Aussies admit Athens facilities will be better than Sydney
"This morning I had a phone call from a senior member of the IOC who said the roof on the stadium will be in place at the weekend and I would predict that this will give the organising committee a gigantic psychological lift," Mr Hickey said.
He had spoken to the representatives from Australia and they admitted that the facilities for the athletes will actually be better than Sydney.
"I think ... the athletes will turn up to their event and will find that the facilities will be fantastic," he said. "Admittedly, I feel that getting around the city is going to be difficult for all of us but then that's our job. But from an athlete's point of view everything will be perfect.
"The TV signal around the world will be superb and, most important of all, it is the biggest event in the world and the coverage is free."
He said he was very happy and very proud of the fact that the Gardaí will be involved in the massive security operation that will surround the Games; today he and the Chef de Mission, Willie O'Brien, will meet with the garda officer in charge of operations Phil Flynn, at Garda Headquarters.
He will attend the security meeting in Athens the week after next and will brief team managers and team leaders on security issues before they leave for the Olympics.
The US, Britain, France, Germany and Israel will be involved in the biggest security operation ever mounted in Olympic history.
"We and the IOC are very confident the Greek police will deliver a safe and secure Games," he said. "Maybe you can never plan against terrorism but I am happy everything possible is being done."
The IOC undertook their final test visit yesterday.
"We had doubts about some of the venues and infrastructure, but I am very happy to report these have all disappeared," said IOC chief overseer Denis Oswald.
"No single project is at risk we know everything will be delivered on time."
He said the inspectors' visit had been "positive" and praised the work on the installation of the stadium roof.
Oswald said the Olympic movement and the Greek people would benefit from the Games returning to their spiritual home.
"The movement will profit a lot from having the Games in Greece we return to our roots, so it will remind us to put the basic philosophy of the Olympic movement in first place.
"It is evidence of the capacity of Greece to master such a huge task this is a tremendous asset to the image and people of Greece," he said.
Gianna Angelopoulus-Daskalaki, the leader of the Athens organising group, also paid tribute to the local workers.
She said they had managed to fit seven years' work into four years, and that this was a tribute to what the nation could do when they were "focused".
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
