For the importance of 2004 Olympic Gamestheir contribution to the international image of the country, but also the indisputable data on their costs, spoke to ERT and Giorgos Kouvaras Gianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki.
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The participation of society
The “I was there too” is the phrase I heard most of the time in the last 3-4 years on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, he said at the beginning of the debate. “I went to 83 cities: everyone had a story from the Games to tell me. All those who participated, all those who watched them,” he said characteristically.
“If society had not made the Games their own, nothing would have happened”, he emphasized and added: “The world was with the purpose, the it was society that inspired him and decided to do everything. We are not only talking about workers, volunteers, security forces. Athens had become a construction site, 37 test events were held, millions were wasted”, he emphasized.
Mrs. Angelopoulou recalled moments from the preparation. “I remember the thousands of faces telling me, what happened Gianna, will we make it? I remember our own anxieties, when we were in the case. But we made it! That’s why when the President of the International Olympic Committee Rog said the Greeks you have succeeded, the whole country cheered. The 2004 Olympic Games were an achievement for the entire country».
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The benefits and example of the Olympic Games
To the question “what did we win”, Mrs. Angelopoulou initially answered with three words: infrastructure, pride, we renewed the image of Greece in the whole world and detailed reference was made to the tangible and intangible heritage of the Games. The volunteering movement, the training of tens of thousands of people, a good operation and crisis management guide and major infrastructure.
“There were projects that changed the lives of all of us. Infrastructures were built that would not have been built in 60 years”, he said and wondered if and when the Attica Road, the Suburban Road, the Beach Front and other major projects would be built without the opportunity and the pressure of course of the Games.
“Greece, with the 2004 Olympic Games, was put back on the map,” he noted. “This country did everything perfectly. We gained international prestige. We gained great national self-confidence, which is never lost. We won Olympic infrastructure. Amazing public infrastructure. Thousands of people were trained. With the latest technology in all areas. All this is here”, he emphasized and pointed out that it is still not too late to pick up the thread again, to make use of the legacy of the Games.
Mrs. Angelopoulou pointed out one of the special features of the Games with particular importance for our country: “For the first time the Olympic Torch Relay passed through 5 continents. Greece traveled with the flame, Hellenism traveled everywhere”.
The indisputable financial data
The organizing committee was responsible for the budget of the Games and it came from revenue from tickets, sponsorships, television rights, participation of the IOC. The State had a participation of only 7% in the budget of the Commission. The Olympic adaptations for the Games were also made the Games were completed leaving a surplus of 130 million Euros which was returned to the State.
“We organized the Games, we gave back the balance and we were also cheap. And we heard sorry Athens Greece you were amazing”, he underlined.
In this context, he referred to the Oxford study on them London Games which cost 16 billion, while in Greece the corresponding total cost (with the Olympic projects and infrastructure) was only 6.5 billion. That is, “we were the second cheapest race after Los Angeles in 1932 and the best ever.”
According to a study by the IOBE for the Olympic Games, 6.5 billion was given by the Greek government for the period 2000-2010 for necessary infrastructure projects – stadiums, roads, hospitals, etc., an amount corresponding to 1% of the public expenditures of the respective years .
In the year of the Games we had 2.5% GDP growth, from increased revenues – tourism, VAT etc. And if the tangible and intangible legacy of the Games had not gone untapped, we would have had an additional 0.2% GDP growth every year since.
“Myth that Greece went bankrupt after the Olympics”
“That the Games bankrupted Greece is a myth which was invented by those who hate the achievements of the Greeks”, emphasized Mrs. Angelopoulou. “Those who like unfair criticism should learn elementary arithmetic, read the data, what we got, what we would get if we used the material and intangible heritage and let’s all say now let’s bring the abandoned projects back to life,” he added.
“Is it your legacy?”, Mrs. Angelopoulou was asked by Giorgos Kouvaras.
“What everyone does in life counts. When you do something for your country, when you give your heart and soul, everything happens.”
“Is there another big mission for Gianna?” asked Giorgos Kouvaras.
“I have applied to be elected to the municipal council of Athens and the people chose me, I have been elected twice as a Member of Parliament in Athens. Since then I have never claimed anything. The State always came to me and asked me for things. First to claim the Games, we did it.
I was called in 2000 to take over the completion of the preparation as 3 years had been lost, we succeeded and got the credit of the whole world. Three years ago I was asked to assume the honorary presidency of the Commission for the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution. We toured all over Greece, over 750 actions took place and without burdening the state.
What we collected we gave back to society: ICU, army cars, social actions etc. So if you ask me if I am claiming anything, I answer you no, I am not claiming anything. If you are asking me if I would agree to help my country if asked again, of course yes. With all my heart and with all my strength.”
