2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympics are officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (the 28th Summer Olympic Games). The Games were held in Athens over 17 days, from August 13 to August 29, 2004. Planners expected 10,500 athletes (in fact 11,099 competed) and 5,500 team officials from 202 countries. Athens 2004 marked the first time since the 1996 Summer Olympics that all countries with a National Olympic Committee were in attendance. There were a total of 301 medal events from 28 different sports.

Venue construction crisis

By late March 2004, some Olympic projects were still behind schedule, and Greek authorities announced that a roof would no longer be constructed over the main swimming venue. The main Olympic Stadium, the designated facility for the opening and closing ceremonies, was completed only two months before the games opened, with the sliding over of a futuristic glass roof designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava . Other facilities, such as the streetcar line linking the airport, the stadium and the city, were largely unfinished just two months before the games. The subsequent pace of preparation, however, made the rush to finish the Athens venues one of the tightest in Olympics history. The Greeks, unperturbed, maintained that they would make it all along. By August 2004, the Olympic Stadium was officially completed and opened, and the Athens Tram and Light Rail became operational. The upgrades to the Athens Ring Road were also delivered just in time.

Related Topics:
March 2004 - Swimming - Spanish - Santiago Calatrava - Streetcar

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The lighting ceremony of the Olympic flame took place on March 25 in Ancient Olympia. For the first time ever, the flame travelled around the world in a relay to former Olympic cities and other large cities, before returning to Greece.

Related Topics:
Olympic flame - March 25 - Ancient Olympia - Relay

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EMI released Unity, the official pop album of the Athens Olympics, in the leadup to the Olympics. It features contributions from Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Moby, Destiny's Child and Avril Lavigne. EMI has pledged to donate US$180,000 from the album to UNICEF's HIV/AIDS program in Sub-Saharan Africa. http://www.star-ecentral.com/music/sleeve/notes.asp?file=archives/sleeve/2004/5/26/26UnityOlymp&date=5/26/2004/2

Related Topics:
EMI - Pop album - Sting - Lenny Kravitz - Moby - Destiny's Child - Avril Lavigne - UNICEF's - HIV - AIDS - Sub-Saharan Africa

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At least 19 people died during the work on the facilities. Most of these people were not from Greece.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3920919.stm

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Before the games, Greek hotel staff staged a series of one-day strikes over wage disputes. They have been asking for a significant raise for the period covering the event being staged. Paramedics and ambulance drivers have also been protesting, as they want the same Olympic bonuses promised to their security force counterparts.

Related Topics:
Strikes - Paramedic - Ambulance

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In the event the 2004 games were described as 'unforgettable, dream Games' by the IOC president and the Greek government was congratulated for its organisation.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/3609818.stm

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