(ATR) - Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has scrapped plans to build a roof over the main swimming pool for the Athens Olympics. Karamanlis killed the project over growing concerns that it would not be ready in time for the Games - and that construction would make staging a test event difficult.
The decision abandons alternate plans made in the past week to erect a fabric covering over the pool to help shield TV cameras and competitors from the glaring Athens sun.
Plans are now being made to shift the time of events to early and late in the day. Some sort of minimal shading apparently will be erected over the grandstand for spectator comfort.
The government decision was made in consultation with the International Olympic Committee and FINA, the international swimming federation.
Facing an unforgiving timetable to finish Olympic preparations, the two-week old government of Karamanlis has already trimmed landscaping plans for the marathon route and axed plans to finish one leg of the new suburban rail line.
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