Relieved Athenians raise the roof and toast

[Harry]

Relieved Athenians raise the roof and toast city's renewal

RELIEF was the word on everyone’s lips this past week, relief that the roof was finally on the Olympic Stadium and that the Greek national athletics championships were going ahead.

So what that only a few spectators were scattered among the 8,000 seats that had been installed so far? So what if the workmen were still going about their business? The key thing for Athenians was finally being able to believe that the return of the Olympic Games will form a magnificent sporting occasion in a stadium to match.

No-one denies that mistakes were made in the preparations when the organisers and the Greek government sat smugly on their backsides telling everyone how marvellous they were for winning the bid while dithering over the award of contracts.

As Jacques Rogge, the IOC president, confirmed last week, the Greeks also undertook far more work than was strictly necessary. Did they need to add the roof? Maybe not, but then they might reasonably counter with the question: is the Parthenon strictly necessary?

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