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The 2004 Olympic legacy that London must avoid
Robert Mendick06.02.09
A diving pool with four inches of stagnant water, brand new stadia mothballed and derelict, an Olympic complex all but abandoned and strewn with litter and graffiti — this is the legacy from the Athens Olympics in 2004.
An Evening Standard investigation has uncovered Olympic venues which remain unused and barred to the public just five years on — in a stark warning for organisers of the London Games. On the day Mayor Boris Johnson and Olympics minister Tessa Jowell announce a new company to “secure a lasting legacy” in the wake of London 2012, the size of the task that confronts them is obvious — if the Athens experience is anything to go by.
Venue after venue of the 2004 Games, visited by the Standard, is in disrepair. Graffiti covers stadia walls; weeds grow through walkways once used by spectators and athletes; litter spills out across empty plazas while metal fences and padlocked gates bar entry.
At the main Olympic site, ornamental fountains have long been switched off, the pools filled with torn flyers for, among other things, “live strip shows”. The area is all but empty. Water has been drained from the diving pool, which is now home to a flip-flop, ball, plastic bags and polystyrene cups.
The velodrome is ghostly quiet. Bird droppings cover the seating, the backs of which have also been spray-painted with graffiti.
At the Olympic village — converted to a workers' housing settlement in the north of Athens — the plaque to commemorate the Games is covered by spray paint while the central promenade is overgrown with weeds and blighted by dog mess, whisky bottles, cracked paving stones and — perhaps not surprisingly — spray paint cans.
Meanwhile a vast Olympic park at Helleniko that should have been created on the site of Athens' old airport — providing residents with welcome relief from the city's traffic-clogged streets and pollution — remains an abject wasteland. A rusting Boeing 747, emblazoned with the graffiti slogan “Chill High”, stands on the edge of what should be a splendid public park while three Olympic stadia, once venues for hockey, baseball and softball go to waste. The fencing venue is nothing more than a derelict concrete hangar.
When the Standard reporter and photographer arrived at the Helleniko site, a southern suburb on the coast about four miles from the city centre, our way was barred by security guards.
After 24 hours of negotiation, the Standard, escorted by three minders, was finally given access to a site normally shut to the public. Photographs were allowed, provided they did not include close-ups.
Neither the hockey nor softball stadium has been used since 2004 while the baseball arena has been converted into an ill-fitting football ground for a Greek second division side.
Millions of pounds a year are wasted maintaining sites the public cannot visit. “We test the facilities every day,” said one of the minders working for a subcontractor of the parent company Hellenic Olympic Properties. “The softball is in perfect working order. It is not abandoned. It's just that nobody ever plays softball.”
Asked why the 5,000-seat hockey arena had not seen a match since the Olympics, another minder laughed: “Hockey in Greece. Ha ha ha.”
A spokeswoman for Hellenic Olympic Properties, a state-owned company created by the government to manage and lease venues at Helleniko and down the road at Faliro — which should have regenerated the areas — admitted: “The children are only interested in basketball and football. All the other Olympic sports — nobody has any interest.”
What went wrong in Athens at an Olympics that cost $15 billion will make disquieting reading for those charged with ensuring the legacy is not wasted in London. The Greeks lagged so far behind in staging the Games — there were fears right up until the opening ceremony that venues would not be ready. Nobody considered what would be done with stadia after the athletes had left town.
There have been improvements — an updated metro, a tram along the waterfront, improved roads and new airport — but those achievements, which could have been built with or without an Olympics, are overshadowed by the subsequent failures.
The matter was not helped by a change of government four months before the Olympics, when the conservative New Democracy party took power from the socialist PASOK.
Since December, when 15-year-old Alexander Grigoropoulos was shot dead by police, the Greek capital has been in the grip of a mass riots, strikes and anti-government demonstrations.
“The Olympics has failed to inspire a generation of kids,” says Barney Spender, editor of sportingreece.com. “Going out and throwing rocks at policemen has become the national sport. Athens was really thrown up.
“They got the Games in 1997 but then only started building three years before. They wasted three years doing nothing but arguing and nothing got done. Nobody had a plan for the legacy. There was no unified structure. It's a big mess really.”
Ioannis Georganas, 35, an archaeologist, who is typical of a disaffected population, said: “During the Olympics, Athens was a lively, happy city. Everybody was smiling all the time. There was something different in the atmosphere but unfortunately after it all finished people went back to their routines and that was it. We never built on that momentum to do more. We missed the opportunity.”
In 2004 the hosts were 16th in the medals table with six golds. In Beijing last year, Greece won two bronze and two silvers, finishing 59th. Child obesity levels are among Europe's highest.
London 2012 organisers are confident the lessons of Athens have been absorbed. The setting up of a legacy company is a step on the road to securing the site's future success. London at least has a plan. That's more than can be said for Athens.
Reader views (25)
What alot of whingers,the countries getting some superb facilities, locals are getting work, and the finish will be a marvelous park setting which will a marvelous legacy for us all to enjoy
Anyone over 30 will probably never see an olympic games in this country, so think positive enjoy.
- Colin Lonsdale, Leeds England
This quote from Chris Shaw's excellent critique "5 Ring Circus: Myths and Realities of the Olympic Games" sums up the Olympics in a nutshell:
"The entire Olympic industry is endemically corrupt... What else do you call an industry that knowingly puts cites and states into debt, promises social inclusion but directly penalises the poor or labels itself as environmentally friendly while abetting outright destruction...democratic processes can be truncated, compulsory purchase orders slapped down, homes and amenities cleared. The Olympic Bulldozer clears all objections out of the way. There can be no debate..."
- Cally G, Essex, UK
The Olympics were a restart of old olympic games which ceased due to corruption, excessive spending, corruption and cheating. Sounds familiar doesn't it. The Olympics have again run their course and are now hust an expensive, vain, national showoff for politicians to attend and still claim it as work expenses. It is not a sporting event anymore - the highest attendances are for the opening and closing entertainment ceremonies so forget the sport lets just put on a show. The residual empty stadia could become giant Chemist shops in tribute to all the drugs that the athletes consume. Of course there will be empty stadia - minor sports do not have large facilities because it is not viable, so why build them. Good bye Olympics a healthy 200 year break would be good.
- Mr Pastry, Brisbane
i can imagine how many so called olympic tourists will be outstaying their visas, loads
- Ian, ex- pat, dustbin of the world
"I've no doubt Beijing will follow the same pattern."
- Cally G, Essex, UK
No, it wont. The Beijing stadia are used on an almost daily basis for sporting, cultural and even leisure purposes. I've even been swimming in the Olympic pool. Excellent facility and it cost me the equivalent of £1.20.
"Please - let's ditch the Olympics permanently. I'm no sports enthusiast, so it'll be of no interest to me."
Ah, so Cally G, just your selfishness then that should decide that people that might want to enjoy it should be deprived. As an "Essex" resident, I hope you live in Barking, Dagenham, Havering or Redbridge, otherwise your selfishness is even further compounded.
- Escobar A-Lop-Lop, Mad as hell and not taking it anymore
Maybe we need fewer events to save costs of having to build hotels for more athletes etc.
I am sure it will be good to watch for those interested but why does this cost so much for the taxpayer when a Football Wotld Cup will cost us nothing as the FA will fund it in 2018
- Mark, Watford
- Darren, London - the problem with people like you is that you have a well thought out, reasonable argument about how the city will scale-down the facilities and continue to use them in a sensible way. People on here just want to moan - leave them to it.
I think London should learn from Manchester's 2002 Commonwealth games - indeed they have. The whole idea of building re-scalable stadia for one. It probably costs a little more to make a stadium you can re-use but it's surely worth the cost. I just look at each part of the Olympic plan and think "y'know what? We need that, it's good". And to be honest, the area they're building it in was so run down and such an eyesore that it couldn't be any worse than the industrial wasteland that was there to begin with.
- Simon Brown, London, UK
We have got underused sporting facilities after the Sydney games. The main stadium is great for Olympic events but sadly lacking for other sporting events.
And, we are still paying for it!!
- Hatchet, Newcastle , Australia
As long as the legacy is handled by the private sector I think the plans that are in place provide a sustainable platform. Having the games in London will attract a great deal of global interest and will likely drive tourism and investment revenues for years. It will be at the right time to re-launch the UK to the commercial world following a deep recession which will give us an opportunity that others in the world do not have.
Just don't let the politicians look after the venues - "Millenium Dome" anyone? I prefer O2 Arena any day.
- Jon, london,England
To Luke M in Sydney. I was on holiday in Sydney last year and I sought the opinions of several tour guides about the Olympics. They confirmed to me that the majority of the facilities are not used to their fullest capacity. They also said that the Olympics did little to boost tourism to Australia.
You complain about us Brits moaning, but as a hard working tax payer, I want my money spent on public services, not on Vanity Projects. The Athens Games were heavily subsidised by the European Community, which means that I, as a British tax payer, am paying for that as well as the London Olympics.
People, like Seb Coe, are lining their pockets with millions of pounds of public money - so if it's in their pockets, then it's not going into the poor communities of East London or into local businesses, and the Government promised us that the Olympics would help one of the poorest parts of London.
The Olympics had more than its far share of funds from the National Lottery, included another £700 million diverted from other good causes - Arts, Heritage, Sports at the local level, Medical and Community projects. It's a monster that eating up all are resources.
- Cally G, Essex, UK
I agree, us brits moan far too much. If you think about how bad things could be, the olympics will be a great celebration and I for one will be frequenting the park when re opened.
- Chris Savage, London
In the immortal words of the song, "Let's call the whole thing off!"
- Karsten Duncan, Perth, Australia
If some people want to play bat and ball then fair enough but why should I and millions of others that have no interest in a few people that have too much time on their hands have to pay for it. It will all be a waste of money
- Brian, Grays
Cally G, Essex - The Sydney 2000 Olympic venue is still frequently used for concerts and entertainment events.
Stop WHINGING its depressing listening to the English moaning all the time!
- Luke M., Sydney, Australia
So as someone who grew up in Greenwich and now lives in California. It seems like a great opportunity. The rest of the world is inspired by Obama and his centerpiece is to pump money into infrastructure and public works. Maybe the British myself included are too quick to be downbeat about about the opportunity. I know we also do crap in the Olympics but if there's some sort of conversion plan for the structures built to stop them becoming white elephants it will be a good life for everyone and provide a boost to employment at a time its sorely needed.
- Jon, San Francisco, CA
The difference in London and Beijing is--China could actually afford it. We are broke and insist on throwing a party to celebrate this fact. Insane !
- Bernard, London
athens didn't start building until 3 years to go. by contrast, London's main venues are almost done. and I can see the Stadium already as I go past.
can the Standard's new editor be a bit more positive about the best thing to come to this city in decades? it's our one chance. perhaps holding up on the whinging would be a nice experiment, no?
- Derek, newham
Just give it to Sydney, or back to Beijing. Total waste of time and money; Athens, here we come...
- Raoul, London
All very well if a city has sports facilities in the first instance - London doesn't.
We are losing facilities still and 2012 is the only hope of getting anything like an international standard facility in or around the london area. The main problem is that there is not more being done to give a greater spread of facility. We should have built the 4 aquatics centres that London needs and used the Olympics as the background to this - but no, just 1 pool.
The Olympics will be a success, as long as the politicians leave well alone (any chance of that?)but the legacy will not be spread enough to make the difference it should.
- John Whitby, Peterborough, Cambs
You are not a sports enthusiast so no one is allowed to enjoy sport? Nice attitude! About sums up the readership on here! Can you not read either? The whole basis of the London bid is centred on the legacy! And still people moan about temporary stadia including this paper! Ha you couldnt make it up!
- Barry M, London
London is building temporary venues for hosting sports that aren't likely to be used after the Games (basketball, hockey). Others are being held in venues that already exist and are used at the moment (Excel, the o2, Greenwich Park, Wembley Stadium). The permanent venues such as the stadium, aquatic centre and velodrome are being built so they can be sized down after the Games so they can easily be maintained to a high standard by their respective local councils. The park itself will be ringed by new housing plus an entire new city and international station. Unlike Athens, London's park is already part of the urban grain of East London like Victoria and Mile End Park and will easily be used by locals.
The British make much of the lack of world class sporting venues in London, with pools closing down and playing fields being sold off, but it seems when these things are given to them on a plate they say they won't be used and become white elephants. Make up your minds.
- Darren, London
The Olympic Games are a wonderful idea that, like so many other things, has become over-developed. Each city wants to put on the best show and thus the Olympics have grown and grown until the cost has become disproportionate to the benefit. Everything has become so pressurised that young athletes, in a desire to win, are turning to performance enhancing substances in ever larger numbers. All of this tells us that the system is about to implode.
Whenever 'business' gets involved, and far too many business people wish to exploit the games wherever they are, the result is the same. They turn up the heat and politicians who seek their slot in history are just as bad. The politicians fritter our taxes away whilst the business people hoover up whatever is left in our pockets. Want evidence? Just read the article above!
Evenin' all. I'll be back!
- Burton J Helling, LE HOMMET D'ARTHENAY, FRANCE
Digging a very large and expensive hole and filling it with luxury sports facilities might be good job-creation. The Victorians called those sorts of enterprises 'follies'. Likewise the £9-10-11-12 bn it will all eventually cost us could have been spent more usefully using no less labour. Some affordable homes would have come in useful. Athens 2004 should be sufficient warning to those who still think London 2012 was a great idea.
- Barrie, essex UK
The Olympics shouldn't be ditched but it would make more sense to have a permanent Olympic site either in Athens or on one of the Islands. The IOC could organise the costs and maintenance and the olypic village could be used as holiday homes for the 3 oout of every 4 years it lies idle. It is such a huge financial burden on each host nation to build, almost from scratch, sports facilites for the games which are used for such a short time. The world has people suffering from starvation and homelessness and it seems immoral to spend billions every few years on the creation of a new olypics venue.
- Jane Bewick, London
Athens is not an exception. Lots of host cities have wasted public money on sports stadia that no one uses. The stadium in Montreal produced so much debt, it took the poor Canadians thirty years to pay this off. It's been rarely used to its fullest capacity during those thirty years, and today, it has no permanent tenant. Canadians nicknamed their stadium the "Big Owe", because they owed so much money on it.
Ditto, Sydney in Australia - left with expensive venues no one uses. I've no doubt Beijing will follow the same pattern.
Please - let's ditch the Olympics permanently. I'm no sports enthusiast, so it'll be of no interest to me.
- Cally G, Essex, UK
