Greens urge EU capitals to pull out of Olympic race

Date: 24/07/1997

By Leyla Linton

AS THE September deadline draws near for a decision on where the Olympic games will be held in the year 2004, Green MEPs are stepping up their campaign against the bids lodged by three EU capitals to host the event.

The applications made by Athens, Stockholm and Rome have been condemned by Euro MPs unhappy with what they describe as the 'Eurocentrism' of the event and concerned about the damage it could do to the environment.

Members of the European Parliament's Green Group point out that the games have been held in Europe 30 times - more than on any other continent in the world - and maintain that the event is increasingly characterised by “perverted commercialism”.

With just weeks to go before a decision is due to be taken on the venue on 5 September, the Greens have spelt out their objections to the European bids in particular and their general opposition to the way the sporting world's biggest event is organised.

While stressing they are not against the games themselves - or sport in general - they are calling for the Olympics to be made smaller and insist it is unnecessary to build such large stadiums every time, destroying natural resources. They suggest building just one special stadium on each continent.

“Maddening commercialism” has made the Olympics 150 times more expensive over the past 40 years, claimed a spokesman, adding: “It is perverting the original Olympic idea.”

The Greens are calling for an independent team of international specialists to assess the environmental impact of staging the games in each of the countries' bidding to host the games.

An International Olympics Committee (IOC) spokeswoman stressed this week that the environment was “a very important issue” which the IOC considered “very deeply”.