IOC pledges security at Games

Olympics chief Jacques Rogge pledged on Wednesday to make all efforts to protect spectators at Olympic Games from attacks and said security had always been a top priority.

On a visit to Athens, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president said the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11 would likely lead to only minor changes in security plans for the 2002 Salt Lake City and 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

"What happened in New York has not awakened the International Olympic Committee for a need for a top security arrangement," he told reporters.

"Since Munich 1972, the IOC has always put priority number one on security," he said referring to the Games in which 11 Israelis died after an attack on the Olympic village.

Rogge said Salt Lake, which hosts the Winter Games next February, had modified plans slightly, such as placing more officials at checkpoints.

Athens, which hosts the next Summer Games, will review its security plans after the Winter Games, he said.

"We can never promise 100 percent security. No one can. No government can. However, we can pledge that all efforts that are humanly possible will be in place and the level of security will be the maximum possible," he said.

TIGHTER VISAS

Greece said it would propose tougher visa rules for the 2004 Games. Under existing rules, the IOC accreditation also acts as an entry visa but Public Order Minister Mihalis Chrysochoidis said he wanted athletes and officials to also seek a Greek visa.

"In light of the new developments we must re-examine some things," he said. "The system will be very strict."

Rogge was in Athens with an IOC inspection team for meetings with Greek government officials. Away from the security issue concerns were raised that Greece was again slipping behind schedule.

Rogge said he remained confident in Athens but he said confidence would start to drop if real building of venues did not start soon.

"I expressed the feeling (to Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis)...that more than ever it is needed to respect the deadlines according to the master plan," he told a news conference.

In a stronger written statement issued later, he indicated more concern.

"There should be no comfort in the fact that 2004 sounds far off in the distance," the statement said. "There are important dates nearly every month that must be respected.

"Today the prime minister renewed his commitment to complete the required work on time. We are confident, but we need to witness sustained construction activity to remain so."

Although 70 percent of Athens's Olympic venues existed before the city won its bid, construction on new sites has been limited to ground breaking.

SECURITY

Security, however, was likely to stay on the top of the agenda of the IOC inspection delegation that will remain in Athens until Friday. Rogge was due to leave on Wednesday.

Greece, its image already tarnished by attacks by local leftist urban guerrilla groups, has been praised for its previous $600-million Olympics security plan.

It foresees a special Olympics security force made up from the country's best officers and extended surveillance all over the Greek capital.

Greece will also seek more help from abroad and an international team of experts from the foreign security services of the United States and six other countries will play a more decisive role in 2004, ATHOC officials said.

Greece, long criticised by its Western allies for being lax on urban guerrilla groups, set up the team of officers from the likes of Scotland Yard, the CIA and Israel's Mossad, after the November 17 group killed a British diplomat in Athens last year.