The missed opportunities of the Athens Games

As Greeks watch the Paris Olympics, their mind inevitably goes back 20 years to the Athens Games. And beyond the innate sense of satisfaction for organizing the "best Games ever" and the praise we got from many, even critics of Greece, one cannot help but be disappointed by the fact that despite spending a huge - and disproportionate to the capabilities of the Greek economy and society - amount of money, we did not manage to "change" Athens to the extent that other hosts have - the case of Barcelona comes to mind.

The Games obviously created an economic frenzy, necessitated the construction of new infrastructures, and the modernization of existing ones. And beyond the various delays and shortcomings, there is no doubt that the country's international image received a big boost from hosting the 2004 Olympics.

Still, evaluating things 20 years later, with the...