Securing the Olympic Games

$142,857 Security Cost per Athlete in Greece 

Wall Street Journal 22aug04

Before Sept. 11, 2001, Olympic security often took a back seat to issues such as new facilities and tourist marketing. But no longer: This month's games are protected by the most-expensive security operation in Olympic history. Among other things, Greece has deployed 70,000 troops and installed more than 1,000 high-tech cameras (and a sensor-festooned blimp) to keep watch. And just in case, the North American Treaty Organization's entire Mediterranean fleet is on patrol.

The host city is responsible for the costs of security (and all other Olympics-related costs), though much of the money winds up coming

from the host nation, the media, advertisers, corporate sponsors and others. While the estimated costs of security in Athens are staggering by any measure, the high price tag also makes for good PR. In the past, officials at times would downplay security costs or classify them differently. But today, highlighting the money spent is part of the plan to put off terrorists and make athletes and visitors feel secure. "Money has this incalculable deterrent value," says Bruce Hoffman of the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy. "You are literally putting your money where your mouth is."

1984: Los Angeles L.A. marked the beginning of the privatization of the games and ushered in a new era of corporate sponsorship. For the first time in Olympic history, security was organized by a privately run and financed entity, which meant that the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee had to coordinate more than 50 local, state and federal agencies in order to protect the games.

With Cold War tensions running high, security became an issue when the Soviet Union boycotted the games and cited safety as a factor, charging that the U.S. didn't "intend to ensure the security of all athletes." Most dismissed that as payback for the U.S.'s boycott of 1980's Moscow games; President Reagan didn't try to get the U.S.S.R. to change its mind.

1984 AT A GLANCE

No. of athletes 		6,829
Security cost per athlete 	$11,627
No. of tickets sold 		5,720,000
Security cost per ticket 	$14

1988: Seoul South Korea listed "prevention of the entry by terrorist suspects" as its primary security task and conducted background investigations of all participants in the games. At the same time, Seoul wanted the games' image to be one of harmony and kindness, so it left numerous security-related tasks to volunteers, including many "young women with good command of foreign languages," instead of police and military units.

But the peaceful image was marred by protests in Seoul's streets throughout the weeks leading up to the games. Extra security forces and riot police were deployed to battle thousands of demonstrators seeking reunification with North Korea.

No. of athletes 		8,391
Security cost per athlete 	$13,312
No. of tickets sold 		3,305,944
Security cost per ticket 	$34

1992: Barcelona The first post-Cold War games were gilded in hope. The former Soviet Union participated as the Unified Team and athletes from the former Yugoslavia -- which was coming apart at the seams -- won three medals after a last-minute deal with the United Nations allowed them to compete.

Like Seoul, Barcelona relied heavily on volunteers for security. Despite concern about attacks by Basque separatists, the games went smoothly. Security measures included surveillance of Olympic sites under construction, and guards tasked with patrolling the city's sewers. Extensive seaside security measures were put in place to protect the 15 cruise ships that served as corporate housing during the games.

1992 AT A GLANCE

No. of athletes 		9,356
Security cost per athlete 	$7,072
No. of tickets add 		3,021,740
Security cost per ticket 	$22

1996: Atlanta Going into the Atlanta games, terrorism ranked behind heat-related illness and the possibility of soccer violence on officials' lists of potential worries. But six days into the games, a bomb ripped through a crowd at Centennial Park, claiming the lives of an American visitor and a Turkish cameraman. The explosion was the first act of terror to hit the Olympics since the 1972 Munich games, when 11 Israelis were killed by Palestinian terrorists. But competition was not delayed.

Richard Jewell, a security guard, was named as a suspect in the attack after first being hailed as a hero who helped to rescue victims. Mr. Jewell was ultimately cleared and Eric Robert Rudolph, accused of two 1997 bombings in Atlanta, was charged with the crime. His case is still ongoing.

1996 AT A GLANCE

No. of athletes 		10,318
Security cost per athlete 	$10,486
No. of tickets sold 		8,384 290
Security cost per ticket 	$13

2000: Sydney Australia's graceful harbor city braced itself for Olympic-sized trouble during the two weeks of the games, but congratulated itself afterwards for smooth sailing. "It's like Y2K all over again, a non-event," said a Salvation Army chaplain. In fact, crime in Sydney actually decreased during competition.

What trouble did ensue was fairly minor: Two escaped convicts managed to hijack a car near an Olympic site, briefly detaining a South Korean official and three others. The Sydney Organizing Olympic Committee credited Australia's lack of experience with terrorism, the country's stable government and its friendly international relations for the calm.

No. of athletes 		10,651
Security cost per athlete 	$16,062
No. of tickets soId 		5,283,900
Security cost per ticket 	$34

2004: Athens Considering its shaky infrastructure, history of terrorism and proximity to the Balkans and the Middle East, Greece probably wasn't the ideal choice security-wise to host the first Summer Olympics after the 9/11 terror attacks. (Athens was awarded the games in 1997.) "Athens is really vulnerable -- it might be one of the worst places to host the games," said Michael Atkinson, a Canadian expert on security and sports. But the ancient city has spared no expense to protect athletes and visitors.

Observers see some of Athens' costs as a matter of accounting --many of the new airport's costs are security-related, for instance --but they emphasize that such staggering security costs are the new reality. Olympic officials seem to agree: 2004 marks the first time the International Organizing Committee has purchased cancellation insurance for the games, to the tune of $1 70 million in coverage.

No. of athletes 		10,500*
Security cost per athlete 	$142,857*
No. of tickets. soId 		5,300,000*
Security cost per ticket 	$283*

* Estimated
  Sources:  Official Olympic committee reports, US GAO reports, WSJ.com research
  Research: Sophie Hayward