Rogge signs Athens 2004 Olympics invitations

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, August 14, 2003

Rogge signs Athens 2004 Olympics invitations

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President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge Wednesday officially invited a record number of countries to take part in the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens by signing the official invitations to 201 National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

The signing ceremony, which was held at the IOC headquarters inLausanne, Switzerland, marked exactly "one year to go" before the opening ceremony of the Athens Games.

In his opening statement, the IOC president said: "In one year's time, the world will be looking at Athens with great expectations. I have no doubt that the Athens Games will be unique and will bring a special atmosphere that only the Greeks can create, not only because they invented the Games, but because of their true love for sport and the Olympics, and their strong historical and cultural heritage."

"It is time for the Greeks to unite and support the 2004 Athensorganizers to ensure the success of the Games. The final year's countdown has now begun. I wish them good luck," he said.

During the ceremony, the IOC chief signed the invitations to the NOCs of Greece, Italy, China and Canada, where the next editions of the Games will be held.

All 201 invitations were dispatched immediately after the ceremony by express mail. The NOCs have until December 13, 2003 to reply to the IOC and confirm the attendance of their athletes.

On the occasion, Rogge was joined by Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, President of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, the IOC Honorary President for Life, under whose Presidency the 2004 Games were awarded to Athens in 1997, Denis Oswald, Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the 2004 Games.

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