Crews Scramble to Finish Olympic Stadium Roof

As the Olympic stadium roof finally rolls into place, crews labor in the sun -- digging, pouring and flattening concrete, working feverishly to finish all the other work at the main complex.

The complex, known as OAKA, is undergoing massive refurbishment after years of clogged traffic, construction dust and humiliating delays leading to the Aug. 13-29 games.

Last week, the urgent concern was whether the steel-and-glass roof would be in place on time. Now that the first arch is positioned, the focus has shifted to the rest of the work.

“Even if the roof has been sliding, there is still a lot to do but

Apart from track and field, OAKA will host tennis, basketball finals, gymnastics, swimming and cycling as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.

It was built in 1982 in the northern suburb of Maroussi, about 5 miles from the city center.

Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was commissioned to redesign and modernize the complex, but delays stalled construction and pushed back important pre-Olympic test events.

“Everybody has been focusing on the roof, forgetting to look what is happening all around OAKA,” Spyros Capralos, in charge of coordinating Olympic preparations under the culture ministry, told Associated Press.

Aesthetic work, which must be done by mid-July, includes tree-lined promenades, fountains, flowers, parking and service facilities. More than 3,000 trees will be planted, along with 160,000 shrubs.

“Instead of the normal planting period, from January to April, most of the Olympic greenery will be planted in July, when temperatures ... are at the highest. In such conditions plants are like premature babies,” Costas Matsoukas, the head of a Greek horticulturist union, was quoted as saying by the daily Kathimerini newspaper.

Tiles also will be used for decoration, with the Greek national colors of blue and white prominently displayed. Other designs are inevitably inspired by Greek antiquity and the Byzantine era.

“It’s going to look spectacular,” Capralos said. “There are going to be water fountains, beautiful lights.”

Calatrava has designed a “common domain” for OAKA visitors, kept cool by trees and pools of water.

It features a walkway under steel vaults called the Agora. There is also a “Plaza of Nations” amphitheater and a steel sculpture that bears the names and flags of participating countries.

The Spaniard has designed a fountain and central Olympic monument that doubles as a sundial.

Most designs are made of steel, some including strands of carbon like the roofs of the main stadium and velodrome.

An underground network of tunnels will help athletes get around without having to weave around thousands of spectators.

“There are many tunnels under the main stadium as well as the other facilities for running power cables,” Capralos said.

“So a lot of work -- you cannot see it -- but now it’s taking shape and I think the whole venue will look spectacular,” he said.

Other Olympic notes:

Greek authorities are warning journalists not to cross the line -- into Olympic venues, that is.

Public order minister Giorgos Voulgarakis said guards will take action against anyone -- carrying a press card or not -- who is caught on Olympic sites without permission.

“If an officer with orders to protect a site sees something illegal and gives repeated warnings, he could act in a way that could have very serious consequences,” he said.

The stern words came after British and German journalists were detained for illegally entering Olympic sports complexes at night in apparent attempts to test security measures.

“It is a strange behavior because they could have gotten permission to visit all venues,” Voulgarakis told Flash radio. “I would tell journalists to treat Olympic security very seriously and not see it just as an opportunity for a story.”

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Greek men who left the country to avoid mandatory military service will get a free pass back during the Olympic summer.

From Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, border authorities will not check on conscription status for returning Greeks. The waiver for draft dodgers, however, will end when the Olympic roadshow moves on. The Olympics are Aug. 13-29 and the Paralympics are Sept. 17-28.

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The Bank of Greece issued a new 2 euro coin to commemorate the return of the Olympics to their ancient birthplace.

The side of the coin that currently displays the ancient Greek goddess Europa, which gave the continent its name, will be replaced by another image: the discus thrower.

Considered by many to represent the perfect athletic form, the famous statue of the discus thrower was created about 460 B.C.

“We’re honoring a unique event, the return of the Olympics home to their place of birth -- Greece,” Bank of Greece governor Nicholas Garganas said.

The bank said 50 million commemorative 2 euro coins will circulate throughout Europe.

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Greeks will retain the right to demonstrate during the Olympic Games, despite all the security measures being put in place, the government says.

“The government will not accept infringements of citizens’ rights, because if this were accepted then there is the danger that the infringements will get worse,” said government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos.

Demonstrations are commonplace in Athens, staged by labor unions, students and even a group opposed to the Olympics.

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An American advertising agency won a contract to promote Athens through 2006.

The Leo Burnett agency, based in Chicago, signed a $7 million contract Wednesday with the greater Athens regional government in a deal announced Friday. The ad campaign will be aimed at Americans, Europeans and Japanese.

Athens is trying to boost its image as a vacation destination leading to the Aug. 13-29 Olympics and make up for three years of preparation delays.

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Japan’s women’s volleyball team won a spot in the Olympics after beating South Korea on Friday in a qualifying tournament.

Japan won 25-19, 25-19, 25-15 to raise its record to 5-0. The Japanese, ranked seventh in the world, failed to qualify for Athens at the 2003 World Cup when they finished fifth.

The top three teams at this eight-nation tournament will advance to the Aug. 13-29 Athens Games. Japan leads the standings, followed by Russia, South Korea and Italy.

Other winners Friday were Italy, Russia and Puerto Rico.