Candra Wijaya, the men’s doubles gold medallist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has been excluded from Indonesia’s line-up for the Athens Olympic Games in August.
Candra and Halim missed out on an Olympic spot by a mere two rungs as they are now ranked 12th in the world.
Source - Badminton - No place in the Olympics for Indonesian Candra
Olympic hopeful gymnast Tabitha Yim ruptured her right Achilles' tendon during training Tuesday, ending her chances of making the Athens Games.
Source - Gymnastics - Olympic hopeful Yim ruptures Achilles' in training
Ticket prices for events at the Athens Olympic Games will not be cut even though only a third of tickets have been sold with six weeks before the opening ceremony, the organizers said.
Athens has long faced criticism for construction delays and the prospect that some venues might not be finished on time.
But now that the stadia are finally almost ready, the Athens Olympic Organizing Committee (ATHOC) faces the humiliation that many of them might be largely empty during the August 13-29 Games.
There are 5.3 million tickets for the Games, of which just over 1.9 million have been sold.
Source -News - Ticket sales plague Athens Olympic organizers
ATHENS (Greece): Construction work at the main Olympic sports complex will be finished just a day before the opening ceremony for the Aug. 13-29 games, its architect said in an interview published Monday.
Spain’s Santiago Calatrava also said work at the complex, also known as OAKA, was on schedule despite massive delays that had threatened to cancel key parts of the project. “Everything will be completed the day before the start of the games,” Calatrava told the Athens daily Eleftheros Typos.
See a recent Satellite Picture of the Main Stadium Under Construction
Source - News - Olympic stadium work to be completed a day before games begin
Equestrian rider Andrew Hoy has the chance to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal for Australia after being named yesterday in the Athens Games team.
Hoy, 45, is one of five riders named in the eventing team, in which Australia won gold in Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney. Among Australians, only Dawn Fraser and Hoy have won gold in the same event in three consecutive Olympics.
Source - Equestrian - Hoy gets chance to win fourth Olympic gold
ATHENS, Greece - The Parthenon, the icon of Athens' ancient glory, might not be looking its best for the Olympics.
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Scaffolding propping up parts of the 2,500-year-old hilltop temple will remain in place during the Aug. 13-29 games. While organizers are close to putting finishing touches on a number of projects, the Parthenon work remains incomplete with the Olympics less than 50 days away.
Source - News - Parthenon’s makeover comes up short for Olympics
Greece (AP) --
Interpol's global network has detected "no threats" against the Olympics, but Greek authorities must constantly fine-tune their security operations until the games are over, the head of the international police organization said Tuesday.
Source - News - Interpol chief: No known threats on horizon for Athens Olympics
JUNE 29, 2004 (ATR) - U.S. sprinter Jerome Young should not have been allowed to compete at the Sydney Olympics. The long-awaited ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport concludes that a positive drug test for nandralone prior to Sydney was sufficient grounds to exclude him, despite other tests which showed negative results.
On Monday 28 June 2004 the Olympic Torch Relay continued on its journey to make its next stop in Italy. At 10 in the morning the sundrenched city of Rome greeted the flame with honours, for the first time for 44 years, in Fiumicino airport where it had been flown to from Barcelona.
The ATHENS 2004 Uniform Distribution and Main Accreditation Centre, UAC for short, went into operation ten days ago. This makes it the first Olympic Venue in the Games period. Anybody working for the Olympic Games (ATHENS 2004 staff, volunteers, subcontractors, technical officials, totalling 145,000) must call in at the Centre, since obviously no one can take part in the organisation without proper accreditation and uniform.
Source - News - Olympic Accreditation Centre is up and running
NBC's staggering plan to broadcast 1,210 hours of the Olympics over six networks this summer left its executives with a real problem.
Source - News - Network struggles to find commentators for Olympics
Pakistan has banned three weightlifters and a top boxer ahead of the Athens Olympics after they failed doping tests, a sports official Tuesday said.
Source - Weightlifiting - Pakistan bans athletes for doping ahead of Olympics
NEW YORK With the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Greece just weeks away, sports editors at several of the nation's top newspapers face security issues and other potential problems in addition to executing their regular coverage, which will often focus on local athletes.
Source - News - Security a Top Concern for Newspapers Covering Olympics
Nairobi
Although 33 athletes have already been confirmed for the Olympic Games in Athens, plans are underway to try to get many more to attain the qualifying standards.
Athletics Kenya secretary David Okeyo says Kenya is planning to enter a 4x400 relay team in the Olympics and this would be selected in Congo. One hurdler could also be entered since the deadline for attaining the Olympics qualifying standard is July 31.
New Zealand have named an Olympics eventing team chockful of experience that includes 1996 individual gold medal winners Blyth Tait and Ready Teddy.
Source - Equestrian - Experienced team named for Olympics eventing
ATLANTA, June 28 - The Georgia Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that victims of a bombing during a late-night concert at the 1996 Olympic Games may sue the Games' organizers.
Source - News - Victims of Olympics Bombing Win Right to Sue Organizers
Tatiana Grigorieva broke down in tears as the realisation hit she would almost certainly miss the Athens Olympics.
The pin-up star of the Sydney 2000 team failed in her penultimate attempt to make the Olympic squad.
Grigorieva cleared just 4.10 metres at the British Grand Prix at Gateshead, well below the Olympic A qualifying height of 4.40m needed before July 5 to book herself a place in the Australian team for Athens.
Source - Athletics - Tatiana's Olympic hopes in tatters as time ticks away
KUANTAN: National doubles players Chan Chong Ming and Chew Choon Eng are not interested in winning the men's doubles title when the Malaysian Open Badminton Championships begin with the qualifying rounds at the Sukpa Badminton Hall here today.
It's not that they are not keen on winning their first Malaysian Open title, it's just that they are more interested in regaining their rhythm in preparation for the Olympic Games in Athens in August.
Source - Badminton - Preparing for Olympics the top priority for doubles pair
Wacky pop star Bjork is set to headline the Opening Ceremony at this year's Olympic Games in Athens.
The It's Oh So Quiet singer will perform at the August 13 event in the Greek capital, dressed in a Sophia Kokosalaki dress.
According to pals of the Icelandic star, she has been learning Greek to impress her audience.
American judoist Brian Olson will take time away from his duties as president and chief instructor at the Boulder Judo Training Center to compete at the upcoming Olympics in Athens, Greece. He hopes to improve on his seventh place finish at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
Source - Judo - American Judo Coach to Compete at Olympics
E-Book - Beyond Martial Arts
New Zealand rowers Nicky Coles and Juliet Haigh have been confirmed in the women's coxless pair for the Olympics.
They finished second in the final Fisa Olympic qualifying regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.
ATHENS In the good old days of the ancient Games, Olympia was the honorable playground of noble athletes, a theater of sacred peace, fair play and somber processions among white marble temples, right?
.
Wrong. The ancient Games were loud, smelly, sometimes scandalous, every bit as political as their modern counterparts and once even saw a full-scale battle in the middle of a boxing match.
Source - News - Olympics: In antiquity, the polished marble Games came with rough edges
NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) -- Kenya's world cross country women's short course champion Edith Masai will compete at the Olympics after changing her mind about running in Athens.
Masai, the world 5000 metres bronze medallist, had initially declined selection saying she was tired and needed a break.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Three Pakistani weightlifters have been barred from competing for two years and a top boxer has been banned for a year and disqualified from the Olympic Games for using prohibited drugs, sports officials said.
Korean Soccor Captain, Yoo Sang-chul will miss playing in the Asian Cup in order to play at the Athens Olympic Games in Augst.
'The Korea Football Association (KFA) has named Japan-based Yoo and Dutch-based Song Chong-gug, along with Kim Nam-il as its three permitted "over-age" players for the under-23 Olympic tournament.' Source - Soccer - Korea captain Yoo to miss Asian Cup for Athens Olympics
Australian Mens Basketball team, the Boomers, will head to Athens in reasonable form after a 3-2 win/loss ratio in a European Tour. In their last match, played in Italy, Australia beat Croatia 82 - 73.
'It was the Boomers' second win over Croatia and they also achieved a 31-point thrashing of Olympic silver medallist France (90-59) earlier in the tournament.
The major disappointments for the new-look Boomers were the two tight losses to Italy – both by under six points. ' Source - Nielsen Boomers' best
Australian Sailors have won four medals at the final grade one regatta in the lead up to the Athens Olympic Games.
'The sailors finished the Kiel Week competition in Germany with one gold, two silvers and a bronze as they put the finishing touches to training ahead of the August 13-29 Games.
Sydney 2000 Olympic champions Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell finished the final day of racing with a 7th and 9th to win the 470 title as they prepare to defend their title in Athens.' Source - Sailors win four medals
Triple Jump Olympic Champion, Marion Jones, has been beaten in a Grand Prix event in the lead up to the Athens Olympic Games by Russian Tatyana Lebedeva (word indoor long and triple jump champion).
It is no wonder that Jones was feeling the pressure after weeks of drug controversy surrounding her.Source - Jones Eclipsed by Lebedeva in Long Jump
Kenyan Runners competing at the Athens Olympic Games have been told they are limited to be able to run in only limited events.
'Kenyan runners selected for the Athens Athletics Kenya (AK) said on Sunday athletes selected for the 10,000 metres would be allowed to race once only.
Those selected for the 3,000 metres steeplechase and 5,000 metres can race twice while runners competing in events between 400 and 1,500 metres will have a maximum of three races.'Source - Kenyan Olympic runners set race limits
'Tarundeep Rai and Sumangala were among the six archers who clinched the Olympic berth after topping the men's and women's rankings at the end of fifth and final leg of Rs 4 lakh-prize money National Ranking tournament here today.
India had won three Olympic quotas in the men's and the women's category each in various international qualifying meets. These berths were awarded based on the performance in a series national ranking tournaments conducted by the Archery Association of India. 'Read more of - Tarundeep Rai, Sumangala clinch Olympic berth
The US Olympic Team Trials for rowing got going yesterday at Lake Mercer (N.J.)
'In the men’s pair, Princeton Training Center’s Bob Kaehler and Ryan Torgerson clocked the fastest time of the preliminary heats en route to a victory in the third of three heats. Kaehler, a three-time Olympian, and Torgerson clocked a 6:36.47 to defeat teammates Matt Rich and Justin Bosley by 4.59 seconds. In the first heat, Harvard University Boat Club’s Artour Samsonov and Luke Walton, last year’s world championships’ representatives in the event, clocked a 6:38.88 to defeat PTC’s Jon Watling and Brian McDonough by 1.85 seconds. Jason Flickinger and three-time Olympian Jeff Klepacki, also rowing for PTC, won the second heat in a time of 6:39.88, holding off teammates Jamie Schroeder and Dan Walsh by 0.83 seconds. The top two finishers in each heat advanced to Monday’s semifinals, while the remaining crews raced in a repechage, or second-chance race, on Sunday afternoon. In the repechages, the PTC crew of Luke McGee and Mark Flickinger and the Penn AC/Undine duo of Dana Schmunk and Ferdinand Bergen advanced to the semifinals.' Read More - ROWING: Second Set of U.S. Olympic Rowing Team Trials Underway
Found this interesting article on the Olympic Advertising that we're all about to be bombarded with.
'Sify Home >> Sports >> Others >> Fullstory
Olympic ads focus less on Games, more on brands
Monday, 28 June , 2004, 11:47
Cannes: The Olympic Games have long been the pinnacle of global advertising events, but this year top marketers are looking to make a different kind of splash.
Several of the biggest global Olympic partners are cutting back on Olympic-themed television commercials for the Athens Games, and using more of their year-round advertising messages or investing in broader promotions and events.
"The Olympics represent the biggest of the macro marketing opportunities, and I think we're moving into a time where events need to be micro-marketing opportunities," said Marian Saltzman, chief strategy officer at Havas agency Euro RSCG.'
'After finishing sixth at the U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials on Sunday, Cincinnati native Mohini Bhardwaj was invited to next month's selection camp which will determine if she will be picked for a spot on the U.S. team. 'Read More - Bhardwaj still has Olympic shot
Competition is hot between those 12 American Gymnasts who have moved through into the next stage of US Athens Olympic Games trials.
'The gymnasts vying for a spot on the 2004 Olympic team make up the most talented selection group from which the United States ever has drawn.
A deep squad may be good for the United States' chances for a gold medal, but it means the competition to make the Olympic team for incoming UCLA freshman Tasha Schwikert and former Bruin Mohini Bhardwaj is that much more fierce.'Source - Gymnastics: UCLA gymnasts compete for spots on U.S. Olympic team
'Dual gold medallist Michael Diamond can breathe a sigh of relief on Monday after his Olympic nomination was finally rubber-stamped by the Australian Olympic Committee.
After surviving a personal court case, missing the Olympic trials, travelling around the world to qualify and then fending off a legal appeal, Diamond is now officially a member of the 2004 Olympic team.' Source - Diamond confirmed on Olympic team
British Olympic Gold Medalist Denise Lewis has taken another positive step forwards towards the Athens Olympics.
'British athletics' sole gold medallist in Sydney four years ago confesses that there have been moments, even in recent months, when she contemplated calling time on her bid to repeat the feat in Greece.
Mind and body laid low by a niggling foot injury, the resolve which took her to glory Down Under and back into top-level competition in 2003 after motherhood was tested like never before.
But North East fans will see a confident, invigorated and excited Lewis in this afternoon's star-studded Norwich Union British Grand Prix.
Precaution dictates that she will only compete in the long jump rather than also expose the aforementioned foot to the stress of the 100 metre hurdles.
'
Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion, Reuben Kosgei, has failed in his bid to defend his title in Athens this year.
'Kosgei, who suffered a serious ankle injury, dropped out of contention on the final day of the trials for a place in the national team.
Paul Kipsiele Koech, despite finishing the trial out of top 10,was named into the Olympic squad as he recorded the world's best time of 8:05:31 at the Seville Grand Prix meeting in Spain early this month.
Olympic 1,500m champion Noah Ngeny, 25, who has been plagued byinjuries, also failed on Friday to qualify for the Athens Games. Enditem' - Source - Kenyan Olympic champion dropped out of Olympics
If you have an Athens Olympic Games Accommodation tip please leave it in comments below.
The Australian Women's Waterpolo Team has suffered their third consecutive loss in the lead up to the Athens Olympic games yesterday. They were beaten by Hungary 5 - 4 in a tournament in California.
'Australian captain Naomi Castle felt the team was on the right track toward the Athens Olympics despite the loss to the highly-rated Europeans.
"I'm really happy with the way the team's going," Castle said.
"Twelve months ago it was a completely different team. I would like another month but we are on track for Athens."'
New legislation has been introduced in Greece to stop Greek Hotels from overcharging during the Athens Olympic Games in August. Hotels caught overcharging will be fined 15,000 euros for a first offence and could be closed down for second and third offences.Source - Down for Overcharging During Olympics
One of the worst kept secrets of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony is that the floor of the Olympic Stadium will be flooded during the ceremony.
'An engineer working on the stadium's Olympic preparations confirms that water will be a feature for the ceremony, rumored to be one of the most-costly ever staged for the Olympic Games. He briefed reporters, including ATR Athens correspondent Anthony Stavrinos, during a stadium tour Friday.'
47 year old, Martina Navratilova, has been selected to play in the Women's Doubles event at the Athens Olympics. She will partner Lisa Raymond.
'Defending champion Venus Willliams and her younger sister Serena will play in the singles and also defend their doubles title.
Jennifer Capriati and Chanda Rubin will also play in the women's singles in the Athens tennis tournament which takes place from August 15 to 22.
The men's singles team comprises U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, Vince Spadea and Taylor Dent. Roddick and Fish, together with twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, will also contest the doubles.' Source - Navratilova selected for Olympics - Jun 26, 2004
Israel have dismissed the peace offer yesterday from Palestinian leader Arafat. Arafat has reportedly called for Peace during the Olympic period but Israeli officials have dismissed his words. Source - Israel dimisses Olympics truce offer. 27/06/2004. ABC News Online
'Paul Hamm and Brett McClure secured their spots at the Athens Olympics on Saturday, while four more gymnasts waited to hear their names called, as well.
Hamm and McClure finished the Olympic trials the way they came in after national championships: ranked first and second in the overall scoring from the four meets -- two at nationals, two at trials -- that are used to pick the six-man team.
The top-two finishes earned them automatic spots. 'Source - Hamm, McClure make Olympics and wait for company
'The second set of U.S. Olympic Team Trials for rowing begin Sunday at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J.
Four boat classes – the men’s pair, women’s pair, men’s double sculls, and lightweight women’s double sculls – will be contested at the second set of trials. The winners will earn berths on the 2004 Olympic Team that will compete from August 14-22 in Athens, Greece.
' Source - Second Set of U.S. Olympic Rowing Team Trials Begin Sunday
'Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has told foreign diplomats he is committed to a truce during the August Olympics in Greece.'
Canadian Womens Waterpolo team have been soundly beaten by Hungary (12 - 7) in a lead up match to the Athens Olympic Games. Earlier in the week they defeated Australia.
'Coach Patrick Oaten expressed his frustration after the game, saying that he expected more from the team's goalkeepers, starter Whynter Lamarre of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., and Rachel Riddell of Vancouver, who took over in the second half.
"Our goalies weren't up to par tonight," Oaten told reporters. "The score doesn't indicate how well the rest of the team played. The majority of the Hungarian goals came with three-four seconds left on the shot clock from well out. '
'Doctors in Greece staged a six-hour labour stoppage on Friday, demanding improved work conditions and bonuses for the Athens Games.
Public hospitals in Athens and the port city of Piraeus treated only emergency cases during the stoppage.
Greek doctors oppose the government's plan to have designated hospitals provide 24-hour care during the Games without additional staff. ' Read More - CBC Canada
Canada's CBC has a great feature article on Mountain Bike champion - Alison Sydor.
'Sometimes being ranked first in the world during an Olympic year means you're looking over your shoulder as much as looking forward.
Certainly, reeling off a string of victories during the run-up to the Games doesn't give an athlete a free pass to a gold medal.
Through the brief history of Olympic mountain biking – the first medals were handed out in 1996 – the pressure to win the gold medal seemed to sandbag the heavy favourites, as Canadian mountain biking legend Alison Sydor knows all too well.'
'An eight-nation exercise to test security for the Athens Olympics began Friday, and the Greek government wants to extend surveillance powers to screen phone calls.
The simulated exercise will plan responses to a deadly array of potential problems, from terrorist attacks to forest fires, Greek law enforcement officials said.
The 200 participating officials include experts from members of the seven-nation advisory group assisting Athens with security, including the United States.' Source - Olympic security exercise begins
Tatiana Grigorieva, Sydney Olympics Silver medalist, will make one last attempt at making the Australian team for the Athens Olympics in her event - the Pole Vault.
'Time is fast running out for the glamour girl of pole vaulting to clear the required 4.40 metres to qualify for the Athens Games so she will give it another shot at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead, north of London, on Sunday.
Grigorieva's best attempt has been 4.30m set in February, which only rates as a B qualifying standard and means she cannot be selected in the Australian team unless she adds 10 centimetres to that height.'
'JANA Pittman has pulled out of the Olympic opening ceremony in her single-minded pursuit of gold. The 400m hurdles world champion said she would love to experience the ceremony but fears it could disrupt her campaign.'Source - Pittman pulls out of Olympic opening
Only Greek Police will be armed during the Athens Olympic Games in August. No other national teams security will be allowed to carry weapons inside Olympic Venues.
'Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis stressed on the issue that armed guards will be allowed only for the protection of heads of states and clarified that the specific clause concerns the security escorts for Greek and foreign VIPS for whom there is a special status in effect internationally.
Mr. Voulgarakis reiterated categorically that there will be no armed security escorts with the national Olympic teams which will be in Athens in August.'
Source - Only the Greek Police will be Armed in the Olympics
Sify.com has some great images of Olympics Security Preparations currently underway.
Latest Reports out of Athens indicate that all Olympic Venues will be ready on time - but only just.
The Marathon Route is still being widened, 55,000 seats are still to be installed in the main stadium where cranes and dirt still remain outside - but with 7 weeks still remaining officials are very confident that everything will be ready in time. Source - Officials promise they'll be ready for Olympics
See a recent Satellite Picture of the Main Stadium Under Construction
The Central Archaeological Council has agreed to install a temporary elevator at the Acropolis in Athens in the lead up to the Olympics. This is the first alteration to the Acropolis in 2500 years.
Source - Greece to add elevator to Acropolis in time for Olympics 06/26/04
Elko Daily Free Press has an interesting opinion piece on the lack of participation of some of the NBA stars who will not be attending the Athens Olympics. Many are saying that they will not compete due to security reasons - however this writer believes it may be due to another reason - Apathy.
'If this were an AAU tournament, I could see not wanting to participate. If you were playing for T-shirts and per-diem at a 3-on-3 tourney, skip it.
But this is the Olympics; more specifically, this is an opportunity to represent your country and your fellow countrymen on the grandest stage, in front the rest of the world. How one passes up such an honor is beyond me.
I take that back - I do understand what moves these men to turn their backs on their country, I just don't agree with the philosophy. Money is all that drvies these guys. After all, these businessmen have to consider the fact they won't be making a dime when they put themselves on the line for something as trivial as national pride.
'Athletics Kenya has decided that only the top two athletes in each race will be assured of tickets for the Olympics, making the trials a must-win event for the runners. The third slot will be decided by the AK coaching committee.
Today, the world's fastest 10,000 metres runner this year, Jane Wanjiku, leads a strong field blending experience and and promising youth in the only final of the day at the Mo