Athens accessible by 2004
After a three-day inspection, International Paralympics Committee officials yesterday said they were confident the Greek government would carry out promises to make Athens accessible for disabled people by the 2004 Games. Paralympics officials, headed by IPC Vice President Francois Terranova, were briefed on accessibility, sports, transport, medical services and progress on the construction of Olympic facilities. Among the top issues to ensure good Paralympic Games are making Athens accessible to disabled people in time for 2004, and informing the public in an effort to change attitudes about disabilities, officials said. «I can say that we are confident because we have a strong commitment from the top of this country, from the Greek government. There is strong support for accessibility, there is strong support for the Paralympics,» Terranova said. Terranova also said that generally progress has been good, but much work remains to be done. «We are a long way toward achieving our work, our common work, and from our point of view we have underlined the major issues,» Terranova said. He said that it was not only sports venues that must be made accessible by 2004, but hotels, restaurants, museums and even toilets. Last week the government pledged to make all buildings, sidewalks and other public facilities accessible for the disabled. No budget was given for the task, as the government has not estimated the scale of the work needed. For years, construction codes for public and private buildings did not include provisions for disabled people. «If our common goal is to leave a legacy, a social legacy, for the Greek people, for Greece and especially the city of Athens, we have to be able to show this accessibility,» Terranova said. Officials have blamed delays in making such changes to a Greek mentality of neglect for the needs of the disabled. «The development and promotion of the action plan for accessibility will improve accessibility for people with disabilities, not only in all Olympic and Paralympic facilities, but in all Athens,» said Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, head of the 2004 organizing committee. She added that organizers will promote the idea of the Paralympics to «inform and sensitize the Greek public.» The main responsibility for organizers of the Olympics will be to ensure that all standards for accessibility be put into designs and plans for Paralympics facilities and programs, said Ioannis Spanoudakis, 2004 general manager. Organizers said they will later in the week announce the first 2004 Paralympics sponsor. The budget for the Paralympics is about $130 million, of which $100 million will be paid by organizers and the government. The rest will come from other means including sponsors, products sales and tickets, he said.
