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Was Athens a mistake?


aaronaugi1

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Hello all,

After having the Olympics in my home country, and my home city (Sydney) i know what it take to make an Olympics games good.

Athens is alreaddy way behind in construction, are low on funds and most of all , lack community spirit. When the game came to Sydney, what made them so good was that everyone in Australia got behind the games. This has not been shown in Athens.

There buildings are old, there new ones are not finished, the opening ceremony is still in planning, could things get any worse for Athens? Was this the biggest ever mistake the IOC ever made?

As we look at the great success of the Sydney games and we know just how good Beijing is going to be , was Athens really thinking straight when they bidded for the games, then accepted them?

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hey ,

did your country build a brandnew subway system, airport, highways.hospitals, bridges including all of the olympic venues (most of them are done), while also maintaining a defence budget that outspends the UK on military programs. Not bad for a country of 10 million people. Here's a suggestion why don't you and your Anglo buddies go look for the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq .

Please dont attack other users... Please! :)

The Administrator

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Heres another thing, the reason why Sdney and Beijing arnt building new brand new highways and subway systems, is becuaese, they have enough roads and a good enough transport system to support the games. Also, they have 2 of the most secure and well maintained airports in the world.

With the military budget, we are not forcing you to spend all that money, when the Sydney games were held they got 1500 threats of a terrorist attack, but even with there small budget, managed to keep the games safe. Just because you spend alot of money, doesnt mean you are getting quality (not saying that Athens will have bad security, i bet they will have better then Sydney)

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Athens airports isn't well maintened really? your right because why would they win awards like those below.

ATA "Global Airport Monitor"

Athens International Airport achieves top world ranking for 2002

Athens International Airport is the new leader in the world in its category, according to the annual results of IATA

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Once again i am sorry if i have offended anyone in relation to this topic. But i think you have misred what i have posted. I never mentioned that the Airports in Athens, or Greece were not maintian!. I said that the airports in Sydney and Beijing were very secure and well maintianed. i did not say Athens wasnt!

On to the budget, with the sources avalible to me, it has come to me, the Athens has a far greater security budget then that of Sydney Atlanta Barcelona and Souel. But news groups and sporting magazines do not always provide, acurate information, lol.!

I can not denay what we and our "Angelo" buddys have done in Iraq. But my i ask, if your not a supporter of the war, how can you sit back and live thinking that thousands of people are getting killed in Iraq FOR NOT VOTING FOR SADDAM in an election!!!! Not to say this is the only way the current government has ruined the country.

(Also Saddam has stolen over 1b dollars worth of oil revenue and sold it to terrorist for weapons and military ammunition)

On to Australia and its vast area to build on. I must admit that Australia has a far greater area to host and construct an Olympic Games. But, not all of this land is suitiable to build on, MORE THEN 50% of australian land is desert.

(You also have to notice that living in a large country is always a good things, transportation is a big problem)

I am an Aboriginal person and i think that the coments made by people from ovr seas countrys are over rated. If anything aboriginal-white australian relations are better then any other places in the world. Just about the whole Sydney 2000 games, the lead up, the opening ceremony, and the closing ceremony were based around our strong relations with each other.

The Sydney Harboure Bridge, The Rocks, The Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, Taranga Zoo, Luna Park, Fort Denison, Sydney Tower, The SCG, Bondii Beach, Manly, Botnay Bay, Darling Harboure, Aussie Stadium, Governmaent House, Centenial Park, are just some of Sydneys world famous attractions, although Athens may have alot more hostory to it, and in some cases more touristic buildings, but i would point out that Sydney is only 200years old, Athens is more then 1000 years old.

Aaron Augi

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Can I ask what point are you are trying to make in comparing Sydney to Athens. They are two entirely different places, with their own separate identity, history and culture. By listing a zoo and a park among your list of 'world famous attactions', I really am struggling to find any relevance in your postings.

The fact that Athens has a higher security budget than Sydney, Atlanta, Barcelona and Seoul is a sad reflection of the vulnerable position the world finds itself today due to terrorism. This should not be an excuse for self satisfaction or back slapping, as the cost of securing the games would be high in any city in the world today. In reference to the bombings in Bali and Madrid, nowhere can be 100% safe at the moment.

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hey ,

did your country build a brandnew subway system, airport, highways.hospitals,  bridges including all of the olympic venues (most of them are done), while also maintaining a defence budget that outspends the UK on military programs. Not bad for a country of 10 million people. Here's a suggestion why don't you and your Anglo buddies go look for the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq .

Please dont attack other users... Please!  :) 

The Administrator

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Yes more then 2000 years acctully, but u must cut them some slack

In regards to the Sydney v Athens, i am trying to make it a competion and saying how good Sydney is and how bad Athens is, not for one second would i think that Athens was a BAD or no diserving city of the games. I can say that Sydney is not a perfect place to live either, but i am just trying to prove a point, that Athens has not lived up to the expectations that the world has previousl thought they would do so. This does not mean that Athens will not pull off a great Olympics

Onto the budget, once again it is not a competion to see who can have the securest games, but i believe that everything in Athens powers should be done to protect the games. I think that the only reason Australia was not attack is because 1. Its isloation from the rest of the world, 2. Its none involvement in world issues, eg trade, war, and 3. That Australia ussually slips under the radar and goes unnoticed, which in this case is a good thing.

I am sure, with the current time remaining, Athens may fall short of what the have planned for the games, but with out a doubt will blow the likes of SOME previous games out of the water

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You can come up with all the jealous smack talk you like, until the closing ceremony is complete, and the games have concluded, you cannot really say much. Athens will be a better Olympics than Sydney. Sydney had no history, no falir, it was BORING. Venues were very basic, lame. Half of the events took place in "Convention Centre's".... we have built new, world class, modern venues to host most events.

Check out the other topic, to get my full response. :)

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Please do not have a go at a country you have proboly never been to. You can not say that Sydney was boring, had no flair. If this is so, why did the IOC say it was the best Olympic Games EVER. It has been proclaimed as one of the greatest all time sporting achievements!!! I am sure Athens will do just as well as Sydney but you must recognise that Australia has held 2 olympics considering its history of only 100 years. You can not say anything about ceromonies. Melbourne was the first city to have a PROPER closing ceremoney will dancers and music, unlike those that had procceded it.

Sydney built more NEW sporting facilities for the olympic games then what Athen has so far. I think you need to check you information. Also you so called "convention centre" comment, there was only a FEW events acctully held at the Sydney Convention Centre. Atleast we can put a roof on a swimming stadium and get it finished in time

I am soory if i have offended anyone but with comments that the user ATHENS 2004 has made, nobody can not feel angry

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And to say Sydney has no history! Bah, you obviously know little of places over seas, lol, I would say Athens and Sydney have both very interesting things about them. You must not forget that Sydney is only 200 year old and has been voted into the top 5 of the best places to live for more the 10 years, and won it in 2000,2001

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Please do not have a go at a country you have proboly never been to. You can not say that Sydney was boring, had no flair. If this is so, why did the IOC say it was the best Olympic Games EVER. It has been proclaimed as one of the greatest all time sporting achievements!!! I am sure Athens will do just as well as Sydney but you must recognise that Australia has held 2 olympics considering its history of only 100 years. You can not say anything about ceromonies. Melbourne was the first city to have a PROPER closing ceremoney will dancers and music, unlike those that had procceded it.

Sydney built more NEW sporting facilities for the olympic games then what Athen has so far. I think you need to check you information. Also you so called "convention centre" comment, there was only a FEW events acctully held at the Sydney Convention Centre. Atleast we can put a roof on a swimming stadium and get it finished in time

I am soory if i have offended anyone but with comments that the user ATHENS 2004 has made, nobody can not feel angry

I sat home and watched the Olympics unfold. THEY WERE BORING. Did they go smoothly? Yes. DId you have venues finished ahead of time? Yes. Did everything go well? Ofcourse. I have stated the Olympics were great, Sydney did an excellent job. But there is no denying what I saw with my eyes, as much as it pains you. THE GAMES WERE BORING. The venues were boring.... Sydney was boring....

You cannot compare the history of Athens to Sydney, you cannot compare the link to the games Athens has compared to Sydney. This is why Australians feel so intimidated. ;) This is why you come to our forums, and try to constantly put down what we are doing, so yours can stay the "best". If you weren;t afriad, you wouldn't be here....... You wouldn't really care........

As for the venues, I have done much research.... the stadiums and venues of Athens are MUCH BETTER than those of Sydney. (not all, but most) We have world class venues, which have been praised.

No way has Sydney built more new facilities than Athens... no way.

I still await your response in the other topic of this forum, where you have dissapered. :)

btw, our Athletes Village has already been dubbed "The best ever". ;)

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Yes the Olympic Athletes village is far better then any other seen at any of the games with more training facilities and larger rooms. But will it be able to be converted into Apartment buildings or housing after the games? As what was done is Atlanta or Sydney, so far no news has come up about this

Onto the subject of Australia being scared, lol, that comment is a joke. Why would Australia be scared, we are the most sports carzed country in the world and do very well in most events, 70% of Australians on average participate in some form of sport every day, this was one of the main reason for the 2000 games. We have adopted our own sports (AFL) which attract crowds of over 250,000 to 8 different games over 3 days a week. but we are still able to support every other sport ei; soccer basketball, tennis, golf. I admit, given the weather (and facilities-funding) countries like the US Australia the Netherlands, Canada, and Germany have a far greater chance of doing well, so i must ask why would we be scared of Greece.

Despite this, i should HOPE that the Greece games would be better then Sydney, Greece is miles ahead in new technology compared to Australia, i think?? And with the great new advances made over the last 8 years i should hope that Athens is better.

If the venues were boring, why did the IOC president say that Stadium Australia was the best Olympic venue he had ever seen, it was the only one with a concave roof and the entire stands could be moved outwards and inwards to suit larger playing pitches. It was the most technology based stadium in the world at the time, only to be over taken by Colonial Stadium in Melbourne, the Yokohama Dome in Japan.

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The Olympic Village was designed SPECIFICALLY for houseing after the Olympics, for some 10,000+ people..... :)

If you are not scared, why the constant criticism? Why feel the need to bury Athens in negative publicity, yet totally ignore the positives? If you were so confident, it wouldn't really matter much.....

The stadium can transform into anything you like (I personally liked the main stadium) but the fact remains, most venues were boring and lacked any flair. You would think opening up a new era in 2000, they would have done much better.

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I firstly would like to pont out that ALL of the venues used at the Sydney Games were world class and were, at the some of the best places to play sport in the world

Once again i am soory if you have taken what i have said the wrong why. I have no doubt that Athens will do well but as i do not live in Athens the only way i can judge the city is by what is put foward in different media.

Along to the venues, from what i have seen the venues are much like those in Sydney and Melbourne (With acception of the bigger stadiums) So going by may own bias, if you are calling sydney boring, then Athens wouldnt be that far behind. I do admit that the main stadium has a much better roof but lacks seating for spectators. Why didnt Athens build a much larger stadium cosidering that it was forecasted that Athens would get a further 500,000 more spectators , then that of which visited Sydney during the game

if possible, does anyone know the capicity of the Athens main stadium

( I do particully like the eblem and torch for the games)

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I can understand you comments about the roof and the stadium, one of the venues used at the Sydney games was the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) which has grown from a old fenced paddick to a 100,000+ world class sporting facility right in the hart of Melbourne. I think everyone believe they need brand new facilities to host large events. Obviously not

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Hey aaronaugi1.

Take a look at these websites

Athens 2004 Forum

Stadia.gr

Things really aren't as bad as your media is making you think. There is a forum in the stadia site. The forum is in Greek but if you click on the links in the topics, you will see updated picks of many Olympic works. There is work to be done, but it will be done on time. I am saddened by the fact that people think that Athens shouldn't get the Olympics as the Olympics would not even exist without Greece. This commercialism is the fault of greedy people and not ours. We did not create this monster that is these fake Olympics these days. I would personally have them at ancient Olympia every 4 years. :tup: :tup: Wouldn't that be stunning?

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