Five years on Athens still saddled with white elephants

 

By AAP, 8 May 2009 AAP is a Roar Pro

Tagged:

 2004 Olympic Games, Athens Olympics, Olympic Games

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Five years after the flame went out on the Athens 2004 Olympics the Greek capital is still saddled with white elephants.

The President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos, said that Athens, in many cases, ended up building too many venues without the foresight of having them serve the athletic needs of the country following the Olympics.

“As a result many of these venues have been totally abandoned,” Capralos said on Thursday.

After spending approximately 2.2 billion euros ($A3.92 billion) on construction to stage the Games, Athens has been criticised for its rush-built venues with no post-Games purpose.

Olympic organisers had deliberately positioned many of the venues in run-down areas, hoping their presence would serve to upgrade the areas.

But nearly five years after the Games, many of the Athens venues remain fenced-off and boarded up, awaiting private funding to be reopened while the Greek government has spent hundreds of millions of euros on maintenance costs.

The rowing centre, kayak centre and sailing facility have been under lock and key since the Games.

The taekwondo and weightlifting stadiums have been rented on short-term contracts and used periodically to host concerts, trade shows and festivals.
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