Bitter foes to march side by side at Olympics

By PETER JESSUP and REUTERS

North and South Korean teams will march together for the first time at an Olympics when the Sydney Games open on Friday.

The breakthrough decision, confirmed last night by International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch at a meeting in Canberra, follows negotiations between Olympic officials and the two Koreas.

The two states fought a bitter war half a century ago and have never signed a peace treaty. The combined march would have been unthinkable until a few months ago, when the two countries' leaders met in the north's capital, Pyongyang.

It will be one of the great coups of the opening ceremony and an early medal for the Games themselves in advancing international relations.

South Korea is sending a team of 302. North Korea, typically secretive, has not announced how many athletes it is sending.

While tensions between the Koreas may be cooling at the Games, tensions between the French and English languages are as strong as ever.

France has reacted sternly to suggestions that Australian Governor-General Sir William Deane will use only English at the opening ceremony.

French and English are the two official languages of the International Olympic Committee and the French Government has been quick to remind Australia that French should also be used.

"By coming forward as a host of the Olympic Games, Australia and its Governor-General have committed themselves to respecting the [Olympic] Charter," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne Gazeau-Secret in Paris.

"France, along with several other countries, expects French to be present at the official opening of the Sydney Olympics."

As the Olympic phenomenon starts to roll over Sydney, there are already concerns that these Games are too big.

A senior IOC official, Jacques Rogge, noted yesterday: "We had 250 events in Barcelona, 280 events in Atlanta and now 300. We want to come back to 280."

The number of media representatives should also be cut, Mr Rogge said. Sydney has 21,000, up from 15,000 at Atlanta four years ago and 12,000 at Barcelona in 1992.

"Logistically, it's becoming a nightmare."

And there are mixed messages from the Sydney logistics so far. The opening ceremony had a near-flawless dress rehearsal at Stadium Australia before 100,000 people on Saturday night.

Those attending were sworn to secrecy, and if journalists find out anything and report it, they stand to lose accreditation to the Games.

However, one thing the organisers could not keep secret was the spectacular scrub fire sparked outside the stadium by falling fireworks. Nearly one hectare of land was burned off.

And though plenty know the secrets of the general format of the opening ceremony, very few know who will light the Olympic flame, and how. Speculation is focused on swimming legend Dawn Fraser.

The ceremony will last five hours, with seats ranging in price from $900 to $1300.

A strong Aboriginal theme is predicted, along with an equestrian display and the fireworks.

Laser-lights will play across the stadium and from 10 other sites on major buildings.

The organisers were happy enough with the rehearsal. There were no major hassles and the transport system worked. Well, almost.

IOC supremo Samaranch was supposed to visit the international broadcast centre earlier in the day, but the bus taking him and his entourage arrived 20 minutes late, by which time he had cancelled the engagement.

Buses for athletes, Games staff, volunteers and the media continue to run late and get lost - when they turn up at all.

Every bus and driver from Dubbo to the Black Stump are in town, but many do not know whereabouts in town they are.

At a glittering dinner on Saturday, Prime Minister John Howard called the Olympics "a dream come true."

"What will be on display will be the openness, friendliness, the tolerance, the warmth and the decency of Australian people."

One competitor needing a boost is Palau swimmer Anlloyd Samuel, the only representative from his Pacific atoll and a contender to be the Eddie the Eagle of these Games.

He is having trouble beating local kids in training at a Sydney pool and a lot worse lies ahead.

His best time in the 50m he will contest at the Games is 27.23s - Alexander Popov's world record is 21.64s.

But Palau does not have a 50m pool and Samuel could not swim more than four laps flat out when he first arrived in Sydney.

Sadly, he has already been asked by regulars doing their morning training to shift out of the fast lane.

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