euro per year). There is a problem with attracting events but as residents of Sydney become more accustomed to the new venues, the venues obtain more business. Further, there will be new housing and commercial development around the Olympic sites. Previously there was none to accomodate the large crowds in the Olympic precinct. The new development should assist in drawing more people and events to the facilities.
Before the Olympics there was no such problem. The large number of test events as well as the Olympic Arts Festival was sufficient to keep the venues in good use.
Here is the article I referred to earlier.
Olympic sites give taxpayers rough ride
Date: July 26 2004
By Mark Coultan, Tim Dick and Sean Nicholls
NSW taxpayers are contributing about $46 million a year to keep struggling Olympic venues across Sydney open, four years after the "best ever" Games.
As well, the owners of the two biggest Olympic venues, Telstra Stadium and Sydney SuperDome, have deferred or, in SuperDome's case, failed to pay millions of dollars in levies since 2001, leaving taxpayers almost $6 million out of pocket.
The State Government trumpeted that Sydney's Games were paid for up front, leaving no debt for future generations.
But just a few years later, some venues are in deep trouble, most are losing money and many are costing taxpayers millions.
The privately run SuperDome at Homebush Bay recently went into receivership, after losing $10.5 million in the previous financial year. It has also failed to pay the annual $500,000 levy to the Sydney Olympic Park Authority since 2001, leaving the venue $2.2 million in debt, and rising.
The Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park receives a $1.3 million-a-year subsidy, or $310 for each of the 4185 riders who used it last financial year.
At the nearby Sydney International Shooting Centre in Cecil Park, taxpayers chip in $10 for each dollar the centre earns, or $1.1 million a year for the 5388 people who used it in 2003-04.
The $36 million International Regatta Centre, near Penrith, receives $1.7 million a year but operators say about 608,000 people visited it last year. Many of these use it as a dog walking venue rather than for rowing.
Blacktown Olympic Park, meanwhile, sucks up $1.26 million of funding, from the state and the local council, to allow about 300,000 people a year to visit.
And Fairfield Council spent $600,000 to build the Olympic mountain bike track but has closed it because too few people used it to justify the $50,000 maintenance bill.
The Premier, Bob Carr, said yesterday: "We went from having a deficit of sporting facilities to having an excess in some areas, but that was always going to be the case when you offer yourself for a world sporting festival and make the decision that you will not live with mediocrity or compromise."
But the Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said the amount of money spent on the venues needed to be reassessed.
"It's time that Carr stopped trading off past Olympic glory, and addressed the drain on the public purse," she said. "Where former Olympic sites are of no public good and are wasting public money, the Premier does need to stop the facade of the 'best Olympics ever' and end the mismanagement, and find useful community benefits for these white elephants."
However, it is not all red ink.
Telstra Stadium made a $12.4 million profit, its first, for the final six months of last year, helped by the Rugby World Cup.
And although the Penrith Whitewater Stadium, owned by the local council, receives no subsidy, it is faring better than most other venues. It lost $86,315 in 2002-03, but a $350,000 boost in operating revenue led Penrith Whitewater to forecast it would record a profit for 2003-04.
Elsewhere, problems remain.
So-called estate levies are paid by commercial tenants to the Olympic Park authority to cover costs including maintenance and security.
Telstra Stadium has arranged to defer more than $1.5 million in levies each year, with its total debt to the authority reaching $5 million early this year.
Under the agreement, the lessee, Stadium Australia Trust, began paying back the money in March, with interest. On Friday it repaid a further $550,000, bringing the total owing to $3.6 million. But the debt will not be cleared until March 2006.
SuperDome's lessee, Millennium Partnership, owned by Abigroup, has argued since 2001 that owing to its financial position it could not pay its annual $500,000 levy. It owes $2.18 million, but it is unclear when the money will be repaid, or by whom.
The chief executive of the authority, Brian Newman, said it had chased payment since 2001 but no arrangement had been made.
Repayment of the debt is now a condition of the sale of the SuperDome, which is out to tender. Bids close on August 6.
But Abigroup placed Millennium Partnership into receivership a month ago. Mr Newman said potential buyers had been told the debt must be paid as part of the sale. "We feel very comfortable that we will recover the levies from both of those facilities."
Telstra Stadium's chief executive, Ken Edwards, said the company had asked to defer the payments as part of a financial restructure and was also paying its levies as they fell due. Abigroup did not return calls.
2004:The year of Greece, the use of Olympic Venues afgter the Games has come up in Sydney media this week. A local newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald, had a report on its front page Monday 26 July 2004. The Government of New South Wales subsidises Olympic venues in Sydney to the tune of $46m per year (25,000,000 Euro per year). There is a problem with attracting events but as residents of Sydney become more accustomed to the new venues, the venues obtain more business. Further, there will be new housing and commercial development around the Olympic sites. Previously there was none to accomodate the large crowds in the Olympic precinct. The new development should assist in drawing more people and events to the facilities.
Before the Olympics there was no such problem. The large number of test events as well as the Olympic Arts Festival was sufficient to keep the venues in good use.
Here is the article I referred to earlier.
Olympic sites give taxpayers rough ride
Date: July 26 2004
By Mark Coultan, Tim Dick and Sean Nicholls
NSW taxpayers are contributing about $46 million a year to keep struggling Olympic venues across Sydney open, four years after the "best ever" Games.
As well, the owners of the two biggest Olympic venues, Telstra Stadium and Sydney SuperDome, have deferred or, in SuperDome's case, failed to pay millions of dollars in levies since 2001, leaving taxpayers almost $6 million out of pocket.
The State Government trumpeted that Sydney's Games were paid for up front, leaving no debt for future generations.
But just a few years later, some venues are in deep trouble, most are losing money and many are costing taxpayers millions.
The privately run SuperDome at Homebush Bay recently went into receivership, after losing $10.5 million in the previous financial year. It has also failed to pay the annual $500,000 levy to the Sydney Olympic Park Authority since 2001, leaving the venue $2.2 million in debt, and rising.
The Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park receives a $1.3 million-a-year subsidy, or $310 for each of the 4185 riders who used it last financial year.
At the nearby Sydney International Shooting Centre in Cecil Park, taxpayers chip in $10 for each dollar the centre earns, or $1.1 million a year for the 5388 people who used it in 2003-04.
The $36 million International Regatta Centre, near Penrith, receives $1.7 million a year but operators say about 608,000 people visited it last year. Many of these use it as a dog walking venue rather than for rowing.
Blacktown Olympic Park, meanwhile, sucks up $1.26 million of funding, from the state and the local council, to allow about 300,000 people a year to visit.
And Fairfield Council spent $600,000 to build the Olympic mountain bike track but has closed it because too few people used it to justify the $50,000 maintenance bill.
The Premier, Bob Carr, said yesterday: "We went from having a deficit of sporting facilities to having an excess in some areas, but that was always going to be the case when you offer yourself for a world sporting festival and make the decision that you will not live with mediocrity or compromise."
But the Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said the amount of money spent on the venues needed to be reassessed.
"It's time that Carr stopped trading off past Olympic glory, and addressed the drain on the public purse," she said. "Where former Olympic sites are of no public good and are wasting public money, the Premier does need to stop the facade of the 'best Olympics ever' and end the mismanagement, and find useful community benefits for these white elephants."
However, it is not all red ink.
Telstra Stadium made a $12.4 million profit, its first, for the final six months of last year, helped by the Rugby World Cup.
And although the Penrith Whitewater Stadium, owned by the local council, receives no subsidy, it is faring better than most other venues. It lost $86,315 in 2002-03, but a $350,000 boost in operating revenue led Penrith Whitewater to forecast it would record a profit for 2003-04.
Elsewhere, problems remain.
So-called estate levies are paid by commercial tenants to the Olympic Park authority to cover costs including maintenance and security.
Telstra Stadium has arranged to defer more than $1.5 million in levies each year, with its total debt to the authority reaching $5 million early this year.
Under the agreement, the lessee, Stadium Australia Trust, began paying back the money in March, with interest. On Friday it repaid a further $550,000, bringing the total owing to $3.6 million. But the debt will not be cleared until March 2006.
SuperDome's lessee, Millennium Partnership, owned by Abigroup, has argued since 2001 that owing to its financial position it could not pay its annual $500,000 levy. It owes $2.18 million, but it is unclear when the money will be repaid, or by whom.
The chief executive of the authority, Brian Newman, said it had chased payment since 2001 but no arrangement had been made.
Repayment of the debt is now a condition of the sale of the SuperDome, which is out to tender. Bids close on August 6.
But Abigroup placed Millennium Partnership into receivership a month ago. Mr Newman said potential buyers had been told the debt must be paid as part of the sale. "We feel very comfortable that we will recover the levies from both of those facilities."
Telstra Stadium's chief executive, Ken Edwards, said the company had asked to defer the payments as part of a financial restructure and was also paying its levies as they fell due. Abigroup did not return calls.
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loipol
- Bronze
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:13 am
i was searching for infos about the stadium and i found that foto.
i can't understant how they finished the consruction of the park while before 3 months they hadn't made any work at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EDITED BY SITE ADMIN: Sorry, have removed the photo and replaced it with a link to the image, just because it's so big and makes it hard to read all the other posts (you have to scroll right across).
http://briefcase.pathfinder.gr/download ... aka1_h.jpg
i can't understant how they finished the consruction of the park while before 3 months they hadn't made any work at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EDITED BY SITE ADMIN: Sorry, have removed the photo and replaced it with a link to the image, just because it's so big and makes it hard to read all the other posts (you have to scroll right across).
http://briefcase.pathfinder.gr/download ... aka1_h.jpg
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Madrix
- Bronze
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:13 am
First of all..a big and warm hello to our Australian friends. Greece, the spiritual birth place of the Ancient and Modern Olympics wants to thank you for keeping the standards of the Olympic spirit so high during the 2000 games. In a world of commercial exploitation and broadcasting rights you managed to host green, safe, organised and exciting Games. You showed to the world how it should be done after the dissapointing, in my opinion, 1996 Atlanta Games. We Greeks, can only learn from you and try our best to repeat your success. We just want to inject a little bit of identity back to the Games that seems it has been faded after all this time being away. We are as excited as you were, just by thinking that some of the events will take place in the exact location it all started 4,000 years ago..like the Marathon route!
One last comment before I leave this forum. Please, I mean please..just because you read negative things about Greece on a Newspaper or you saw unfinished venues on the TV screen, do not think this is the case two weeks before the Games! The worst nightmaire of our times is called Mass Media and their ability to manipulate public opinion. All they have to do is to catch an old phrase from a politician, mix it up with some old and new images, a few contruction workers thrown in and you've got the worst, most unreal impression. Do not forget that those who run the media are humans..and humans have weaknesses like arrogance, gridiness, hate and biasm. Do not ask me why British, American and Australian media are so against us..I can answer but requires deep political analysis of how the world changed after September the 11th.
Just wait to judge for yourself when for almost a month, the Greek national TV will have the exclusive rights to broadcast the beauty of the city of Athens, the state of the art venues and the Hospitality/Friendlyness of Greeks. Finally, I believe that apart from the media, people have power too so I am asking you to tell your friends, relatives, fellow country people to keep an open mind, and do not rush to quick conclusions, that's all.
Thank you for reading this.
EDIT
I recomment to our Australian friends to visit the English speaking version of our Greek forum so they can have a voice there, as we Greeks have here..
http://www.stadia.gr/intro.html
One last comment before I leave this forum. Please, I mean please..just because you read negative things about Greece on a Newspaper or you saw unfinished venues on the TV screen, do not think this is the case two weeks before the Games! The worst nightmaire of our times is called Mass Media and their ability to manipulate public opinion. All they have to do is to catch an old phrase from a politician, mix it up with some old and new images, a few contruction workers thrown in and you've got the worst, most unreal impression. Do not forget that those who run the media are humans..and humans have weaknesses like arrogance, gridiness, hate and biasm. Do not ask me why British, American and Australian media are so against us..I can answer but requires deep political analysis of how the world changed after September the 11th.
Just wait to judge for yourself when for almost a month, the Greek national TV will have the exclusive rights to broadcast the beauty of the city of Athens, the state of the art venues and the Hospitality/Friendlyness of Greeks. Finally, I believe that apart from the media, people have power too so I am asking you to tell your friends, relatives, fellow country people to keep an open mind, and do not rush to quick conclusions, that's all.
Thank you for reading this.
EDIT
I recomment to our Australian friends to visit the English speaking version of our Greek forum so they can have a voice there, as we Greeks have here..
http://www.stadia.gr/intro.html
Last edited by Madrix on Fri Jul 30, 2004 5:28 am, edited 6 times in total.
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cam
- Gold
- Posts: 2671
- Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2002 1:05 am
- Location: Melbourne
- Contact:
Welcome Greeks to the Austadiums forum! Hope you continue to visit in the future.. Good to see things have calmed down a bit. I tend to keep the forum flowing by not editing or deleting posts, that's something I pride this site on. So I'd appreciate it if I don't have to take any 'moderator' action. I live in Melbourne, which has the highest population of Greeks outside of Greece, so I'm certainly used to you all!!!
Anyway, to put in my 2 cents worth, I can't wait for the Olympic action to kick off. The venues look fantastic. However I don't like the main stadium too much. As the centre-piece of every Olympics, I think the main stadium really needs to be the standout venue. It really should have been built from scratch. And it's disappointing you couldn't get the roof done for the Swimming complex - it'll be interesting to see how everything goes here. Apart from that, everything looks great. 4 years is a long time in the progress of stadium design, they are bound to get better and better for each Olympics.
One thing which annoys me, in regards to the television coverage, is that the games wont be covered in 16:9. Sales of Digital TV's are booming here in Aus, would have been great to see all the action in digital wide-screen. It has been confirmed the next Olympics will be done in the digital format.
I live in Melbourne, which has the highest population of Greeks outside of Greece, so I'm certainly used to you all!!!Anyway, to put in my 2 cents worth, I can't wait for the Olympic action to kick off. The venues look fantastic. However I don't like the main stadium too much. As the centre-piece of every Olympics, I think the main stadium really needs to be the standout venue. It really should have been built from scratch. And it's disappointing you couldn't get the roof done for the Swimming complex - it'll be interesting to see how everything goes here. Apart from that, everything looks great. 4 years is a long time in the progress of stadium design, they are bound to get better and better for each Olympics.
One thing which annoys me, in regards to the television coverage, is that the games wont be covered in 16:9. Sales of Digital TV's are booming here in Aus, would have been great to see all the action in digital wide-screen. It has been confirmed the next Olympics will be done in the digital format.
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marin
- Bronze
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:37 pm
Hello Cam. I think that now that things have calmed down we will be coming in to try and feed you "live" information or pictures from the venues.
Any questions you have with regards to the different venues you can ask us.
As far as the main stadium is concerned, of course what one likes and dislikes in design terms is subjective, however I think that you might possibly like it a bit more, when you see it on TV. Most people agree though that this one is one to visit rather than anything else.
By the way what times are the Olympics going to be broadcasting over there? Some of the scheduling must be for the night owls if they are live feeds!
Any questions you have with regards to the different venues you can ask us.
As far as the main stadium is concerned, of course what one likes and dislikes in design terms is subjective, however I think that you might possibly like it a bit more, when you see it on TV. Most people agree though that this one is one to visit rather than anything else.
By the way what times are the Olympics going to be broadcasting over there? Some of the scheduling must be for the night owls if they are live feeds!
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MinoanCrete
- Bronze
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 11:14 pm
- Location: Hellas Greece Athens
Hello Forum and hi to all Australians from the sunny Athens...
Well after many many, too many words, writen on press or spoken on TV,the past 2 years, good for us some times, bad for us most times, we've finally managed to win the bet....
Yes it seems we are ready to drive the race.
98% of all the job's that we had to complete as a Host Country are finished. ( The 2% is for example, not enough quantities of DELTA ice cream(official sponsor of the games) , Greek Coffee (not official sponsor), Souvlaki with pitta and mousaka (both very official) in order to cover the needs of all visitors, but we try hard to solve those proplems...
).
I am sure you will enjoy these games either by coming here in Athens or by staying infront of your TV set's in Australia.
And don't forget IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING - Greece Euro2004 Champions 
Well after many many, too many words, writen on press or spoken on TV,the past 2 years, good for us some times, bad for us most times, we've finally managed to win the bet....
Yes it seems we are ready to drive the race.
98% of all the job's that we had to complete as a Host Country are finished. ( The 2% is for example, not enough quantities of DELTA ice cream(official sponsor of the games) , Greek Coffee (not official sponsor), Souvlaki with pitta and mousaka (both very official) in order to cover the needs of all visitors, but we try hard to solve those proplems...
).I am sure you will enjoy these games either by coming here in Athens or by staying infront of your TV set's in Australia.
And don't forget IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING - Greece Euro2004 Champions
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stadiumking
- Gold
- Posts: 1769
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 5:31 pm
- Location: Melbourne
probably a good thing that i have joined once everything has calmed down!!
i was laboriously reading through all the long posts and i agree with a comment made that although Greece and its stadiums/progress etc has had shite publicity, we cant really judge how the actual olympics are compared with others until they have actually happened.
they might get a 1/10 for deadlines and meeting them, but the real show starts at the opening ceremony. i have my opinions and reservations on the greeks and their olympics and all the hooha about it, but my proper judgement starts in 2 weeks.
on the subject of the stadiums, i do agree that they are a bit lacking in some areas (cant for the life of me pinpoint them) but they look like fantastic olympic venues.........im wondering if the seats have actually been put in yet!
and the view from one of them is awesome
i was laboriously reading through all the long posts and i agree with a comment made that although Greece and its stadiums/progress etc has had shite publicity, we cant really judge how the actual olympics are compared with others until they have actually happened.
they might get a 1/10 for deadlines and meeting them, but the real show starts at the opening ceremony. i have my opinions and reservations on the greeks and their olympics and all the hooha about it, but my proper judgement starts in 2 weeks.
on the subject of the stadiums, i do agree that they are a bit lacking in some areas (cant for the life of me pinpoint them) but they look like fantastic olympic venues.........im wondering if the seats have actually been put in yet!
and the view from one of them is awesome
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cam
- Gold
- Posts: 2671
- Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2002 1:05 am
- Location: Melbourne
- Contact:
We have 2 free-to-air channels covering the games. The main broadcaster, Channel 7, will have coverage pretty much 24 hours a day I think. The other broadcaster, SBS, will be doing 15 hours a day - mostly the team sports like Soccer, Hockey etc. I'm not sure what SBS is doing in regards to Digital TV, but I'm sure they'll offer different camera angles etc. Channel 7 will do this, as well as have a special Olympics channel which shows vision as well as Olympic news, medal tally, upcoming events and results. All this information is also available on the Teletext (aka Austext) service as well as their Olympics website which is opening soon.
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perthsmike
- Bronze
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2002 9:18 pm
- Location: Perth
Yep, Channel 7 sure do go bonkers with the Olympics. It wont surprise me if we have 24 hours of Athens for the whole two weeks. So I'm looking forward to 336 straight hours of Athens viewing 
What time zone is Athens on? I know perth (the west of Australia) is +8 and the east is +10 isn't it?
I'll be furious if its not in digital. Just recently went out got all the gear, widescreen tv, digi box everything (especially prior to Athens) and now they aren;t even gonna use it!! grrr not happy.
thanks for the pics and info on the soccer stadiums, all looking nice.
mike
What time zone is Athens on? I know perth (the west of Australia) is +8 and the east is +10 isn't it?
I'll be furious if its not in digital. Just recently went out got all the gear, widescreen tv, digi box everything (especially prior to Athens) and now they aren;t even gonna use it!! grrr not happy.
thanks for the pics and info on the soccer stadiums, all looking nice.
mike