Athens still late for very important date

Organisers of the 2004 Athens Olympics are due to unveil their mascot for the Summer Games next month.

One seasoned Olympic observer joked on Tuesday that the White Rabbit character from Alice in Wonderland -- "late for an important date" -- might be appropriate as the Greeks rush to get ready in time for the biggest sporting event on the planet.

Athens, the traditional home of the Olympics, are still late for their important date. The Greeks dragged their feet in setting up their organisation in the first few years after winning the right to stage the Games in an IOC vote in 1997.

Denis Oswald, the IOC's chief coordinator for the Games, said Athens was still racing against time to get ready to stage the Games after a meeting with chief organiser Gianna Angelopoulos at Olympic headquarters on Tuesday.

"The delays that have been accumulated (at the start) are still existing," Oswald said. "It is going to be a race against the clock until the end."

Oswald remains confident that Athens can reach their goal and the IOC said last month that they were pleased with progress in recent months.

YELLOW CARD

Last year the IOC showed the Greeks a yellow card and said the Games could be in danger if they failed to improve their organisation.

There was even speculation that the event could be taken away from Greece although it was extremely unlikely that the IOC would take that dramatic step.

Athens has made huge progress since but the IOC is still concerned with some much-delayed projects and worried about deadlines being met. Oswald visited the Greek capital last month to inspect construction, venue and transports preparations.

The former international rower, who heads the body representing all Summer Olympic federations, said he was happy to see building taking place at the Olympic village.

But he said there were still problems to be solved in the key area of accommodation.

"There are still 3,000 beds missing, " he said. "One hope is to have hotels built...The other possible is to increase the number of cruise ships."

Angelopoulos is well aware that the Greeks have to keep up to their schedule. She talks often about the Athens train being "back on track" but needing to "keep up the speed".

She said in an IOC statement issued on Tuesday: "Keeping in mind that we do not have a single day to waste, all of us involved in the Olympic preparation must further accelerate our efforts."

But she said after the meeting: "We will be ready. We will have a unique Games."

The IOC were due to continue their three-day meeting on Wednesday and president Jacques Rogge is almost certain to face questions about preparations for the Athens Olympics and for next year's Salt Lake City Winter Games when he holds a news conference at the end of the day.