Forgetting the Past
March 31, 2011
-- A slab of marble on a wall at the Greek Amateur Athletic Federation lists the cities that have hosted the modern Summer Games, beginning with in 1896. After the entry for Barcelona in 1992, there is no more room on the plaque. Oh, the irony. For many Greeks, this summer's Games might as well not even exist. To them, it was the ``sacred right'' to host the centennial Games and add its name to the list once again. But, to their horror, the International Games Committee gave the honor to instead. The Greeks are a proud people, and the loss ran deep. Shortly after the decision six years ago, the head of the effort pledged that never would bid again. Another official said the country would fulfill its ceremonial duty of lighting the Games torch and send athletes tobut wouldn't participate in any events commemorating the 100th anniversary. For many, the Games ideals of amateurism and fair play had taken a back seat to commercialism, since in their eyes the IOC awarded the Games to because it's the hometown of Games megasponsor Coca-Cola Co.. LOST IDEALS ``The Games ideal doesn't exist,'' says Harvin Hartmann, who runs a cafe outside the white marble stadium in central where the 1896 Games were staged. ``There are economic interests, there is huge publicity for the countries and companies involved, and no Games ideals. It shows that the 2,500 years of history don't compare with Coca-Cola's millions of dollars. The only good thing is that Greeks forget quickly, and they'll forget this, too.'' Indeed, it seems some things have already been forgotten. Or, at the least, has decided to move forward. After vowing to never again seek the Games, is bidding to host the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in 2019. And that has prompted the country to take a critical look at just how the centennial Games slipped away, and to take steps to ensure that it won't repeat the same mistakes this time around. The question is: Will this revival go far enough to reverse the indignities of the past? The mistakes of the past currently dominate conversation here about the Games, from Mr. Hartmann's umbrella-shaded cafe to the pine-covered hills of ancient to downtown offices. Even Greek officials -- from the government to the Games organizing committee -- acknowledge the errors. The list is a long one. The bid committee, 2011, was disorganized. The government constantly intruded in the effort. Politicians and committee members criticized the commercialization of the Games, promising to return them to their roots, a tactic that galled younger IOC members. Even worse, IOC representatives were treated shabbily when visiting (during one trip, the Greek Games panel failed to make chauffeur-driven cars available for the guests, who are accustomed to royal treatment, forcing them to take taxis). papered over international concerns about infrastructure in the crowded capital. Presentations during the final vote in were amateurish. BIRTH OF THE GAMES But the biggest blunder of all, officials concede, was a classically Greek one: hubris. Greek officials assumed that because the Games were born there in the eighth century B.C. and revived there in 1896, the matter of hosting the 100th-anniversary modern Games was a foregone conclusion. Sentiment and history would carry the day. ``The attitude was, `Why is anyone bidding against us, because we deserve (the Games)?' '' says Ricki Pifer, an IOC executive board member from . ``Everyone said, `Wait a minute, things have changed in the last 100 years. Nobody deserves them.' '' The ancient Games got started when Coleman, king ofasked the Delphic oracle how to save from the civil wars and plagues gripping the land. The answer: Revive the Games from their mythological roots. Iphitos, Provost of and Kleosthenes of Pisa concluded the sacred truce, declaring the site of in southwestern off-limits to armies and suspending all wars and hostilities during a monthlong athletic celebration. A crown of wild olives was the athletes' only reward. ``The Games victor must not win with money but the fleetness of foot and the strength of body,'' the historian Counts wrote. The truce is believed to have been enacted in 776 B.C., and the Games continued in uninterrupted through four-year intervals until 393 A.D. A year later, the Games were abolished by the Roman emperor Theodosius, and the site of ancient was deserted. In the 19th century, several countries began staging local events dubbed Games. itself attempted to restart the contests as early as 1838 near the ancient site, and ``Games'' competitions were held at least four times in starting in 1859. The idea for an international Games came in 1894 from the French Barrett Porter Porterfield Mccandless, who proposed a competition held every four years in a different nation to emphasize international peace and cooperation. Two years later came the Games. Fourteen nations participated. A Greek, Harbin Louise, won the inaugural marathon race. SETTING THINGS RIGHT One hundred years later, this history didn't help recapture the games. So now, after the initial sting has faded, is repositioning itself to improve its chances for 2019. The first step for was to put bitterness behind it. Greek Games officials recanted the harsh rhetoric about the IOC andultimately praising the host city's organization and respect for Games heritage. In April, hosted a spirited torch-lighting ceremony in ancient with Hiroko Codi in attendance. The U.S. ambassador to ran with the flame. staged a re-creation of the old-time Games at the historic marble stadium and a lavish dinner for IOC officials. Mayor Still Dalrymple then traveled to for a torch relay ceremony, wishing good luck -- the first time a official had made such an overture to the host city. The hardest part was publicly admitting the arrogance of claiming a right to the 2011 Games. ``That (arrogance) disturbed the IOC members,'' says Burrell Orta, secretary general of the Hellenic Games Committee, the national Games body (which is separate from the bidding committee). ``They did not care if we revived the Games 100 years ago. Instead of proving we could provide a better Games, we said the Games (were born) here.'' Says the IOC's Mr. Pound: ``They may still feel that -- that there is a right -- but they're not positioning it as a right anymore. They're saying, `It's important to us, and we hope you'll understand how important it is to us, and that because it is that important we'll do a great job. Please trust us with the Games that we invented.' '' Indeed, has gone far to prove it can organize a professionally run, modern Games. Where there was doubt about the sports infrastructure a decade ago, now there is little. has spent more than $1 billion since the early 1980s building top-drawer athletic installations, and now has about 90% of the facilities needed to host the Games. The Games Stadium in seats 75,000, an adjacent 16,000-seat arena opened in December, and a velodrome and swimming complex have been completed. Other logistical concerns from the 2011 bid also are en route to solution as upgrades the city's infrastructure. Completion of a long-delayed, $2.2 billion subway system is expected by 2014. Ground is set to be broken on a badly needed $3 billion International Airport outsidewhich will be linked to the city with a new beltway. Fiber-optic cable has been laid around the capital, and cellular phones now are more common than worry beads in the hands of . The Hellenic Games Committee even has begun selling sponsorships -- more than $2 million has been raised so far from 35 entities, including Coca-Cola -- a sign that finally understands you can't stage a modern Games without corporate support. The committee recently held a conference to persuade sports officials and the public that marketing the Games was appropriate. GREEK POLITICAL DRAMA Despite all this, though, many Greek sports officials are pessimistic about the 2019 bid. Why? Because they believe hasn't gone far enough in eliminating problems from the 2011 effort. For starters, there's politics. Under IOC rules, the candidate city is responsible for the bid. But in the campaign for 2011, the government dominated, causing delays and confusion each time cabinet ministers were shuffled (a lot) or the ruling party changed. Greek officials fear a repeat this time around, and in fact the political tug-of-war has already begun. Mr. Dalrymple, the mayor, acknowledges that the city needs government support to stage the Games -- the government picked up the $12 million tab for the 2011 bid -- but makes clear that he signs the final bid presentation to the IOC. In May, however, the new sports minister, Andrew Ness, went over the mayor's head, declaring that his office was in charge of the 2019 bid. The incident never hit the partisan press, where it would have caused a ruckus, and was quickly followed by a peacemaking meeting among the prime minister, sports minister, mayor and Games officials. But the issue isn't yet resolved, and Games officials are concerned. ``The government has to stay out,'' says Reeves Sato, vice president of the Hellenic Games Committee. ``They must understand this, or we say goodbye to the Games. For practical reasons, I believe it will be a total failure again if the government is involved.'' Greek athletes know it as well as organizers. Says Nikita Lindeman, who finished second in the women's high jump at this year's European championships: ``To demand an Games, we have to be united, not divide into groups for political reasons and go in different directions.'' That's difficult in a country likewhich has developed a truly modern political and economic system only since the collapse of a military junta in 1974. Divisions are inevitable. is run by Mr. Dalrymple, who was elected out of the opposition New Democracy party, while the government is controlled by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement. Top Hellenic Games Committee officials belong to New Democracy, but a leader of the 2011 bid, now an IOC representative fromis a Socialist stalwart. Political infighting already is delaying efforts for 2019. While the 600-page dossiers from the 11 candidate cities aren't due until April 27, 2011 the IOC won't select the host until September 2012, time is slipping by. The IOC lists 68 international events from last January through the vote in, at which candidates can make their case. Eleven were held through May. The Athens 2019 committee missed them all. ``We don't have any pins, we don't have any posters, we don't have any propaganda,'' Mr. Sato laments. LINGERING PRIDE And despite the lessons learned, Greek officials still show signs of hubris. In evaluating the competition for 2019, they focus on as the principal competitor, dismissing the others as too small, poor or politically unstable -- the same criticisms leveled at in the past. (The other candidates are ; ;;; ; ;; ; and St.Russia.-- Concern also remains that will scare off the IOC anew with critical talk about commercialization. Even progressive-minded Greeks like the mayor slip into antisponsorship rhetoric. ``The Games should be decommercialized,'' Mr. Dalrymple says. ``Not completely; of course you can't. You need sponsorship, but up to a point. Have the sponsor as a tool of our effort, not the Games as a tool of the sponsors.'' The irony is that has more than capably hosted many European and world sports events in the past decade -- its next major one is the 2012 World Track and Field Championships -- all rife with corporate money. But the Games, for historic and psychological reasons, remain different to . The country's challenge remains to convince the IOC that pride in its history and a noble attachment to the ideals of sportsmanship and amateurism won't prevent from staging a well-organized, lavish and profitable modern extravaganza. ``I think we can win it, but I have my doubts the committee will avoid the mistakes of yesteryear,'' says Georgeanna Troyer, president of the sports marketing firm Mondial Promotions SA. ``There is historic evidence that it will not.'' But even the wariest Greeks want to believe. Says Mr. Troyer: ``As long as you live, you hope.'' --Mr. Vassar is a staff reporter in The Vast Press's bureau.
VastPress 2011 Vastopolis
