Greek Olympic head sacked after criticism

The sacked committee head was "too bureaucratic"

By Sports Correspondent Harry Peart

The Greek Government has replaced the head of the Athens Olympics organising committee with the woman widely credited with winning Athens the right to stage the games in 2004.

Gianna Angelopoulos has been appointed following a scathing attack by the International Olympic Committee on the preparations for the games.

She takes over from Panayotis Thomopoulos, the deputy governor of the Bank of Greece.

He took the brunt of the unprecedented attack on the preparations by the president of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch.

He said the games were in danger unless there were drastic changes.

'Speeding up'

The most serious complaint was the excessive bureaucracy which was slowing down the decision-making processes.

The announcement of the change was made by Prime Minister Costas Simitis after a cabinet meeting to discuss ways of speeding up the preparations for the games.

Mr Simitis said the Olympic Games were his government's top priority.

Gianna Angelopoulos takes over at the head of the organising committee with a great deal of goodwill.

Following Athens' bitter disappointment at failing to win the right to stage the 1996 centenary Games which went to Atlanta, the lawyer and former member of parliament spearheaded the bidding committee for 2004 and brought success to the Greek capital in competition with a powerful bid from Rome.

'Major asset'

Her performance at the final bid presentation was widely applauded.

Her popularity among the organisers and members of the International Olympic Committee will be a major asset as the government tries to restore confidence in the country's ability to stage the Games.

The move comes on the eve of another IOC inspection of the facilities, and the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame which will burn in Sydney during the games later this year.