Moldy Peaches

Is Athens the new sister city of Montreal? Rife with mounting debts and facing a cloudy future plan, the freshly built Athens Olympic pool and larger Olympic compound are closed to the public. Only a handful of the sparkling 36 sports facilities, which cost close to $4 billion US to construct after numerous delays and cost overruns, have been used since the flame went out on the Games last Aug. 29.

The main Olympic compound - which includes the stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies, the gymnasium and pool - is protected by three-metre-high mesh steel fences and 20 Greek soldiers and a handful of armed police. One soldier said 40 tourists ask daily if they can see - even just walk around - the site. With the exception of training athletes and workers, all are told to stay away.

The hurdle keeping the gates locked is government and private sector haggling over the future of the site, and debate as to who will pay the estimated annual $100 million for facility upkeep.

The Games cost about 11 billion euros ($16.1 billion Cdn), sending the country's deficit to twice the limit set by EU budget rules. The initial price tag for the Olympics had been 4.6 billion euros ($6.7 billion Cdn). At least, unlike Montreal, their mayor didn't equate a deficit with the same chance as a man getting pregnant.

Lucky for the Olympics the recent decisions of Vancouver and London should not suffer the same fate. The IOC, high on my respect meter, appear to have learned from Atlanta, Salt Lake and Athens.