Back in June, this article discussed the general feeling that Greece was in danger of missing their shot at the Olympics because of chronic and continuing construction delays.
Earlier this week, the LA Times had this headline: “Greece Might Not Be Up to Olympian Task; Olympics: Visiting IOC vows support, but construction woes, terrorism create worry about 2004 Games.
The Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles, Calif.; Sep 26, 2001” (sorry, it’s in the “for fee” archive).
So my question is, does anyone really expect them to get it together in time to host the Olympics? What will happen if they can’t get construction completed? (The LA Times article mentions that the beginning of the sailing trials are supposed to start in 10 months!)
I don’t know about the OP, but this reminded me of a question I’ve had for a long time. During the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, there’s the big parade of all of the athletes. The countries parade along in alphabetical order, with two exceptions. The first country is always Greece, since they started the Olympics, and the host country always goes last (good manners, I guess). So where does Greece go when it hosts the Olympics?
On a couple of different sports-related message boards, people are saying that if Greece isn’t ready, the games should be held in Sydney again, or in another city that hosted them recently and might be able to get their venues ready in a hurry. I don’t know if this is an idea that has actually been floated in any official circles, or if it’s just a general-consensus best-guess of what the IOC would do if this occurs.
I would WAG that Greece would simply go first, as they always do. For some reason it seems to me that that is the “more important” of the two ordering traditions.
There was similar talk in the 1980s, when there was unrest in Korea, that perhaps the 1988 games would have to be moved to LA from Seoul at the last minute. I also recall something about Innsbruck getting to host the winter games in 1976 because Denver pulled out fairly late. However, this site doesn’t indicate anything unusual in the selection.
I don’t know whether any Aussies were involved in these discussions but it would be unlikely Sydney could be made ready again in time. For example, the athletes village is now a residental suburb called Newington, and there aren’t many alternative sites.
I’m not sure that Sydney would want to stage them again anyway.
Mind you, this speculation has gone on to a certain degree with every modern Olympics. Melbourne in '56 was nearly cancelled at the last minute. Most of the noise is just IOC posturing and bullying.
I think the Greeks will put on a good show (effects of the “War on Terrorism” excepted) and the main Greek team will come into the stadium last.
It would be a huge embarrassment to both the IOC and Greece to have the Olympics moved. The Olympics are over 24 months away, I think any mention of moving the Olympics seems a bit premature at this time.
