2004 Summer Olympics

Multi-sport event in Athens, Greece Athens 2004 2004 Summer Paralympics and Athens 2004 (video game) February 2024 2004 Summer Olympics 2004 Summer Olympics logo (2).svg 150 Emblem of the 2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Olympic Games emblem is a wreath made from an olive tree branch, or kotinos. The emblem is a reference to the ancient Olympic Games, where the kotinos was the official award of Olympic champions. In addition, the olive was the sacred tree of Athens. The colours of the emblem symbolise the shades of white and blue found in the Greek countryside; Down below the word "ATHENS 2004" was put above the Olympic ring. Athens, Greece Welcome Home(el Καλώς ήρθατε σπίτι Kalós írthate spíti) 201 10,557 (6,257 men, 4,300 women) 301 in 28 sports (40 disciplines) 13 August 2004 29 August 2004 President Konstantinos StephanopoulosFactsheet - Opening Ceremony of the Games of the Olympiad https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/Opening_ceremony_of_the_Games_of_the_Olympiad.pdf dead International Olympic Committee 9 October 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20160814215458/https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/Opening_ceremony_of_the_Games_of_the_Olympiad.pdf 14 August 2016 22 December 2018 IOC President Jacques Rogge Nikolaos Kaklamanakis Olympic Stadium Sydney 2000 Beijing 2008 Salt Lake 2002 Torino 2006 The 2004 Summer Olympics (el Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004 Theriní Olympiakí Agónes 2004),Standard Modern Greek pronunciation is el θeriˈni olibi.aˈci aˈɣonez ðˈio çiˈʎaðes ˈtesera. officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (el Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας Agónes tis 28is Olympiádas none), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (el Αθήνα 2004), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes compete,http://www.olympic.org/athens-2004-summer-olympics Athens 2004 19 January 2008 International Olympic Committee olympic.org dead https://archive.today/20130117121331/http://www.olympic.org/athens-2004-summer-olympics 17 January 2013 The Olympic Summer Games Factsheet http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/The_Olympic_Summer_Games.pdf International Olympic Committee 5 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20110112051935/http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/The_Olympic_Summer_Games.pdf 12 January 2011 dead some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team officials from 201 countries, with 301 medal events in 28 different sports. The 2004 Games marked the first time since the 1996 Summer Olympics that all countries with a National Olympic Committee were in attendance, and also marked the first time Athens hosted the Games since their first modern incarnation in 1896 as well as the return of the Olympic games to its birthplace. Athens became the fourth city to host the Summer Olympic Games on two occasions (together with Paris, London and Los Angeles). A new medal obverse was introduced at these Games, replacing the design by Giuseppe Cassioli that had been used since 1928. The new design features the Panathenaic Stadium in Athenshttp://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200307/02/eng20030702_119258.shtml Athens' New Olympic Medal Design Win IOC's Nod 2 July 2003 People's Daily 5 August 2011 rectifying the long-running mistake of using a depiction of the Roman Colosseum rather than a Greek venue.http://olympic-museum.de/w_medals/wmed1956.htm Winner Medals https://web.archive.org/web/20110704231329/http://olympic-museum.de/w_medals/wmed1956.htm 4 July 2011 dead olympic-museum.de 27 July 2011 The 2004 Olympic Games were hailed as "unforgettable dream games" by then-IOC president Jacques Rogge, and left Athens with a significantly improved infrastructure, including a new airport, ring road and subway system.https://www.espn.com/olympics/summer04/gen/news/story?id=1870458 Rogge: Athens 'unforgettable, dream Games' Associated Press 29 August 2004 ESPN 28 July 2012 There has been debate (mostly in popular media) regarding the cost of the Games and their possible contribution to the 2010–18 Greek government-debt crisis, although there is little or no evidence supporting this claim. The 2004 Games were generally deemed to be a success, with the rising standard of competition amongst nations across the world. The final medal tally was led by the United States, followed by China and Russia with host nation Greece in 15th place. Several world and Olympic records were also broken during these Games. Chile, Chinese Taipei, Dominican Republic, Georgia and Israel won their first Olympic gold medals. Eritrea and Paraguay won their first Olympic medals. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) won both their first Olympic medal and gold medal in this event. Host city selection Bids for the 2004 Summer Olympics Athens was chosen as the host city during the 106th IOC Session held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 5 September 1997. The Greek capital had lost its bid to organize the 1996 Summer Olympics to the American city of Atlanta nearly seven years before, during the 96th IOC Session in Tokyo, Japan on 18 September 1990. Under the direction of Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, Athens pursued another bid, this time for the right to host the Summer Olympics in 2004. The success of Athens in securing the 2004 Games was based largely on the bid's appeal to human values, the history of the Games from ancient age and modern age and the emphasis that Athens is placed at the pivotal role that Greece and Athens could play in promoting the Modern Olympism and the Olympic Movement.https://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/19/sports/atlanta-selected-over-athens-for-1996-olympics.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2&pagewanted=print Atlanta Selected Over Athens for 1996 Olympics Weisman Steven R. 19 September 1990 The New York Times 23 September 2008 Unlike the 1996 bid that was seen arrogant when the city was bidding, the 2004 bid was lauded for its low scale, humility, honest and earnestness, its focused message, and a more real and detailed bid concept.https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/athens-wins-2004-olympics-1237761.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/athens-wins-2004-olympics-1237761.html 1 May 2022 subscription live Athens wins 2004 Olympics 6 September 1997 Mike Rowbottom The Independent London 25 May 2010 During the unsuccessful 1996 bid, concerns and criticisms were raised – primarily regarding critical subjects about the city's infrastructural readiness, its air pollution, its budget and politicization of the Games' events and their preparations.https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/06/sports/athens-wins-a-vote-for-tradition-and-the-2004-olympics.html?pagewanted=print Athens Wins a Vote for Tradition, and the 2004 Olympics 6 September 1997 Jere Longman The New York Times 25 May 2010 The subsequent successful organization of other events such as the 1991 Mediterranean Games, the 1994 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, 1994 World Fencing Championships and the successful 1997 World Championships in Athletics, one month before the Olympic host city election was crucial in allaying lingering fears and concerns among the sporting community and some IOC members about the Greek ability to host international sporting events.https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/03/sports/athens-pins-olympic-bid-to-world-meet.html?pagewanted=print Athens Pins Olympic Bid to World Meet Longman Jere 3 August 1997 The New York Times 23 September 2008 Another factor that contributed to the Greek capital's selection was a growing sentiment among some IOC members to restore some original values of the Olympics to the Modern Games, a component which they felt was lost during the 1996 Summer Olympics.https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/07/sports/athens-can-thank-atlanta-for-2004-games.html Athens Can Thank Atlanta for 2004 Games 7 September 1997 Dave Anderson The New York Times 25 May 2010 Dave Anderson (sportswriter) After leading all voting rounds, Athens easily defeated Rome in the fifth and final vote. Cape Town, Stockholm, and Buenos Aires (the latter won the rights to host the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in 2013), the three other cities that made the IOC shortlist, were eliminated in prior rounds of voting. Six other cities submitted applications, but their bids were dropped by the IOC in 1996. These cities were Istanbul, Lille, Rio de Janeiro (the latter won the rights to host the 2016 Summer Olympics in 2009), San Juan, Seville, and Saint Petersburg.http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/athens/election_uk.asp International Olympic Committee – Athens 2004 – Election Olympic.org 15 March 2010 + 2004 host city election – ballot results City Country Round 1 Run-Off 2 3 4 Athens Greece 32 — 38 52 66 Rome Italy 23 — 28 35 41 Cape Town South Africa 16 62 22 20 — Stockholm Sweden 20 — 19 — — Buenos Aires Argentina 16 44 — — — Development and preparation Costs The 2004 Summer Olympic Games cost the Government of Greece near €9 billion to stage.http://www.greekembassy.org/Embassy/content/en/Article.aspx?office=3&folder=200&article=14269 Cost of Athens 2004 Olympics 13 November 2004 Embassy of Greek greekembassy.org dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071219203443/http://www.greekembassy.org/Embassy/content/en/Article.aspx?office=3&folder=200&article=14269 19 December 2007 The Athens 2004 Organizing Committee (ATHOC), responsible for the preparation and organisation of the Games, concluded its operations as a company in 2005 with a surplus of €130.6 million. The State's contribution to the total ATHOC budget was 8% of its expenditure against an originally anticipated 14%. The overall revenue of ATHOC, including income from tickets, sponsors, broadcasting rights, merchandise sales etc., totalled near €2.1 billion. The largest percentage of that income (38%) came from media rights. According to the cost-benefit evaluation of the impact of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games presented to the Greek Parliament in January 2013 by the Minister of Finance Mr. Giannis Stournaras, the overall net economic benefit for Greece was positive.http://news.in.gr/economy/article/?aid=1231231141 Στα 8,5 δισ. ευρώ το συνολικό ακαθάριστο κόστος των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων του 2004date=18 January 2013 18 January 2013 The Greek Ministry of Finance reported in 2013 that the expenses of the Greek state for the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including both infrastructure and organizational costs, reached the amount of €8.5 billion. The same report further explains that €2 billion of this amount was covered by the revenue of the ATHOC (from tickets, sponsors, broadcasting rights, merchandise sales etc.) and that another €2 billion was directly invested in upgrading hospitals and preserving archaeological sites. Therefore, the net infrastructure costs related to the preparation of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games was €4.5 billion, substantially lower than the reported estimates,https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3770981.stm Olympics 'may cost Greece dear' 2 June 2004 news.bbc.co.uk and mainly included long-standing fixed asset investments in numerous municipal and transport infrastructures. On the revenue side, the same report estimates that incremental tax revenues of approximately €3.5 billion arose from the increased activities caused by the Athens 2004 Olympic Games during the period 2000 to 2004. These tax revenues were paid directly to the Greek state specifically in the form of incremental social security contributions, income taxes and VAT tax paid by all the companies, professionals, and service providers that were directly involved with the Olympic Games. Moreover, it is reported that the Athens 2004 Olympic Games have had a great economic growth impact on the Greek economy, in the words of the Greek Minister of Finance, is that "as a result from the cost-benefit analysis, we reach the conclusion that there has been a net economic benefit from the Olympic Games". Comparison to other Olympic Games Cost per sporting event for Athens 2004 was US$9.8 million. This compares with US$14.9 million for Rio 2016, US$49.5 million for London 2012, and US$22.5 million for Beijing 2008. Average cost per event for the Summer Games since 1960 is US$19.9 million. Cost per athlete for Athens 2004 was US$0.3 million. This compares with US$0.4 million for Rio 2016, US$1.4 million for London 2012, and US$0.6 million for Beijing 2008. Average cost per athlete for the Summer Games since 1960 is US$0.6 million. Cost overrun for Athens 2004 was 49%, measured in real terms from the bid to host the Games. This compares with 51% for Rio 2016 and 76% for London 2012. Average cost overrun for the Summer Games since 1960 is 176%. Construction thumb|Faliro Sports Pavilion Arena By late March 2004, some Olympic projects were still behind schedule, and Greek authorities announced that a roof it had initially proposed as an optional, non-vital addition to the Aquatics Center would no longer be built. The main Olympic Stadium, the designated facility for the opening and closing ceremonies, was completed only two months before the Games opened. This stadium was completed with a retractable glass roof designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The same architect also designed the Velodrome and other facilities. Infrastructure, such as the tram line linking venues in southern Athens with the city centre, and numerous venues were considerably behind schedule just two months before the start of the Games. The subsequent pace of preparation, however, made the rush to finish the Athens venues one of the tightest in Olympics history. The Greeks, unperturbed, maintained that they would make it all along. By July/August 2004, all venues were delivered: in August, the Olympic Stadium was officially completed and opened, joined or preceded by the official completion and openings of other venues within the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA), and the sports complexes in Faliro and Helliniko. thumb|The Athens Olympic Velodrome, designed by Santiago Calatrava, during the 2004 Olympic Games Late July and early August witnessed the Athens Tram become operational, and this system provided additional connections to those already existing between Athens city centre and its waterfront communities along the Saronic Gulf. These communities included the port city of Piraeus, Agios Kosmas (site of the sailing venue), Helliniko (the site of the old international airport which now contained the fencing venue, the canoe/kayak slalom course, the 15,000-seat Helliniko Olympic Basketball Arena, and the softball and baseball stadia), and the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex (site of the taekwondo, handball, indoor volleyball, and beach volleyball venues, as well as the newly reconstructed Karaiskaki Stadium for football). The upgrades to the Athens Ring Road were also delivered just in time, as were the expressway upgrades connecting central Athens with peripheral areas such as Markopoulo (site of the shooting and equestrian venues), the newly constructed Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, Schinias (site of the rowing venue), Maroussi (site of the OAKA), Parnitha (site of the Olympic Village), Galatsi (site of the rhythmic gymnastics and table tennis venue), and Vouliagmeni (site of the triathlon venue). The upgrades to the Athens Metro were also completed, and the new lines became operational by mid-summer. EMI released Unity, the official pop album of the Athens Olympics, in the leadup to the Olympics. It features contributions from Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Moby, Destiny's Child, and Avril Lavigne. EMI has pledged to donate US$180,000 from the album to UNICEF's HIV/AIDS program in Sub-Saharan Africa.http://www.star-ecentral.com/music/sleeve/notes.asp?file=archives/sleeve/2004/5/26/26UnityOlymp&date=5/26/2004/2 Unity Olympics Album The Star Online eCentral 2004 16 August 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080422033643/http://www.star-ecentral.com/music/sleeve/notes.asp?file=archives%2Fsleeve%2F2004%2F5%2F26%2F26UnityOlymp&date=5%2F26%2F2004%2F2 22 April 2008 At least 14 people died during the work on the facilities. Most of these people were not from Greece.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3920919.stm Workers in peril at Athens sites BBC News 23 July 2004 16 August 2008 Before the Games, Greek hotel staff staged a series of one-day strikes over wage disputes. They had been asking for a significant raise for the period covering the event being staged. Paramedics and ambulance drivers also protested. They claimed to have the right to the same Olympic bonuses promised to their security force counterparts. Athens Olympic Sports Complex Panorama.JPG 700px Panorama of Athens Olympic Sports Complex. Torch relay thumb|right|The ceremony for the lighting of the flame was arranged as a pagan pageant, with dancing priestesses. 2004 Summer Olympics torch relay upright=1.45|thumb|The Olympic Flame toured the world for the first time. The lighting ceremony of the Olympic flame took place on 25 March 2004 in Ancient Olympia. For the first time ever, the flame travelled around the world in a relay to various Summer Olympic host cities (past and future) and other large cities, before returning to Greece. Broadcasting Athens Olympic Broadcasting served as the host broadcaster for the Games, providing over 35,000 hours of coverage to over 300 television channels around the world. Local rights to the Games were held by ERT which devoted their three channels (ET1, NET and ET3) to more than 24 hours of Olympic coverage.https://olympics.com/ioc/news/global-tv-viewing-of-athens-2004-olympic-games-breaks-records Global TV viewing of Athens 2004 Olympic Games breaks records International Olympic Committee 12 October 2004 13 August 2023 Online coverage For the first time, major broadcasters were allowed to serve video coverage of the Olympics over the Internet, provided that they restricted this service geographically, to protect broadcasting contracts in other areas.Pfanner Eric Athens Games beating Sydney in TV race International Herald Tribune 30 August 2004 http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/08/30/tv30_ed3_.php 18 August 2006 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070912020526/http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/08/30/tv30_ed3_.php 12 September 2007 The International Olympic Committee forbade Olympic athletes, as well as coaches, support personnel and other officials, from setting up specialized weblogs or other websites for covering their personal perspective of the Games. They were not allowed to post audio, video, or photos that they had taken. An exception was made if an athlete already has a personal website that was not set up specifically for the Games.You're Athletes, Not Journalists Wired News 20 August 2004 https://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,64650,00.html 18 August 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20070101145107/http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,64650,00.html 1 January 2007 live NBC launched its own Olympic website, NBCOlympics.com. Focusing on the television coverage of the Games, it did provide video clips, medal standings, live results. Its main purpose, however, was to provide a schedule of what sports were on the many stations of NBC Universal. The Games were shown on television 24 hours a day, on one network or another. Medals The medals awarded during the 2004 Summer Olympics introduced a redesigned obverse for Olympic medals, marking the first major change to the standard design since the 1928 Summer Olympics. Organizers stated that the redesign was intended to emphasize the Greek heritage of the Olympic Games and their revival in the modern era.Athens 2004 Medal Design https://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/athens-2004/medal-design 19 May 2026 Olympics.com International Olympic Committee en Previous Olympic medals, used from 1928 through the 2000 Summer Olympics, depicted the goddess Nike seated while holding an ear of corn and a wreath. For Athens 2004, Nike was instead portrayed flying into the stadium to deliver victory to the winning athlete. The Panathenaic Stadium, the venue of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, was also depicted on the obverse side, alongside an engraving identifying the athlete's sporting discipline. The reverse side of the medal incorporated three principal elements: the Olympic flame lit in Olympia and carried across five continents during the torch relay; the opening lines of the Eighth Olympic Ode by the ancient Greek poet Pindar, originally composed in 460 BC to commemorate the wrestler Alkimedon of Aegina; and the official emblem of the Athens 2004 Games. The medals were designed by Elena Votsi and produced by Efsimon. The medals had a diameter of 60 millimetres and were awarded in gold, silver and bronze compositions corresponding to first, second and third place respectively. Podium The podiums used during the 2004 Summer Olympics incorporated elements of the "Panorama" visual identity developed for the Games. The "Panorama" design reflected aspects of Greek culture, language and landscape, drawing inspiration from the colours of the sea and the tones of the country's olive groves.https://www.olympics.com/en/news/podiums-from-the-past-the-history-of-the-three-steps-every-athlete-dreams-about Podiums from the past: the history of the three steps every athlete dreams about Olympics.com International Olympic Committee 27 January 2024 18 May 2026 en thumb|Brazilian footballer Aline Pellegrino seated on the Women's football tournament podium at the 2004 Summer Olympics During the 2004 Summer Olympics, medal-winning athletes standing on the podium were crowned with olive wreaths, referencing traditions associated with the ancient Olympic Games. Technology thumb|View of the ATHOC Technology Operations Center during the Games. As with any enterprise, the organizing committee and everyone involved with it relied heavily on technology in order to deliver a successful event. ATHOC maintained two separate data networks, one for the preparation of the Games (known as the Administrative network) and one for the Games themselves (Games Network). The technical infrastructure involved more than 11,000 computers, over 600 servers, 2,000 printers, 23,000 fixed-line telephone devices, 9,000 mobile phones, 12,000 TETRA devices, 16,000 TV and video devices and 17 Video Walls interconnected by more than 6,000 kilometers of cabling (both optical fiber and twisted pair). This infrastructure was created and maintained to serve directly more than 150,000 ATHOC Staff, Volunteers, Olympic family members (IOC, NOCs, Federations), Partners & Sponsors and Media. It also kept the information flowing for all spectators, TV viewers, Website visitors and news readers around the world, prior and during the Games. The Media Center was located inside the Zappeion which is a Greek national exhibition center. Between June and August 2004, the technology staff worked in the Technology Operations Center (TOC) from where it could centrally monitor and manage all the devices and flow of information, as well as handle any problems that occurred during the Games. The TOC was organized in teams (e.g. Systems, Telecommunications, Information Security, Data Network, Staffing, etc.) under a TOC Director and corresponding team leaders (Shift Managers). The TOC operated on a 24x7 basis with personnel organized into 12-hour shifts. The Games Opening ceremony thumb|The Olympic Flame at the opening ceremony 2004 Summer Olympics opening ceremony The opening ceremony of the games, directed by choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou and produced by Jack Morton Worldwide, led by project director David Zolkwer, was held on 13 August 2004. It began with a twenty-eight (the number of the Olympiads up to then) second countdown paced by the sounds of an amplified heartbeat.https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/sports/olympics/29closing.html?ex=1148788800&en=1c65a34c3766781c&ei=5070&pagewanted=print Master of Olympic Pageantry Prepares One Final Blowout 29 August 2004 The New York Times Associated Press 25 May 2010 As the countdown was completed, fireworks rumbled and illuminated the skies overhead. After a drum corps and bouzouki players joined in an opening march, the video screen showed images of flight, crossing southwest from Athens over the Greek countryside to ancient Olympia. Then, a single drummer in the ancient stadium joined in a drum duet with a single drummer in the main stadium in Athens, joining the original ancient Olympic Games with the modern ones in symbolism. At the end of the drum duet, a single flaming arrow was launched from the video screen (symbolically from ancient Olympia) and into the reflecting pool, which resulted in fire erupting in the middle of the stadium creating a burning image of the Olympic rings rising from the pool. The opening ceremony was a pageant of traditional Greek culture and history hearkening back to its mythological beginnings. The program began as a young Greek boy sailed into the stadium on a 'paper-ship' waving the host nation's flag to aethereal music by Manos Hatzidakis and then a centaur appeared, followed by a gigantic head of a cycladic figurine which eventually broke into many pieces symbolising the Greek islands. Underneath the cycladic head was a Hellenistic representation of the human body, reflecting the concept and belief in perfection reflected in Greek art. A man was seen balancing on a hovering cube symbolising man's eternal 'split' between passion and reason followed by a couple of young lovers playfully chasing each other while the god Eros was hovering above them. There followed a very colourful float parade chronicling Greek history from the ancient Minoan civilization to modern times. Although NBC in the United States presented the entire opening ceremony from start to finish, a topless Minoan priestess was shown only briefly, the breasts having been pixelated digitally in order to avoid controversy (as the "Nipplegate" incident was still fresh in viewer's minds at the time) and potential fines by the Federal Communications Commission. Also, lower frontal nudity of men dressed as ancient Greek statues was shown in such a way that the area below the waist was cut off by the bottom of the screen. Overall, NBC's coverage of the Olympics has been praised, and the company was awarded with 6 Emmy Awards for its coverage of the Games and technical production.https://money.cnn.com/2004/08/30/news/fortune500/nbc_olympics/ https://web.archive.org/web/20040901114641/http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/30/news/fortune500/nbc_olympics/ dead 1 September 2004 Athens Olympics close, and NBC cashes in - Aug. 30, 2004 money.cnn.comGrohmann Karolos Olympics chief rebuffs lewd claims https://www.ekathimerini.com/28774/article/ekathimerini/news/olympics-chief-rebuffs-lewd-claims https://web.archive.org/web/20201128103103/https://www.ekathimerini.com/28774/article/ekathimerini/news/olympics-chief-rebuffs-lewd-claims dead 28 November 2020 Reuters 13 May 2020 19 January 2005 Additionally, NBC televised all 28 sports in the 2004 Games, becoming the first broadcaster to do so.Volleyball Well Represented by NBC's Around-the-Clock Olympic TV Coverage http://www.olympic-usa.org/73_22288.htm Olympic-USA.org 2008-05-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20041227103848/http://www.olympic-usa.org/73_22288.htm 2004-12-27 dead Following the artistic performances, a parade of nations entered the stadium with over 10,500 athletes walking under the banners of 201 nations. The nations were arranged according to Greek alphabet making the Philippines, Finland, Fiji, Chile, and Hong Kong the last five to enter the stadium before the Greek delegation. On this occasion, in observance of the tradition that the delegation of Greece opens the parade and the host nation closes it, the Greek flag bearer opened the parade and all the Greek delegation closed it. Based on audience reaction, the emotional high point of the parade was the entrance of the delegation from Afghanistan which had been absent from the Olympics and had female competitors for the first time. The Iraqi delegation also stirred emotions. Also recognized was the symbolic unified march of athletes from North Korea and South Korea under the Korean Unification Flag.The national teams of North Korea and South Korea competed separately in the Olympic events, even though they marched together as a unified Korean team in the opening ceremony. Later, in Beijing, the two Koreas marched separately. In Pyeongchang, these countries marched and competed together as host, bearing the name United Korean. The country of Kiribati made its debut appearance at these Games and East Timor made a debut under its own flag. After the Parade of Nations, during which the Dutch DJ Tiësto provided the music, the Icelandic singer Björk performed the song "Oceania", written specially for the event by her and the poet Sjón. The opening ceremony culminated in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron by 1996 gold medalist windsurfer Nikolaos Kaklamanakis. Many key moments in the ceremony, including the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, featured music composed and arranged by New Zealand composer John Psathas.SOUNZ – NZ composer – John Psathas http://sounz.org.nz/contributor/composer/1017 https://web.archive.org/web/20090106000649/http://www.sounz.org.nz/contributor/composer/1017 6 January 2009 dead 7 August 2009 The gigantic cauldron, which was styled after the Athens 2004 Olympic torch, pivoted down to be lit by the 35-year-old, before slowly swinging up and lifting the flame above the stadium. Following this, a fireworks display commenced to conclude the ceremony. Participating National Olympic Committees thumb|Participating nations thumb|Team numbers All National Olympic Committees (NOCs) except Djibouti participated in the Athens Games. Two new NOCs had been created since 2000 and made their debut at these Games (Kiribati and East Timor). Therefore, with the return of Afghanistan (who had been banned from the 2000 Summer Olympics), the number of participating nations increased from 199 to 201. Additionally, Yugoslavia had changed its name the year prior to Serbia and Montenegro and its code from YUG to SCG; https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2724047.stm Yugoslavia consigned to history 4 February 2003 BBC News 29 July 2020 8 November 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20221108060047/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2724047.stm live the country would dissolve two years later,https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5043462.stm Montenegro declares independence 4 June 2006 BBC News 29 July 2020 11 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170911232150/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5043462.stm livehttps://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5006380.stm Recount call in Montenegro vote 22 May 2006 BBC News 29 July 2020 28 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110728085307/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5006380.stm live making this its only Olympics appearance under the new moniker. Georgia's new flag made its debut at the Olympics by unfurling it at the opening ceremony on 13 August. It replaces the post-Soviet flag, which had been used since Lillehammer 1994. In the table below, the number in parentheses indicates the number of participants contributed by each NOC. Participating National Olympic Committees18em AFG 2004 Summer 5 ALB 2004 Summer 7 ALG 2004 Summer 61 ASA 2004 Summer 3 AND 2004 Summer 6 ANG 2004 Summer 30 ANT 2004 Summer 5 ARG 2004 Summer 152 ARM 2004 Summer 18 ARU 2004 Summer 4 AUS 2004 Summer 470 AUT 2004 Summer 74 AZE 2004 Summer 36 BAH 2004 Summer 22 BRN 2004 Summer 10 BAN 2004 Summer 4 BAR 2004 Summer 10 BLR 2004 Summer 151 BEL 2004 Summer 50 BIZ 2004 Summer 2 BEN 2004 Summer 4 BER 2004 Summer 10 BHU 2004 Summer 2 BOL 2004 Summer 7 BIH 2004 Summer 9 BOT 2004 Summer 11 BRA 2004 Summer 243 IVB 2004 Summer 1 BRU 2004 Summer 1 BUL 2004 Summer 95 BUR 2004 Summer 5 BDI 2004 Summer 7 CAM 2004 Summer 4 CMR 2004 Summer 17 CAN 2004 Summer 262 CPV 2004 Summer 3 CAY 2004 Summer 5 CAF 2004 Summer 4 CHA 2004 Summer 1 CHI 2004 Summer 22 CHN 2004 Summer 383 COL 2004 Summer 53 COM 2004 Summer 3 CGO 2004 Summer 5 COK 2004 Summer 3 CRC 2004 Summer 20 CRO 2004 Summer 81 CUB 2004 Summer 151 CYP 2004 Summer 20 CZE 2004 Summer 142 COD 2004 Summer 4 DEN 2004 Summer 92 DMA 2004 Summer 2 DOM 2004 Summer 33 ECU 2004 Summer 16 EGY 2004 Summer 97 ESA 2004 Summer 7 GEQ 2004 Summer 2 ERI 2004 Summer 4 EST 2004 Summer 42 ETH 2004 Summer 26 FSM 2004 Summer 5 FIJ 2004 Summer 8 FIN 2004 Summer 53 FRA 2004 Summer 308 GAB 2004 Summer 5 GAM 2004 Summer 2 GEO 2004 Summer 32 GER 2004 Summer 441 GHA 2004 Summer 26 GBR 2004 Summer 264 GRE 2004 Summer 426 (host) GRN 2004 Summer 5 GUM 2004 Summer 4 GUA 2004 Summer 18 GUI 2004 Summer 3 GBS 2004 Summer 3 GUY 2004 Summer 4 HAI 2004 Summer 8 HON 2004 Summer 5 HKG 2004 Summer 32 HUN 2004 Summer 209 ISL 2004 Summer 26 IND 2004 Summer 73 INA 2004 Summer 38 IRI 2004 Summer 37 IRQ 2004 Summer 24 IRL 2004 Summer 46 ISR 2004 Summer 36 ITA 2004 Summer 364 CIV 2004 Summer 5 JAM 2004 Summer 47 JPN 2004 Summer 306 JOR 2004 Summer 8 KAZ 2004 Summer 114 KEN 2004 Summer 46 KIR 2004 Summer 3 PRK 2004 Summer 36 KOR 2004 Summer 264 KUW 2004 Summer 11 KGZ 2004 Summer 29 LAO 2004 Summer 5 LAT 2004 Summer 32 LIB 2004 Summer 5 LES 2004 Summer 3 LBR 2004 Summer 2 LBA 2004 Summer 8 LIE 2004 Summer 1 LTU 2004 Summer 59 LUX 2004 Summer 10 MKD 2004 Summer 10 MAD 2004 Summer 8 MAW 2004 Summer 4 MAS 2004 Summer 26 MDV 2004 Summer 4 MLI 2004 Summer 21 MLT 2004 Summer 7 MTN 2004 Summer 2 MRI 2004 Summer 9 MEX 2004 Summer 109 MDA 2004 Summer 33 MON 2004 Summer 3 MGL 2004 Summer 20 MAR 2004 Summer 55 MOZ 2004 Summer 4 MYA 2004 Summer 2 NAM 2004 Summer 8 NRU 2004 Summer 3 NEP 2004 Summer 6 NED 2004 Summer 210 AHO 2004 Summer 3 NZL 2004 Summer 148 NCA 2004 Summer 5 NIG 2004 Summer 4 NGR 2004 Summer 70 NOR 2004 Summer 52 OMA 2004 Summer 2 PAK 2004 Summer 26 PLW 2004 Summer 4 PLE 2004 Summer 3 PAN 2004 Summer 4 PNG 2004 Summer 4 PAR 2004 Summer 22 PER 2004 Summer 12 PHI 2004 Summer 16 POL 2004 Summer 194 POR 2004 Summer 81 PUR 2004 Summer 43 QAT 2004 Summer 15 ROU 2004 Summer 108 RUS 2004 Summer 446 RWA 2004 Summer 5 SKN 2004 Summer 2 LCA 2004 Summer 2 VIN 2004 Summer 3 SAM 2004 Summer 3 SMR 2004 Summer 5 STP 2004 Summer 2 KSA 2004 Summer 16 SEN 2004 Summer 15 SCG 2004 Summer 85 SEY 2004 Summer 9 SLE 2004 Summer 2 SIN 2004 Summer 16 SVK 2004 Summer 64 SLO 2004 Summer 79 SOL 2004 Summer 2 SOM 2004 Summer 2 RSA 2004 Summer 106 ESP 2004 Summer 316 SRI 2004 Summer 7 SUD 2004 Summer 4 SUR 2004 Summer 4 SWZ 2004 Summer 3 SWE 2004 Summer 115 SUI 2004 Summer 98 SYR 2004 Summer 6 TPE 2004 Summer 88 TJK 2004 Summer 9 TAN 2004 Summer 8 THA 2004 Summer 42 TLS 2004 Summer 2 TOG 2004 Summer 3 TGA 2004 Summer 5 TRI 2004 Summer 19 TUN 2004 Summer 54 TUR 2004 Summer 64 TKM 2004 Summer 9 UGA 2004 Summer 11 UKR 2004 Summer 239 UAE 2004 Summer 4 USA 2004 Summer 533 URU 2004 Summer 15 UZB 2004 Summer 69 VAN 2004 Summer 2 VEN 2004 Summer 48 VIE 2004 Summer 11 ISV 2004 Summer 6 YEM 2004 Summer 3 ZAM 2004 Summer 6 ZIM 2004 Summer 12 Four athletes from DJI took part in the opening ceremony, but for reasons unknown, they did not compete at the Games.Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement Mallon Bill Bill Mallon Heijmans Jeroen Scarecrow Press 2011 4th 978-0-8108-7522-7 https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio0000mall_o6v2 Internet Archive lxxxviiiMallon Heijmans 2011 102 Number of athletes by National Olympic Committee 10,557 athletes from 201 NOCs participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics. IOC Letter Code Country Athletes USA USA 2004 Summer 533 AUS AUS 2004 Summer 470 RUS RUS 2004 Summer 446 GER GER 2004 Summer 441 GRE GRE 2004 Summer 426 CHN CHN 2004 Summer 383 ITA ITA 2004 Summer 364 ESP ESP 2004 Summer 316 FRA FRA 2004 Summer 308 JPN JPN 2004 Summer 306 GBR GBR 2004 Summer 264 KOR KOR 2004 Summer 264 CAN CAN 2004 Summer 262 BRA BRA 2004 Summer 243 UKR UKR 2004 Summer 239 NED NED 2004 Summer 210 HUN HUN 2004 Summer 209 POL POL 2004 Summer 194 ARG ARG 2004 Summer 152 BLR BLR 2004 Summer 151 CUB CUB 2004 Summer 151 NZL NZL 2004 Summer 148 CZE CZE 2004 Summer 142 SWE SWE 2004 Summer 115 KAZ KAZ 2004 Summer 114 MEX MEX 2004 Summer 109 ROU ROU 2004 Summer 108 RSA RSA 2004 Summer 106 SUI SUI 2004 Summer 98 EGY EGY 2004 Summer 97 BUL BUL 2004 Summer 95 DEN DEN 2004 Summer 92 TPE TPE 2004 Summer 88 SCG SCG 2004 Summer 85 CRO CRO 2004 Summer 81 POR POR 2004 Summer 81 SLO SLO 2004 Summer 79 AUT AUT 2004 Summer 74 IND IND 2004 Summer 73 NGR NGR 2004 Summer 70 UZB UZB 2004 Summer 69 SVK SVK 2004 Summer 64 TUR TUR 2004 Summer 64 ALG ALG 2004 Summer 61 LTU LTU 2004 Summer 59 MAR MAR 2004 Summer 55 TUN TUN 2004 Summer 54 COL COL 2004 Summer 53 FIN FIN 2004 Summer 53 NOR NOR 2004 Summer 52 BEL BEL 2004 Summer 50 VEN VEN 2004 Summer 48 JAM JAM 2004 Summer 47 IRL IRL 2004 Summer 46 KEN KEN 2004 Summer 46 PUR PUR 2004 Summer 43 EST EST 2004 Summer 42 THA THA 2004 Summer 42 INA INA 2004 Summer 38 IRI IRI 2004 Summer 37 AZE AZE 2004 Summer 36 ISR ISR 2004 Summer 36 PRK PRK 2004 Summer 36 DOM DOM 2004 Summer 33 MDA MDA 2004 Summer 33 GEO GEO 2004 Summer 32 HKG HKG 2004 Summer 32 LAT LAT 2004 Summer 32 ANG ANG 2004 Summer 30 KGZ KGZ 2004 Summer 29 ETH ETH 2004 Summer 26 GHA GHA 2004 Summer 26 ISL ISL 2004 Summer 26 MAS MAS 2004 Summer 26 PAK PAK 2004 Summer 26 IRQ IRQ 2004 Summer 24 BAH BAH 2004 Summer 22 CHI CHI 2004 Summer 22 PAR PAR 2004 Summer 22 MLI MLI 2004 Summer 21 CRC CRC 2004 Summer 20 CYP CYP 2004 Summer 20 MGL MGL 2004 Summer 20 TRI TRI 2004 Summer 19 ARM ARM 2004 Summer 18 GUA GUA 2004 Summer 18 CMR CMR 2004 Summer 17 ECU ECU 2004 Summer 16 PHI PHI 2004 Summer 16 KSA KSA 2004 Summer 16 SIN SIN 2004 Summer 16 QAT QAT 2004 Summer 15 SEN SEN 2004 Summer 15 URU URU 2004 Summer 15 PER PER 2004 Summer 12 ZIM ZIM 2004 Summer 12 BOT BOT 2004 Summer 11 KUW KUW 2004 Summer 11 UGA UGA 2004 Summer 11 VIE VIE 2004 Summer 11 BRN BRN 2004 Summer 10 BAR BAR 2004 Summer 10 BER BER 2004 Summer 10 LUX LUX 2004 Summer 10 MKD MKD 2004 Summer 10 BIH BIH 2004 Summer 9 MRI MRI 2004 Summer 9 SEY SEY 2004 Summer 9 TJK TJK 2004 Summer 9 TKM TKM 2004 Summer 9 FIJ FIJ 2004 Summer 8 HAI HAI 2004 Summer 8 JOR JOR 2004 Summer 8 LBA LBA 2004 Summer 8 MAD MAD 2004 Summer 8 NAM NAM 2004 Summer 8 TAN TAN 2004 Summer 8 ALB ALB 2004 Summer 7 BOL BOL 2004 Summer 7 BDI BDI 2004 Summer 7 ESA ESA 2004 Summer 7 MLT MLT 2004 Summer 7 SRI SRI 2004 Summer 7 AND AND 2004 Summer 6 NEP NEP 2004 Summer 6 SYR SYR 2004 Summer 6 ISV ISV 2004 Summer 6 ZAM ZAM 2004 Summer 6 AFG AFG 2004 Summer 5 ANT ANT 2004 Summer 5 BUR BUR 2004 Summer 5 CAY CAY 2004 Summer 5 CGO CGO 2004 Summer 5 FSM FSM 2004 Summer 5 GAB GAB 2004 Summer 5 GRN GRN 2004 Summer 5 HON HON 2004 Summer 5 CIV CIV 2004 Summer 5 LAO LAO 2004 Summer 5 LIB LIB 2004 Summer 5 NCA NCA 2004 Summer 5 RWA RWA 2004 Summer 5 SMR SMR 2004 Summer 5 TGA TGA 2004 Summer 5 ARU ARU 2004 Summer 4 BAN BAN 2004 Summer 4 BEN BEN 2004 Summer 4 CAM CAM 2004 Summer 4 CAF CAF 2004 Summer 4 COD COD 2004 Summer 4 ERI ERI 2004 Summer 4 GUM GUM 2004 Summer 4 GUY GUY 2004 Summer 4 MAW MAW 2004 Summer 4 MDV MDV 2004 Summer 4 MOZ MOZ 2004 Summer 4 NIG NIG 2004 Summer 4 PLW PLW 2004 Summer 4 PAN PAN 2004 Summer 4 PNG PNG 2004 Summer 4 SUD SUD 2004 Summer 4 SUR SUR 2004 Summer 4 UAE UAE 2004 Summer 4 ASA ASA 2004 Summer 3 CPV CPV 2004 Summer 3 COM COM 2004 Summer 3 COK COK 2004 Summer 3 GUI GUI 2004 Summer 3 GBS GBS 2004 Summer 3 KIR KIR 2004 Summer 3 LES LES 2004 Summer 3 MON MON 2004 Summer 3 NRU NRU 2004 Summer 3 AHO AHO 2004 Summer 3 PLE PLE 2004 Summer 3 VIN VIN 2004 Summer 3 SAM SAM 2004 Summer 3 SWZ SWZ 2004 Summer 3 TOG TOG 2004 Summer 3 YEM YEM 2004 Summer 3 BIZ BIZ 2004 Summer 2 BHU BHU 2004 Summer 2 DMA DMA 2004 Summer 2 GEQ GEQ 2004 Summer 2 GAM GAM 2004 Summer 2 LBR LBR 2004 Summer 2 MTN MTN 2004 Summer 2 MYA MYA 2004 Summer 2 OMA OMA 2004 Summer 2 SKN SKN 2004 Summer 2 LCA LCA 2004 Summer 2 STP STP 2004 Summer 2 SLE SLE 2004 Summer 2 SOL SOL 2004 Summer 2 SOM SOM 2004 Summer 2 TLS TLS 2004 Summer 2 VAN VAN 2004 Summer 2 IVB IVB 2004 Summer 1 BRU BRU 2004 Summer 1 CHA CHA 2004 Summer 1 LIE LIE 2004 Summer 1 Sports The sports featured at the 2004 Summer Olympics are listed below. Officially there were 301 events in 28 sports as swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and water polo are classified by the IOC as disciplines within the sport of aquatics, and wheelchair racing was a demonstration sport. For the first time, the wrestling category featured women's wrestling and in the fencing competition women competed in the sabre. American Kristin Heaston, who led off the qualifying round of women's shot put became the first woman to compete at the ancient site of Olympia. The demonstration sport of wheelchair racing was a joint Olympic/Paralympic event, allowing a Paralympic event to occur within the Olympics, and for the future, opening up the wheelchair race to the able-bodied. The 2004 Summer Paralympics were also held in Athens, from 17 to 28 September. 2004 Summer Olympic Sports Programme12em Aquatics Diving 8 d Swimming 32 d Synchronized swimming 2 d Water polo 2 d Archery 4 d Athletics 46 d Badminton 5 d Baseball 1 d Basketball 2 d Boxing 11 d Canoeing d Sprint (12) Slalom (4) Cycling d Road (4) Track (12) Mountain biking (2) Equestrian d Dressage (2) Eventing (2) Show jumping (2) Fencing 10 d Field hockey 2 d Football 2 d Gymnastics d Artistic (14) Rhythmic (2) Trampoline (2) Handball 2 d Judo 14 d Modern pentathlon 2 d Rowing 14 d Sailing 11 d Shooting 17 d Softball 1 d Table tennis 4 d Taekwondo 8 d Tennis 4 d Triathlon 2 d Volleyball d Volleyball (2) Beach volleyball (2) Weightlifting 15 d Wrestling d Freestyle (11) Greco-Roman (7) Gallery Calendar All times are in Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3)  OC Opening ceremony ● Event competitions  1 Gold medal events  CC Closing ceremony August 2004 11thWed12thThu13thFri14thSat15thSun16thMon17thTue18thWed19thThu20thFri21stSat22ndSun23rdMon24thTue25thWed26thThu27thFri28thSat29thSunEvents 20px|class=skin-invert Ceremonies OC CC Aquatics 20px|class=skin-invert Diving 2 2 ● 1 ● 1 ● 1 ● 1 44 20px|class=skin-invert Swimming4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 20px|class=skin-invert Synchronized swimming●●1●1 20px|class=skin-invert Water polo ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 ● 1 20px|class=skin-invert Archery ● ● ● 1 1 1 14 20px|class=skin-invert Athletics22356633781 46 20px|class=skin-invert Badminton ● ● ● ● ● 2 1 2 5 Baseball/Softball 20px|class=skin-invert Baseball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 2 20px|class=skin-invert Softball●●●●●●●● 1 20px|class=skin-invert Basketball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 2 2 20px|class=skin-invert Boxing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 5 6 11 Canoeing20px|class=skin-invert Slalom ● 2 ● 2 16 20px|class=skin-invert Sprint ● ● ● ● 6 6 Cycling20px|class=skin-invert Road cycling 1 1 2 1820px|class=skin-invert Track cycling 2 2 1 1 3 3 20px|class=skin-invert Mountain biking 11 20px|class=skin-invert Equestrian ● ● ● 2 ● 1 ● ● ● 1 2 6 20px|class=skin-invert Fencing 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 10 20px|class=skin-invert Field hockey ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1 2 20px|class=skin-invert Football ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 ● 12 Gymnastics 20px|class=skin-invert Artistic ● ● 1 1 1 1 5 5 18 20px|class=skin-invert Rhythmic ● ● 1 1 20px|class=skin-invert Trampoline 1 1 20px|class=skin-invert Handball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 2 2 20px|class=skin-invert Judo 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 14 20px|class=skin-invert Modern pentathlon 1 1 2 20px|class=skin-invert Rowing ● ● ● ● ● ● 77 14 20px|class=skin-invert Sailing●●●●●● 1 3 2 ● ● 2 1 2 11 20px|class=skin-invert Shooting 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 17 20px|class=skin-invert Table tennis●●●●● ● 1 1 1 1 4 20px|class=skin-invert Taekwondo 2 2 2 2 8 20px|class=skin-invert Tennis ● ● ● ● ● ● 2 2 4 20px|class=skin-invert Triathlon 1 1 2 Volleyball20px|class=skin-invert Beach volleyball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1420px|class=skin-invert Indoor volleyball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 120px|class=skin-invert Weightlifting 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 15 20px|class=skin-invert Wrestling ● 4 ● 4 3 ● 4 3 14Daily medal events 13 12 14 11 21 15 22 30 27 19 12 18 15 21 34 17 301Cumulative total 13 25 39 50 71 86 108 138 165 184 196 214 229 250 284 301August 2004 11thWed12thThu13thFri14thSat15thSun16thMon17thTue18thWed19thThu20thFri21stSat22ndSun23rdMon24thTue25thWed26thThu27thFri28thSat29thSunEvents Highlights In the men's football group stage game where Serbia and Montenegro faced Tunisia, a penalty taken by Tunisia had to be retaken five times. Greek sprinters Konstantinos Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou withdraw from the games after allegedly staging a motorcycle accident in order to avoid a drug test. The United Arab Emirates received its first Olympic medal when Sheikh Ahmed Al-Maktoum, a distant relative of the Emir of Dubai, won gold in shooting in the double trap event. He also finished fourth in the trap event.Shaikh Ahmed Almaktoum Olympics.com 5 June 2018 https://olympics.com/en/athletes/shaikh-ahmed-almaktoum 11 February 2024 The shot put event was held in ancient Olympia, site of the ancient Olympic Games (this was the very first time women athletes competed in Ancient Olympia), while the archery competition and the men's and women's marathon finish were held in the Panathenaic Stadium, in which the 1896 Games were held. Kiribati and Timor Leste participated in the Olympic Games for the first time. Women's wrestling and women's sabre made their Olympic debut at the 2004 Games. With 6 gold, 6 silver, and 4 bronze medals, Greece had its best medal tally in over 100 years (since hosting the 1896 Olympics), continuing the nation's sporting success after winning Euro 2004 in July. The marathon was held on the same route as the 1896 Games, beginning in the site of the Battle of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.http://www.olympic.org/athens-2004-summer-olympics Athens 2004 IOC 28 July 2012 dead https://archive.today/20130117121331/http://www.olympic.org/athens-2004-summer-olympics 17 January 2013 Australia became the first country in Olympic history to win more gold medals (17) immediately after hosting the Olympics in Sydney 2000 where they won 16 gold medals. World record holder and strong favourite Paula Radcliffe of Britain, crashed out of the women's marathon in spectacular fashion, leaving Japan's Mizuki Noguchi to win the gold. While leading in the men's marathon with less than 10 kilometres to go, Brazilian runner Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima was attacked by Irish priest Neil Horan and dragged into the crowd. De Lima recovered to take bronze, and was later awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship. Twelve years later, at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics, he lit the Olympic Cauldron at Maracanã Stadium. British athlete Kelly Holmes won gold in the 800 m and 1500 m. Liu Xiang won the first gold medal in men's track and field for China in the 110 m hurdles, equalling Colin Jackson's 1993 World Record time of 12.91 seconds. Kenyan runners swept the medals in the 3000 meters steeple chase. The Olympics saw Afghanistan's first return to the Games since 1996 (it was banned due to the Taliban's extremist attitudes towards women, but was reinstated in 2002). Hicham El Guerrouj wins gold in the 1500 m and 5000 m. He was the first person to accomplish this feat at the Olympics since Paavo Nurmi in 1924. Greek athlete Fani Halkia came out of retirement to win the 400 m hurdles. The US women's 4 × 200 m swimming team of Natalie Coughlin, Carly Piper, Dana Vollmer and Kaitlin Sandeno won gold, smashing the long-standing world record set by the German Democratic Republic in 1987. Argentina beat Italy 84–69 in the men's basketball final for their first gold medal in the sport. Windsurfer Gal Fridman won Israel's first-ever gold medal. Dominican athlete Félix Sánchez won the first gold medal for the Dominican Republic in the 400 m hurdles event. German kayaker Birgit Fischer won gold in the K-4 500 m and silver in the K-2 500 m. In so doing, she became the first woman in any sport to win gold medals at 6 different Olympics, the first woman to win gold 24 years apart and the first person in Olympic history to win two or more medals in five different Games. Swimmer Michael Phelps became the first athlete to win 8 medals (6 gold and 2 bronze) in non-boycotted Olympics. United States' gymnast Carly Patterson became the second American woman to win the all-around gold medal, and the first American woman to win the all-around competition at a non-boycotted Olympic Games. Chilean Tennis players Nicolás Massu and Fernando Gonzalez won the gold medal in the Doubles Competition, while Massu won the gold and Gonzalez the bronze on the Singles competition. These were Chile's first-ever gold medals. With these victories, Massú became the thirteenth Tennis player (and the eighth male player) in history to have won the gold medal in both the Singles and Doubles Competition during the same Olympic Games. He also became the second Tennis player, and first male player, to have achieved this feat in modern Olympic Tennis (1988 onwards). The first player to do so was Venus Williams in 2000. Usain Bolt of Jamaica, in his first career Olympic Games, finished fifth in his 200m dash heat in 21.05 seconds, failing to qualify for the second round. In the years to come, he would go on to become the world's fastest man, with multiple world records in the 100m, 200m and 4 × 100 m and a medal count of over 29 global medals, including 8 Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championships gold medals. Closing ceremony thumb|Balloons falling at the Athens 2004 Olympics closing ceremony 2004 Summer Olympics closing ceremony The Games were concluded on 29 August 2004. The closing ceremony was held at the Athens Olympic Stadium, where the Games had been opened 16 days earlier. Around 70,000 people gathered in the stadium to watch the ceremony. The initial part of the ceremony interspersed the performances of various Greek singers, and featured traditional Greek dance performances from various regions of Greece (Crete, Thessaly, etc.). The event was meant to highlight the pride of the Greeks in their culture and country for the world to see. A significant part of the closing ceremony was the exchange of the Olympic flag of the Athens Games between the mayor of Athens and the mayor of Beijing, host city of the next Olympics. After the flag exchange a presentation from the Beijing delegation presented a glimpse into Chinese culture for the world to see. Beijing University students (who were at first incorrectly cited as the Twelve Girls Band) sang Mo Li Hua (Jasmine Flower) accompanied by a ribbon dancer, then some male dancers did a routine with tai chi and acrobatics, followed by dancers from the Peking Opera and finally, a little Chinese girl Chen Tianjia singing a reprise of Mo Li Hua and concluded the presentation by saying "Welcome to Beijing!" The medal ceremony for the last event of the Olympics, the men's marathon, was conducted, with Stefano Baldini from Italy as the winner. The bronze medal winner, Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima of Brazil, was simultaneously announced as a recipient of the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for his bravery in finishing the race despite being attacked by a rogue spectator while leading with 7 km to go. A flag-bearer from each nation's delegation then entered along the stage, followed by the competitors en masse on the floor. All of them were led by Pyrros Dimas (weightlifter) and Liu Xiang (hurdler). Short speeches were presented by Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, president of the organising committee, and by president Dr. Jacques Rogge of the IOC, in which he described the Athens Olympics as "unforgettable, dream Games". Dr. Rogge had previously declared he would be breaking with tradition in his closing speech as president of the IOC and that he would never use the words of his predecessor Juan Antonio Samaranch, who used to always say 'these were the best ever games'. Dr. Rogge had described Salt Lake City 2002 as "superb games" and in turn would continue after Athens 2004 and describe Turin 2006 as "truly magnificent games." The national anthems of Greece and China were played in a handover ceremony as both nations' flags were raised. The mayor of Athens, Dora Bakoyianni, passed the Olympic Flag to the mayor of Beijing, Wang Qishan. After a short cultural performance by Chinese actors, dancers, and musicians directed by eminent Chinese director Zhang Yimou, Rogge declared the 2004 Olympic Games closed. The Olympic flag was next raised again on 10 February 2006 during the opening ceremony of the next Winter Olympics in Torino. A young Greek girl, 10-year-old Fotini Papaleonidopoulou, lit a symbolic lantern with the Olympic Flame and passed it on to other children before "extinguishing" the flame in the cauldron by blowing a puff of air. The ceremony ended with a variety of musical performances by Greek singers, including Dionysis Savvopoulos, George Dalaras, Haris Alexiou, Anna Vissi, Sakis Rouvas, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Alkistis Protopsalti, Antonis Remos, Michalis Hatzigiannis, Marinella, and Dimitra Galani, as thousands of athletes carried out symbolic displays on the stadium floor. Medal table 2004 Summer Olympics medal table thumb|Army Maj. Zhanbo Jia from China (center) took the gold medal in the Men's 50m Three-Position Rifle, Michael Anti from the United States (left) took the Silver and Christian Planer (right) from Austria took the Bronze These are the top ten nations that won medals in the 2004 Games. Key #ffffff darkgray Changes in medal standings (see here) Venues Venues of the 2004 Summer Olympics OAKA thumb|Athens Olympic Tennis Centre Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre – diving, swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo Athens Olympic Tennis Centre – tennis Athens Olympic Velodrome – cycling (track) Olympic Indoor Hall – basketball (final), gymnastics (artistic, trampolining) Olympic Stadium – ceremonies (opening/ closing), athletics, football (final) HOC Fencing Hall – fencing Helliniko Indoor Arena – basketball, handball (final) Olympic Baseball Centre – baseball Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Centre – canoeing (slalom) Olympic Hockey Centre – field hockey Olympic Softball Stadium – softball Faliro thumb|Faliro Olympic Beach Volleyball Centre hosting beach volleyball Faliro Olympic Beach Volleyball Centre – volleyball (beach) Faliro Sports Pavilion Arena – handball, taekwondo Peace and Friendship Stadium – volleyball (indoor) GOC Goudi Olympic Hall – badminton Olympic Modern Pentathlon Centre – modern pentathlon MOC Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre – equestrian Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre – shooting Football venues Kaftanzoglio Stadium (Thessaloniki) Karaiskakis Stadium (Piraeus) Pampeloponnisiako Stadium (Patras) Pankritio Stadium (Heraklion) Panthessaliko Stadium (Volos) Other venues thumb|Galatsi Olympic Hall hosted gymnastics (rhythmic) and table tennis Agios Kosmas Olympic Sailing Centre – sailing Ano Liosia Olympic Hall – judo, wrestling Galatsi Olympic Hall – gymnastics (rhythmic), table tennis Kotzia Square – cycling (individual road race) Marathon (city) – athletics (marathon start) Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall – weightlifting Panathenaic Stadium – archery, athletics (marathons finish) Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall – boxing Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre – canoeing (sprint), rowing Stadium at Olympia – athletics (shot put) Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre – cycling (individual time trial), triathlon Marketing Mascots Athena, Phevos and Proteas Mascots have been a tradition at the Olympic Games since the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. The 2004 Olympics had two official mascots: Athena and Phevos (Greek pronunciation: Athina and Fivos). The sister and brother were named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom, strategy and Phoebus, the god of light and music, respectively. They were inspired by the ancient daidala, which were toy dolls that also had religious connotations. Sponsors Sponsors of the 2004 Summer Olympics Worldwide Olympic Partnershttp://www.athens2004.com/en/OlympicPartners Olympic Partners athens2004.com https://web.archive.org/web/20040901105310/http://www.athens2004.com/en/OlympicPartners 1 September 2004 15em Atos Origin Coca-Cola John Hancock Financial Kodak McDonald's Panasonic Samsung Electronics Sports Illustrated Swatch Visa Inc. Xerox Grand SponsorsGrand Sponsors http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&cid=8e58470429149f00VgnVCMServer28130b0aRCRD athens2004.com https://web.archive.org/web/20060211204024/http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&cid=8e58470429149f00VgnVCMServer28130b0aRCRD 11 February 2006 15em Alpha Bank Delta-Fage Heineken N.V. Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Hellenic Post Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation Hyundai Motor Company Olympic Airlines Public Power Corporation Official SupportersOfficial Supporters http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&cid=1e58470429149f00VgnVCMServer28130b0aRCRD athens2004.com https://web.archive.org/web/20060211204036/http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&cid=1e58470429149f00VgnVCMServer28130b0aRCRD 11 February 2006 15em ABB-Areva-Diekat-Siemens Adidas Cleaning and Waste Services General Electric Jet Set Sports Shell plc Ticketmaster Official ProvidersOfficial Providers http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&cid=fe58470429149f00VgnVCMServer28130b0aRCRD athens2004.com https://web.archive.org/web/20060211204029/http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&cid=fe58470429149f00VgnVCMServer28130b0aRCRD 11 February 2006 15em Altec-Info-Quest-Intracom Holdings-PC Systems DB Schenker Mizuno Corporation Mondo Technogym Legacy To commemorate the 2004 Olympics, a series of Greek high value euro collectors' coins were minted by the Mint of Greece, in both silver and gold. The pieces depict landmarks in Greece as well as ancient and modern sports on the obverse of the coin. On the reverse, a common motif with the logo of the Games, circled by an olive branch representing the spirit of the Games. Preparations to stage the Olympics led to a number of positive developments for the city's infrastructure. These improvements included the establishment of Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, a modern new international airport serving as Greece's main aviation gateway;http://www.aia.gr/pages.asp?pageid=5&langid=2 The Company Aia.gr 28 March 2001 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100218151043/http://www.aia.gr/pages.asp?pageid=5&langid=2 18 February 2010 dead expansions to the Athens Metrohttp://www.ametro.gr/page/default.asp?la=1&id=376 AttikoMetro Inside Ametro.gr 9 September 2009 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100211142041/http://www.ametro.gr/page/default.asp?la=1&id=376 11 February 2010 dead system; the "Tram", a new metropolitan tram (light rail) systemhttp://www.tramsa.gr/ Tram Sa Tramsa.gr 22 February 2010 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100323163748/http://www.tramsa.gr/ 23 March 2010 dead system; the "Proastiakos", a new suburban railway system linking the airport and suburban towns to the city of Athens; the "Attiki Odos", a new toll motorway encircling the city, June 2016 medicmedic and the conversion of streets into pedestrianized walkways in the historic center of Athens which link several of the city's main tourist sites, including the Parthenon and the Panathenaic Stadium (the site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896).http://www.minenv.gr/4/44/4401/440102/44010202/e4401020202.html Unification of Archaeological Sites in the Centre of Athens Minenv.gr 4 November 1995 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110716070326/http://www.minenv.gr/4/44/4401/440102/44010202/e4401020202.html 16 July 2011 https://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0721/p04s01-wogn.html As Olympic Glow Fades, Athens Questions $15 Billion Cost Csmonitor.com 21 July 2008 15 March 2010 All of the above infrastructure is still in use to this day, and there have been continued expansions and proposals to expand Athens' metro, tram, suburban rail and motorway network, the airport, as well as further plans to pedestrianize more thoroughfares in the historic center of Athens. The Greek Government has created a corporation, Olympic Properties SA, which is overseeing the post-Olympics management, development and conversion of these facilities, some of which will be sold off (or have already been sold off) to the private sector,http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_en.asp?id=2 Hellenic Olympic Properties: The Company Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20081212232941/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_en.asp?id=2 12 December 2008 deadhttps://www.independent.co.uk/extras/features/after-the-party-what-happens-when-the-olympics-leave-town-901629.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/features/after-the-party-what-happens-when-the-olympics-leave-town-901629.html 1 May 2022 subscription live After The Party: What happens when the Olympics leave town The Independent London 15 March 2010 19 August 2008 while some other facilities are still in use, or have been converted for commercial use or modified for other sports.((AFP)) http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jAognIFQaNRhGk_sG9fHJQHVXuHw Four years after Athens Greeks have Olympics blues 30 July 2008 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080806214535/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jAognIFQaNRhGk_sG9fHJQHVXuHw 6 August 2008 As of 2012 many conversion schemes have stalled owing to the Greek government-debt crisis, though many of these facilities are now under the control of domestic sporting clubs and organizations or the private sector.May 2015 Ongoing maintenance costs for the facilities were problematic due to the Greek government-debt crisis, leading to facilities falling into disrepair, and, according to reports during the crisis period, many Greek Olympians at the time chose to train in Cyprus instead, owing to its then superior facilities.https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/may/09/athens-2004-olympics-athletes-home Athens 2004 Olympics: What happened after the athletes went home? The Guardian 9 May 2012 Smith Helena The Hellinikon Olympic Complex saw multiple venues demolished and the park is being transformed into Hellinikon Metropolitan Park which will become home to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens, the first integrated resort in Greece.Hard Rock's first hotel casino in Europe is under construction in AthensHard Rock International Breaks Ground on Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens The legacy of the facilities is also debated: although many facilities had plans for post-games utilisation, many of these plans never materialised, while questions remain about whether the initially limited post-games usage of certain facilities is outweighed by the significant initial expenditure on the facilities, alongside the ongoing maintenance costs (such arguments were mostly presented during the country's debt crisis, which had affected many aspects of its functionshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-nevradakis/mythology-an-olympic-spor_b_1745857.html The True Olympic Legacy of Athens: Refuting the Mythology Nevradakis Michael 7 August 2012 The Huffington Post 19 February 2017). The table below delineates the current status of the Athens Olympic facilities: Facility Olympics use Current/Proposed use Athens Olympic Stadium (OAKA) Opening and closing ceremonies, Track & Field, Football Home pitch for Panathinaikos, https://web.archive.org/web/20090416135054/http://www.pao.gr/category.php?category_id=39 16 April 2009 AEK Athenshttp://www.aekfctickets.gr/stadium.asp AEK F.C. Official Web Site Aekfctickets.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100212072828/http://www.aekfctickets.gr/stadium.asp 12 February 2010 dead (football; Super League Greece, UEFA Champions League), Greece national football team (some matches), International football competitions;McNulty Phil https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6669039.stm BBC SPORT | Football | Europe | AC Milan 2–1 Liverpool BBC News 23 May 2007 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100302181325/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/6669039.stm 2 March 2010 live Track & Field events (e.g. IAAF Athens Grand Prixhttp://www.tsiklitiria.org/ Athens Grand Prix 2009 Tsiklitiria.org 13 July 2009 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20080730180832/http://www.tsiklitiria.org/ 30 July 2008), Concertshttps://tickets.madonna.com/index.php?location=eu Madonna.com > Home 28 September 2008 19 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080919071659/https://tickets.madonna.com/index.php?location=eu bot: unknown http://www.jenniferlopez.com/forum/athens-greece-concert-sat-september-20-2008 Athens, Greece Concert, Sat. September 20, 2008 Jenniferlopez.com 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100514064908/http://www.jenniferlopez.com/forum/athens-greece-concert-sat-september-20-2008 14 May 2010 http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001005&e_cat_id=331 Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών Oaka.com.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100427222008/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001005&e_cat_id=331 27 April 2010 dead Athens Olympic Indoor Hall Basketball, Gymnastics Home court for Panathinaikos BChttp://www.paobc.gr/category_subcategories.php?category_id=83 Panathinaikos Bc::::Εδρα:::: Paobc.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100310233405/http://www.paobc.gr/category_subcategories.php?category_id=83 10 March 2010 dead and AEK BChttp://www.aekbc.gr AEK B.C. | Official Web Site Aekbc.gr 8 September 2015 (Greek basketball league); Greece men's national basketball team, International basketball competitions,http://www.athens2008.fiba.com/ www.athens2008.fiba.com – Home page 24 May 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080527191723/http://www.athens2008.fiba.com/ 27 May 2008 dead Concertshttp://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_civ_2_11/06/2008_97564 Pop icon set for show in Athens this September ekathimerini.com 11 June 2008 15 March 2010http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=66&event=334 Eurovision Song Contest 2006 Final | Year page | Eurovision Song Contest – Oslo 2010 Eurovision.tv 20 May 2006 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081202030625/http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=66&event=334 2 December 2008 Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Water Polo Domestic and international swimming meets,http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005003&e_cat_id=342 Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών Oaka.com.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090501134126/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005003&e_cat_id=342 1 May 2009 http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005010&e_cat_id=341 Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών Oaka.com.gr 22 March 2008 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090501203212/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005010&e_cat_id=341 1 May 2009 http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005&e_cat_id=321 Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών Oaka.com.gr 16 July 2006 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090501162058/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005&e_cat_id=321 1 May 2009 Public pool,http://www.e-tipos.com/newsitem?id=47588 E-Tipos – Remedios naturales – Official Blog 28 September 2008 7 December 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131207174230/http://www.e-tipos.com/newsitem?id=47588 bot: unknown domestic league and European water-polo games. Athens Olympic Tennis Centre Tennis Domestic and international tennis matches, training courts open to the public and home of the Athens Tennis Academy, currently the best-kept facility in the complexhttp://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001009&e_cat_id=325 Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών Oaka.com.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090501182845/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001009&e_cat_id=325 1 May 2009 http://www.athenstennisacademy.gr Athens Tennis Academy Athenstennisacademy.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090210105417/http://athenstennisacademy.gr/ 10 February 2009 Athens Olympic Velodrome Cycling Domestic and international cycling meetshttp://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001008&e_cat_id=324 Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών Oaka.com.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090501203024/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001008&e_cat_id=324 1 May 2009 Peace and Friendship Stadium Volleyball Home court for Olympiacos BC (basketball),http://www.olympiacos.org/ Olympiacos.org / Official Website of Olympiacos Piraeus 28 September 2008 10 August 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150810065503/http://www.olympiacos.org/ bot: unknown Concerts, Conventions and trade showshttp://www.sef-stadium.gr/index.files/Page1937.htm Αρχειο Εκδηλωσεων Sef-stadium.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20080408173317/http://www.sef-stadium.gr/index.files/Page1937.htm 8 April 2008 Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena Basketball, Handball Home court for Panionios BC (basketball),http://www.panioniosbc.gr/index.asp?a_id=90 Πανιωνιοσ – Κ.Α.Ε Panioniosbc.gr 20 October 2009 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100210134856/http://www.panioniosbc.gr/index.asp?a_id=90 10 February 2010 dead Conventions and trade shows Hellinikon Canoe/Kayak Slalom Centre Canoe/Kayak Turned over to a private consortium (J&P AVAX, GEP, Corfu Waterparks and BIOTER). Plans to convert it to a water park never materialised,http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100006_03/08/2007_86425 High hopes for park at Hellenikon ekathimerini.com 3 August 2007 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20081030035226/http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100006_03/08/2007_86425 30 October 2008 dead etipos/ and as of 2014 it sits abandoned.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/28693970 Olympics: Athens venues lie empty as tenth anniversary nears BBC Sport 7 August 2014 Hellinikon Olympic Hockey Centre Field Hockey Originally planned to be part of new Hellinikon metropolitan park complex, but these plans never materialised.http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=250 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Μεταολυμπιακή Αξιοποίηση Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130801104746/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=250 1 August 2013 As of 2017, abandoned, and with damaged turf.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Olympic_Hockey_Centre.jpg File:Olympic Hockey Centre.JPG February 2025https://www.theguardian.com/sport/gallery/2014/aug/13/abandoned-athens-olympic-2004-venues-10-years-on-in-pictures Abandoned Athens Olympic 2004 venues, 10 years on – in pictures The Guardian 13 August 2014 Bloor Steven Hellinikon Baseball Stadium Baseball Currently abandoned. Main ground (no. 1) initially converted to football pitch, home field of Ethnikos Piraeus F.C. (Football; Greek second division),http://www.sport.gr/default.asp?pid=96&scid=264&cid=2216 Εθνικός Sport.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090609204953/http://www.sport.gr/default.asp?pid=96&cid=2216&scid=264 9 June 2009 auxiliary ground (no. 2) abandoned. In 2014, Ethnikos Piraeus F.C. moved grounds to the Peace And Friendship stadium, leaving the main ground abandoned. Hellinikon Softball Stadium Softball Abandoned Agios Kosmas Olympic Sailing Centre Sailing Currently out of use, turned over to the private sector (Seirios AE), will become marina with 1,000+ yacht capacityhttp://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=317 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Η πορεία της μεταολυμπιακής αξιοποίησης των Ολυμπιακών Ακινήτων Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20090508043636/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=317 8 May 2009 dead and will be part of Athens' revitalized waterfronthttps://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=a_vXH.jytNpU&refer=muse Renzo Piano Chosen to Design New Greek Opera, Library Complex Bloomberg 21 February 2008 15 March 2010 Ano Liosia Olympic Hall Judo, Wrestling TV filming facility, Future home of the Hellenic Academy of Culture and Hellenic Digital Archivehttp://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=266 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Μεταολυμπιακή Αξιοποίηση Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130801103507/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=266 1 August 2013 Media Olympic Beach Volleyball Centre Beach Volleyball Concert and theater venue, it hosted Helena Paparizou's concert on 13 August 2005 to celebrate the first anniversary of the Olympic Games.http://www.olympicproperties.gr/events_gr.asp?venue=27&id=295 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: GFestival 2005 Olympicproperties.gr 15 June 2005 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130801105347/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/events_gr.asp?venue=27&id=295 1 August 2013 Plans to turn it into an ultra-modern outdoor theatre never materialised, and as of 2024, the facility stands abandoned and vandalised.https://inews.co.uk/sport/olympics/explore-ruins-athens-olympics-2004-hope-in-weeds-3182810 I went to explore the ruins of the Athens 2004 Olympics and found hope in the weeds 22 July 2024 Faliro Sports Pavilion Handball, Taekwondo Converted to the Athens International Convention Center, hosts concerts, conventions and trade showshttp://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=265 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Μεταολυμπιακή Αξιοποίηση Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130801112757/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=265 1 August 2013 http://www.i-stores.gr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=2&lang=gr Isaac Hayes Στο Κλειστο Φαληρου i-stores.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20051222030029/http://www.geeky.net/images/webbadge.gif 22 December 2005 http://siteseein.gr/2006/11/morrissey.html Κλειστό Γυμναστήριο Φαλήρου – Morrissey | Siteseein.gr Blog Siteseein.gr 27 November 2006 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100716122656/http://siteseein.gr/2006/11/morrissey.html 16 July 2010 Galatsi Olympic Hall Table Tennis, Rhythmic Gymnastics After 2004, was the home court of AEK BC (basketball) before the team moved to the Athens Olympic Indoor Hall. Turned over to the private sector (Acropol Haragionis AE and Sonae Sierra SGPS S.A), being converted to a shopping mall and retail/entertainment complex.http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=253 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Μεταολυμπιακή Αξιοποίηση Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130801114735/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=253 1 August 2013 Goudi Olympic Complex Badminton, Modern Pentathlon Now the site of the ultra-modern Badminton Theater, hosting major theatrical productionsMetaforce – Fuel http://www.badmintontheater.gr/ Badminton Theater Badmintontheater.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100126053045/http://www.badmintontheater.gr/ 26 January 2010 http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=11 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Ολυμπιακό Κέντρο Γουδή Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20080915110955/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=11 15 September 2008 dead Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre Equestrian Horse racing,http://www.hellasvegas.gr/horse.shtml Horse Racing | Hellas Vegas Hellasvegas.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20090530002808/http://www.hellasvegas.gr/horse.shtml 30 May 2009 dead Domestic and International Equestrian meets,http://www.hunterjumpernews.com/?p=5148 FEI European Jumping Championship for Children – Markopoulo (GRE), 10–13 July 2008 Hunter Jumper News 30 June 2008 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110720123619/http://www.hunterjumpernews.com/?p=5148 20 July 2011 http://www.olympicproperties.gr/events_gr.asp?venue=18&id=312 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Ελληνική Ομοσπονδία Ιππασίας – Αγωνιστικό Πρόγραμμα 2008 Olympicproperties.gr 24 May 2008 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130801105701/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/events_gr.asp?venue=18&id=312 1 August 2013 Auto racing (rallye)http://www.subdriven.com/news/publish/Motorsport_News/article_494.shtml The Subaru Enthuisast Website Subdriven 25 May 2007 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100117014537/http://www.subdriven.com/news/publish/Motorsport_News/article_494.shtml 17 January 2010 Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre Shooting Converted to the official shooting range and training center of the Hellenic Police.http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=258 Ολυμπιακά Ακίνητα: Μεταολυμπιακή Αξιοποίηση Olympicproperties.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130801103849/http://www.olympicproperties.gr/contents_gr.asp?id=258 1 August 2013 Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall Weightlifting Has hosted fencing competitions in the years following the Olympics, but has recently been turned over to the University of Piraeus for use as an academic lecture and conference center.http://www.unipi.gr/anak-ekd.php?prkaID=1279 Ανακοινώσεις, Εκδηλώσεις, Νέα Unipi.gr 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090907033528/http://www.unipi.gr/anak-ekd.php?prkaID=1279 7 September 2009 Parnitha Olympic Mountain Bike Venue Mountain Biking Part of the Parnitha National Park. In public use for biking and hiking.http://www.parnitha-np.gr/oreini_podilasia.htm Ορεινη Ποδηλασια Parnitha-np.gr 15 March 2010http://www.travelmuse.com/pois/GR/35/attractions/parnitha-olympic-mountain-bike-venue Parnitha Olympic Mountain Bike Venue – Attraction in Athens, Greece – Ratings and Information TravelMuse 15 March 2010 Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall Boxing Partially converted to a football pitch, also in use for gymnastics competitions. Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre Rowing and Canoeing One of only three FISA-approved training centers in the world, the others being in Munich and Seville. Hosts mainly domestic rowing and canoeing meetings.http://www.eurorowing-2008.com/ eurorowing-2008.com eurorowing-2008.com 15 March 2010WebSide Associates SA http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/events/dspEvent.php?eventid=35081 Official Website World Rowing 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20090317092121/http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/events/dspEvent.php?eventid=35081 17 March 2009 dead Part of the Schinias National Park, completely reconstructed by the German company Hochtief. Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre Triathlon Temporary facility, not in existence presently. Kaftanzoglio Stadium Football Home pitch for Iraklis (football; Super League Greece)http://www.iraklis-fc.gr/swift.jsp?CMCCode=0202&extLang= IRAKLIS FC Official Web site Iraklis-fc.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20090623221849/http://www.iraklis-fc.gr/swift.jsp?CMCCode=0202&extLang= 23 June 2009 dead and temporary home pitch for Apollon Kalamarias FC (football; Greek second division).http://www.apollonkalamariasfc.gr/pae/agonistiki_historia/historia-2007.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080805095051/http://www.apollonkalamariasfc.gr/pae/agonistiki_historia/historia-2007.htm dead apollonkalamariasfc.gr 5 August 2008 www.apollonkalamariasfc.gr Also in use for track and field meets.http://www.kaftanzoglio.gr/activities2.html Καυτανζόγλειο Στάδιο – Θεσσαλονίκη Kaftanzoglio.gr 27 August 2004 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100306002811/http://www.kaftanzoglio.gr/activities2.html 6 March 2010 dead Hosted the 2007 Greek football All-Star Game. Karaiskakis Stadium Football Home pitch for Olympiacos (football; Super League Greece)George Xenides http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskaki/karaiskaki.html Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium Stadia.gr 1 February 2012 and for the Greece National Football team. Also used as a concert venue. Pampeloponnisiako Stadium Football Home pitch for Panahaiki (football; Greek third division).https://sportsecrets.gr/site-map/ https://web.archive.org/web/20090618005749/http://www.panachaiki.gr/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=169&Itemid=66 dead Site Map 18 June 2009 Also used for various track-and-field events, concerts, conventions, and friendly matches of the Greece National Football Team. Pankritio Stadium Football Home pitch for OFIhttp://www.ofi.gr/ofi2008-09/EISITIRIA%20DIARKEIAS%202008-09.pdf Eisitiria Diarkeias 2008-09.indd 15 March 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090824083000/http://www.ofi.gr/ofi2008-09/EISITIRIA%20DIARKEIAS%202008-09.pdf 24 August 2009 George Xenides http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio/pankritio-gr.html Παγκρήτιο Στάδιο Stadia.gr 20 February 2005 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100404062113/http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio/pankritio-gr.html 4 April 2010 live and Ergotelis (football; Greek Super League).http://www.ergotelis.gr/index.php?sub_id=21&action=2&menu_id=1 Παε Διεθνησ Ενωσισ Εργοτελησ Ergotelis.gr 15 March 2010 Hosted the 2005 Greek football All-Star game. Also home to various track-and-field meets. Panthessaliko Stadium Football Home pitch for Niki Volos (football; Greek third division). Has also hosted concerts, conventions and track-and-field meets. Panathinaiko Stadium Marathon, Archery Site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. One of Athens' major tourist attractions, also used for occasional sporting and concert events.http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/2/eh251.jsp?obj_id=1777 Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism | Panathenaic Stadium Odysseus.culture.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100417070746/http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/2/eh251.jsp?obj_id=1777 17 April 2010 dead http://www.mtv.gr/default.aspx?la=1&pid=7&eventid=38 event details 28 September 2008 28 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080928105816/http://www.mtv.gr/default.aspx?la=1&pid=7&eventid=38 bot: unknown http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=941291 news in.gr – Δωρεάν συναυλία στο Καλλιμάρμαρο δίνουν οι R.E.M In.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20081205195737/http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=941291 5 December 2008 dead https://new.e-go.gr/ https://web.archive.org/web/20080911201640/http://new.e-go.gr/exodos/article.asp?catid=7266&subid=2&pubid=1324214 dead Πρόγραμμα Τηλεοπτικών Σειρών - e-go.gr 11 September 2008 Πρόγραμμα Τηλεοπτικών Σειρών - e-go.gr The Ancient Stadium at Olympia Track and Field One of Greece's historic sites and largest tourist attractions, open to the public to this day.http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2358 Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism | Olympia Odysseus.culture.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100309070201/http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2358 9 March 2010 live International Broadcast Centre (IBC) International Broadcast Centre Half of it (the section fronting Kifissias Avenue) has been turned over to the private company Lambda Development SA and has been converted to a luxury shopping, retail, office and entertainment complex known as the "Golden Hall".http://www.lamda-development.net/online/Projects.aspx?MenuCategId=172&MenuModuleID=36&MenuModuleTable=Real_Company&LevelNo=1&PageCounts=1 https://web.archive.org/web/20081225003243/http://www.lamda-development.net/online/Projects.aspx?MenuCategId=172&MenuModuleID=36&MenuModuleTable=Real_Company&LevelNo=1&PageCounts=1 dead 25 December 2008 Lamda Development Lamda Development 15 March 2010 The remaining section, facing the Olympic Stadium itself, will become home to the Hellenic Olympic Museum and the International Museum of Classical Athletics.http://fe-mail.gr/pages/posts/greece_europe_world/greece_europe_world2293.php Ελλάδα – Ευρώπη – Κόσμος : Η ζωή έχει χρώμα fe-mail.gr 15 March 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100210224901/http://fe-mail.gr/pages/posts/greece_europe_world/greece_europe_world2293.php 10 February 2010 dead Olympic Athletes' Village Housing 2,292 apartments were sold to low-income individuals and today the village is home to over 8,000 residents. Several communal installations however are abandoned and heavily vandalised. Only half of the apartments were ever sold, and significantly fewer schools ended up being built than initially promised, thereby resulting in residents facing significant journeys to take their children to schools. Most of the shops to serve the village's residents closed within months of the Olympics finishing, and concerns were raised over sewage, damp and building material quality.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/8595360/Greeces-Olympic-dream-has-turned-into-a-nightmare-for-Village-residents.html Greece's Olympic dream has turned into a nightmare for Village residents 23 June 2011 Olympic Press Village Housing It has been turned over to the private sector and namely Lamda Developments S.A. (the same company which owns and runs the Mall of Athens and the Golden Hall), and has been converted to luxury flats. Arguments about possible effects on Greece's debt crisis thumb|300px|Greek GDP #001489 solid 3px Real Quarterly GDP (chained 2010 Euros) #61D836 solid 3px Nominal Quarterly GDP thumb|300px|European debt to GDP ratios #001489 solid 3px Greece #CD212A solid 3px Italy #F1BF00 solid 3px Spain #046A38 solid 3px Portugal #970E53 solid 3px France #FF8200 solid 3px Ireland #000000 solid 3px Germany There have been arguments (mostly in popular media) that the cost of the 2004 Athens Summer Games was a contributor to the Greek government-debt crisis that started in 2010, while a lot of focus has been on the use of the facilities after the Games.https://www.cnbc.com/2012/01/19/Olympic-Cities:-Booms-and-Busts.html Olympic Cities: Booms and Busts CNBC 19 January 2012 7 February 2014The source makes no mention of the debt crisis. October 2023 This argument contradicts the fact that Greece's Debt to GDP ratio was essentially not affected until the 2008 financial crisis,2010-2018 Greek Debt Crisis and Greece's Past: Myths, Popular Notions and Implications https://www.academia.edu/37583185 Academia.edu 14 October 2018 while according to Olympic officials and some financial experts, the cost of the Games, which was spread over years of preparation, was insignificant compared to Greece's GDP and public debt. https://www.cnbc.com/2010/06/03/did-2004-olympics-spark-greek-financial-crisis.html Did 2004 Olympics Spark Greek Financial Crisis? CNBC 3 June 2010 17 December 2018 Furthermore, the aforementioned arguments do not even take into account the profits (direct and indirect) generated by the Games, which may well have surpassed the above costs. Finally, popular arguments about "rotting" of many of the facilities, appear to ignore the actual utilization of many of these structures. On the other hand, the general government's deficit increase between 2000 and 2004 from 4.1% to 8.8% was a result of multiple factors and, until 2008, the effect of Greece's chronic - and widely fluctuating - deficits was counterbalanced by high GDP growth rates, leaving the Debt to GDP ratio essentially unaffected - see chart). See also 2004 Summer Olympics List of 2004 Summer Olympics medal winners Olympic records at the 2004 Summer Olympics Use of performance-enhancing drugs in the Olympic Games – 2004 Athens World records at the 2004 Summer Olympics Notes References 30em External links gapat6kMlBU Athens 2004 Olympic Games - Official Olympic Film 2004 Summer Olympics Official website Pictures from the opening ceremony Project to fly the 2004 Olympic Flame around the world on a B747 aircraft Pictures backstage from the opening ceremony BBC coverage soly Sydney XXVIII OlympiadAthens 2004 Beijing Olympics Greece Sports 2000s Category:Olympic Games in Greece Category:Sports competitions in Athens Category:History of Greece since 1974 Olympic Games Category:Summer Olympics by year Olympic Games Category:2000s in Athens Category:August 2004 sports events in Europe