The President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games ‘Athens 2004’ Mrs Gianna Angelopoulos met for the first time with the President Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch and IOC executives, in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Sports Mr Giorgos Floridis.

The President presented to the leadership of the IOC, ATHOC Managing Director Mr Petros Synadinos and the members of the Steering Committee Messrs Marton Simitsek, Spyros Kapralos and Costas Liaskas. A four-hour meeting followed in which participated the Chairman of the Coordination Commission Dr Jacques Rogge and all IOC top executives.

After the end of the works, the President Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch made the following statements before the Press representatives: ‘The Games were assigned to Athens three years ago and the IOC is absolutely convinced that the organisation will proceed very well. We support Mrs Gianna Angelopoulos and her team. The meeting with the BoD of the Athens Organising Committee was an important step for us. We discussed the structure of the new Committee and we will monitor in detail the progress in a few months. We are convicted that the Games will have a great success’.

Then, ATHOC President Mrs Gianna Angelopoulos stressed the following: ‘We briefed the President and the IOC executives on the new structure of the Company, the cooperation with the Prime Minister and the will of the Government to assist with all its might ‘Athens 2004′. We started a very good cooperation. The IOC is, as interested as we are, in the success of the Games. They have helped us, they are helping us, we are at the same side and we are trying to organise the best Games ever, being aware of the difficulties existing in every effort. I personally want to say that Messrs Synadinos, Simitsek, Kapralos and Liaskas play a decisive role for 2004’.

Finally, the Chairman of the Coordination Commission Dr Jacques Rogge replying to journalists’ questions said the following: ‘It was the first official meeting of the IOC with Mrs Angelopoulos and ATHOC BoD. We had a constructive cooperation and we exchanged information on all issues. IOC knows very well now the new organisational structure. We are satisfied with all measures taken. We discussed the details with which we will deal during our next meeting in August in Athens. On August 25th I will tell you more about the progress but certainly our today’s meeting also promises a very good organisation. I assure you that neither the Executive Board, nor the Plenary session nor the Coordination Commission of the IOC ever discussed the possibility of changing the host of the 2004 Olympic Games. The Games were assigned to Athens and they will be held in Athens ‘.

Source: ATHOC