Denis Oswald Heads IOC Athens Coordination Commission

FISA president Denis Oswald has been named chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Athens Olympic Games by new IOC president Jacques Rogge.

The commission is responsible for monitoring the preparation progress of the Athens Olympic Games and for liaising with the Athens Organising Committee (ATHOC) and the Greek government.

Mr Oswald said he was looking forward to taking over the role vacated by Dr Rogge when he was named IOC president last week.

“It will be challenging and interesting,” Mr Oswald said. “It (Athens preparation) is not necessarily in the best situation but there have been a lot of improvements made in the last year.”

The Greek government and ATHOC had faced criticism last year over slow progress in the Games’ organisation. But a strict timetable is in place to ensure the infrastructure will be ready the time the Games begin in August 2004.

Mr Oswald says the number one priority of his new role will be to manage time.

“We have to manage the progress that is made and make sure we proceed exactly according to schedule,” he said.

“We cannot afford any delays so if one occurs we must have a contingency plan in place.”

The rowing venue at Schnias was one area that had been slow to get off the ground but ATHOC has promised the commission that the basic structure will be in place in time for the test event – the World Junior Championships in August 2003.

Mr Oswald, who is also the president of the Association for Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and an IOC member, was already part of the Co-ordination Commission which had been chaired by Dr Rogge.

Much of his role as chairman will be political, meeting with ATHOC and the Greek government ministers responsible for the smooth running of the games.

His previous role on the commission was more technical, making sure the requirements of all the sports federations were met.

He said he is pleased to bring the perspective of the federations to the chairman’s role.

Mr Oswald has been president of FISA since 1989 and a member of the IOC since 1991.