Paralympics: Athens disputes demands

SYDNEY - Athens has not signed a host-city contract for the 2004 Paralympic Games because of unacceptable financial demands by the event's world governing body, a Greek official said yesterday.

The International Paralympic Committee said this week that it had serious concerns about Athens hosting the Paralympics in 2004 because Greek organisers had shown minimal interest.

But Takis Papaconstantopoulos, of the Hellenic Paralympic Committee, said delays in Athens' preparation were due to unacceptable economic demands made in the host city contract by the IPC.

"One of these is the lump sum Athens must pay to the IPC, double or more the amount that Sydney had to pay."

Sydney paid just over $US1.2 million ($3 million) while "about $US3 million was being asked from Athens."