Olympics: Chef de mission not worried about Games security

1.00pm

New Zealand's Olympic Games chef de mission Dave Currie isn't concerned about security at the games at this stage, despite three bomb explosions in Athens yesterday.

Currie said given the numbers expected at the games, it would be unrealistic to expect special plans to whisk the New Zealand contingent away from Athens in an emergency.

He said the Games organisers had contingency plans to remove the 16,000 athletes and officials from the games village in an emergency and New Zealand was guided by their advice.

"We certainly will be taking advice from the IOC (International Olympic Committee) organising committee," Currie said today.

"Clearly it's (the three explosions) not helpful and at a time this close to the games I'm sure they and us would rather it was not happening.

"We don't believed it's linked the games -- from the advice we've had -- but we just need to take whatever sensible course when we have to and our planning will continue.

"We have a police liaison person with us in the team, as we had in Sydney and at Manchester, and they link into the international networks to provide information for a whole range of things.

"In reality to try to get 10,000 athletes, 6000 officials plus all journalists away in a tick won't happen.

"We're satisfied having been there only 10 days ago and talking to officials and security people they have security well under control. We certainly will be taking advice from them right through and make sensible decisions based around that.

"From our point of view we want the athletes to feel secure that the games are going to be on.

"If the situation changes we certainly will be the first people to be in touch with athletes to keep them advised of what the current situation is. We don't believe at this point that there is any concern.

"We've got contingencies to keep people safe and some plans how we'll do that.

Three timed bombs, preceded by an anonymous telephone warning, badly damaged a police station in the central Athens district of Kalithea 100 days before the start of the games in the city.

The station is near hotels to be used by Olympic officials.

Athens is spending more than $1 billion to protect the games and will have 50,000 security personnel on duty.

The Greek government was quick to play down yesterday's blasts, saying there was no evidence to link the explosions with the games and pointed the finger at home-grown extremists.

- NZPA