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All Eyes on Athens
Save the humiliation of a lone streaker penetrating the tight security at
Reliant Stadium, the Super Bowl passed without incident — of the security sort
anyway. With a big sigh of relief, attentions shift to the next epic event, the
first summer Olympics since the terrorist attacks on American soil.
“It is not an easy task to organize the Olympic Games. Since Sept. 11, the
world has changed. We are now confronted with international terrorism,” said
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge while visiting Greece in
late February.
An Associated Press poll of 1,000 adults published in February found 52
percent of Americans believe a terrorist attack is likely during the games, Aug.
13- 29 in Athens. The wire service also reports the FBI considers the games one
of its top security concerns.
The Athens Olympics is the largest sporting security operation in history
with almost 100,000 troops and police on alert and ships from the U.S. 6th Fleet
patrolling offshore. The plan reportedly costs about $800 million in all — more
than three times the amount spent at the Sydney games four years ago.
According to the AP, in March, host country Greece has scheduled a
large-scale security exercise. The wire service also reports the country will
ask NATO for assistance, such as AWACS surveillance. Seven countries, including
the United States, already are advising Greece on security.
While the preparations are being made to guard against terrorist attacks,
there have been many violent protests by Athenians against the 2004 games. The
most recent coincided with the February IOC visit. Wire reports say the
protesters are angry, in part, about security measures for the games, including
hundreds of surveillance cameras being installed around Athens and restrictions
on street protests during the games. Groups opposed to the Olympics have
promised to defy the ban. They also are against U.S. and NATO efforts to turn
their country into a “police state,” and say they will protest the March
training exercise.
The demonstrators also were protesting working conditions at the construction
site where the Olympic Village is being built. Five workers have been killed on
the site, and unions have blamed the intense work schedule for the accidents.
While the Olympics is a larger-than-life event, it serves to highlight the
public venue security dilemma of ensuring visitor, employee and tenant safety
with minimal cost, delay and inconvenience. This is the subject of this month’s
cover story on designing for security.
Architects and security integrators show how modern public venues are
building security into their plans from the ground up. Integration is the byword
for cost-effective public venue security.
To help you, this issue features some of the next-generation centralized
management platforms (see related story) recommended
by some of the experienced public venue security integrators that are
listed here. You’ll also find them on hand at the
NSCA Expo this month in Vegas.
See you there!
Khali Henderson
Group Editor
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