Plagued by delays, infighting and executive resignations, Athens Olympics organisers (ATHOC) thought they were in the clear with the IOC in November, after getting its approval for redoubling their efforts.
But a bomb attack that slightly injured a Greek conservative parliament member in November, believed to be the work of the November 17 urban guerrilla group, has brought security concerns to the surface.
IOC coordinator Jacques Rogge, who arrives for inspection on Thursday, sent a letter to ATHOC saying he would like to add security on the agenda of issues he wants to examine in light of the bombing.
ATHOC issued a statement saying it was not unusual for the IOC to add issues on the agenda at the last minute, but the letter coincided with international press reports attacking Greece's anti-terrorism efforts as lax.
The government dismissed the claims, reminding that Greece had hosted an array of trouble free-world sports events.
"We will organise the safest Games," government spokesman Telemachos Hytiris told reporters.
ATHOC presented to the IOC in November a plan to set up a special forces unit of around 35,0000 officers as part of its security preparations.
"Athens 2004 organisers and the Greek government are promoting a complete plan on Games security. The Athens Games will be totally safe," said ATHOC spokesman Serafim Kotrotsos.
But it remains to be seen whether this will satisfy the IOC while November 17 operates with impunity. The leftist group has killed 23 Greeks and foreigners since emerging in 1975.
Its last victim was British Embassy defence attache Stephen Saunders who was shot dead in June. None of the group's members have ever been arrested..
While security concerns are expected to top the inspection team's agenda, other issues may also trouble the IOC. Although Athens says two thirds of its sports facilities are ready, it still needs to build media villages, water and other sports venues.
Construction for the Olympic Village, the housing complex for athletes and trainers, is scheduled to begin in March but the tender for 2,300 houses has yet to be launched.
Environmentalists are steadily opposing construction of a rowing and canoeing complex on the wetlands of Schinias near Athens, saying it would threaten birds and plant life.
Another plan to turn the current Faliron horse track into a multi-sports complex were scrapped last week. Instead, the site of the Athens international airport at Hellenikon, due to shut down in March, will adopt some sports.
Amid these delays, Rogge urged ATHOC last week to fine-tune its image in view of the Games.
"It is important to improve the image to have more tranquility in the future," Rogge told ATHOC members during an IOC meeting in Senegal.
ATHOC officials have admitted they are concerned any tarnishing of their image will affect the number of volunteers required to make the Games a success.
An estimated 60,000 volunteers are needed in a country with no strong volunteerism tradition.
Reuters
An International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspection team for the Athens 2004 Games will take a hard look at security when they visit Greece later this week.
