More negative crap flying.

[Harry]

And this time it's from the IOC.

Olympic chief 'throws acid' at Greece

The view from ... Athens

Helena Smith

Friday June 11, 2004

The Guardian

Exactly nine weeks remain before the globe's biggest sports festival, the Olympic Games, returns to Athens. Precisely because Greece is the place of their ancient birth and modern revival, the Athenian media is obsessed.

Each day, it seems, the story gets better as newspapers, big and small, relate the drama of the capital's chaotic preparations. This week, much of the drama came in the unexpected form of incendiary comments from the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge.

Speaking to the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, Mr Rogge criticised the Greek organisers for their excessive "lavishness" and "virtual plans".

"Jacques Rogge let it be known, clearly, that budget overruns for the games are due to Greek megalomania," declared Eleftherotypia, the leftist daily.

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http://sport.guardian.co.uk/athens2004/sto...1236151,00.html

What is wrong with all these groups? Rogge is a nutcase. One minute there's not enough, the other is "megalomaniacal." Rogge and the rest can kiss my ass. My only complaint so far with the games is the price of the tickets. Some of the events are overpriced and I think it's keeping sales down. I would purchase advance tickets to 2-3 more events if they fixed the prices. Everybody needs to calm down and let the Greeks finish their work. :bangin:

[Harry]

More stupidity from Rogge:

International Olympic chief Jacques Rogge has suggested that Greece might not stage the best Games ever in Athens this August.

Dr Rogge made the comments in an interview with Channel Nine, to be broadcast today. But the remarks, released ahead of screening, have enraged the Greek media,

Recalling the 1997 bidding that led to Athens winning the Games, Dr Rogge said the International Olympic Committee took a chance in awarding the Games to Greece when Rome would have been the easier choice. "We took the calculated gamble in 1997 with a much-improved Athens bid... we'd not take the easy way. The easy way would have been to vote for Rome," Dr Rogge said.

"Rome was a much bigger city and bigger country, but I think in terms of values, return to the origin and in terms of saying thank you to the Greeks who invented the sport 3000 years ago, then it was worthwhile."

The remark that most upset Greeks, already sensitive after a barrage of international criticism about delays in Games preparations, was a Rogge forecast of what he might say at the closing ceremony of the Games on August 29.

"Well, I might start by saying that these were not the best ever Games, but... " Dr Rogge said.

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http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/...6749942941.html