Sydney 2000 on the starting block Australia fully dedicated to what will be the first great event of the new millennium. As was the case with the Atlanta '96 Paralympic Games, "Blind Sports International" - your magazine - does not wish to be a silent witness of the events leading up to the first Paralympic Games of the new millennium. For this reason, starting from this issue we shall be keeping you informed of all that is happening 'down under'. To start off, we shall be taking a look at the latest news received from Sydney, with respect to the preparations which, we can assure you, have already raised great expectations, especially following the excellent performance of the Australian team in Atlanta '96. We also include a brief interview with XAVIER GONZALEZ, Director General of Sports and Venues for the SPOC - Organising Committee of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.
	One of the most important novelties of these Games is the period during which they will be held. Following a conscientious analysis of the weather, time difference, etc., it has been decided that the sporting events of the Paralympic Games will be held between October 18th and 29th. These dates correspond to SPRING down under and the experts are of the opinion that the weather conditions are ideal at this time of year for the practice of sports. PARTICIPANTS AND RESOURCES.- The forecasts made come to around 4,000 athletes from 125 countries. In addition, nearly 2,000 accredited journalists from all over the world may be assembled in SYDNEY. SPORTING EVENTS.- There will be 18 sporting events, 14 of which are Olympic events. They are as follows: Archery, Athletics, Wheelchair Basketball, Boccia, Cycling, Equestrianism, Fencing, Football, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Rugby, Sailing, Olympic Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis and Volleyball. INITIAL BUDGET AND FINANCING.- The initial budget for Sydney 2000 comes to some 120 million dollars, of which the federal government will be providing some 4,000 million pesetas. The remainder will be raised by means of marketing campaigns, private sponsorship, ticket sales, etc. This question has not been confirmed, however, according to the sources we consulted, given that it is difficult to make an accurate estimate of the income that will be generated, in three years' time, through sponsorship. TICKET SALES.- This constitutes one of the cornerstones of the organisational set-up. The SPOC intends to put the tickets on sale in 1999. VOLUNTEERS.- As in any important sporting event, the work of the volunteers is fundamental for its success. It is estimated that about ten thousand volunteers will be collaborating in all the tasks for which they may be required. TRANSPORT.- This is another of the basic factors at any well-organised event - and if there are any doubts, just ask ATLANTA. A programme known as "Easy Access" has already been started up and, thanks to the combination of different means of transport, access will be facilitated to all the venues where the sporting events are held. PROGRAMME OF EVENTS 1997-2000.- The Organising Committee of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games has programmed a series of activities from now up to the date of the inauguration ceremony: 1997 * August 13-19: Paralympic Week. * October 18: Three years to go to the Paralympic Games. * November 2-7: IPC General Assembly. 1998 * March 5-14: Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano (Japan). * August 13-19: Paralympic Week. * October 18: Two years to go to Sydney 2000. 1999 * August 13-19: Paralympic Week. * October: International meeting of the Delegation Heads. * October 18: One year to go to Sydney 2000. 2000 * August 13-19: Paralympic Week. * October: Paralympic Torch relay. * October 11: Opening of the Paralympic Village. * October 11-13: IPC Congress. * October 18: Opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. * October 19: First day of competition. * October 29: Closing ceremony.
"I couldn't let this great challenge go by" Xavier González Director General of Sports and Venues for SIDNEY'2000. Catalonian through and through, Chavi - as he is known to his friends - has a profound knowledge of Paralympic sport. He took his first steps at SEOUL '88, when he attended as a 'scout'. After an intense month's work there, he drafted a comprehensive report on what the Paralympic Games should really be. The objective was to present his conclusions before the - at that time - incipient candidature of BARCELONA '92 (Spain). The report was well-received and he was subsequently 'recruited' to undertake the full organisation of the sports and venues. Once BARCELONA '92 was over, and after the organisational success there, his services were demanded by the APOC - Organising Committee of the Atlanta '96 Paralympic Games. He truly sweated blood there as it was a real mess, although his administrative work could not be faulted. The offer from SYDNEY 2000 reached him shortly after ATLANTA came to a close. QUESTION: This will be your third Paralympic Games in a position with extreme responsibility. Was it difficult to accept the challenge? ANSWER: Yes, the truth is that I had my doubts when I received the offer. Getting involved once again - this is the third time - in the organisation of an event like the Paralympic Games was not just a personal decision, but also a family one. But when I had the chance to visit SYDNEY - together with my wife - and got to know the city, the state of the preparations and the relationship between the Organising Committee of the Paralympic Games (SPOC) and the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (SOCOG), the decision proved much easier to make. The opportunity of reaching new heights in the organisation of sports for the disabled was a challenge I just couldn't let slip by. Q: What are the most immediate objectives for your administration? A: In the first place, to consolidate and increase the levels of collaboration with the Olympics in all those areas of shared responsibility. When the programme of sports and events for SYDNEY 2000 is finalised, it will be necessary to update the competition calendar; another fundamental aspect is the selection of the installations where the competitions are to be held, with a view to clearly defining the Paralympic requirements for the different aspects such as transport, technology, the Village, etc. Q: What differences are you finding between ATLANTA and SYDNEY? A: The fundamental difference lies in the relationship between the two Organising Committees, even though, in the Australian capital, they are two completely separate bodies, legally speaking. However, in practice, they are very similar to the 'Barcelona' model which functioned so well. The majority of those responsible for the Olympic projects are also in charge of the Paralympic counterpart, principally at the operational level. The level of cooperation and knowledge of the Paralympic Games is much greater than that evident in ATLANTA, and even that of Barcelona. And I am talking of the situation with three years still to go to the opening ceremony. The foundations are being laid day by day to ensure the success of the SYDNEY Games. Q: Do you think SYDNEY 2000 could prove to be the definitive launching pad for disabled sports? A: These Paralympic Games of the new millennium fulfil all the necessary conditions to become an historical reference for the Paralympic movement. On the one hand, as I stated before, the Australian public has ample knowledge of Paralympic sport. On the other hand, the brilliant performance of their team in the last Games produced a considerable effect on the general public which is plainly evident in the atmosphere. But, obviously, this is not enough. The international Paralympic movement must remain united and adopt a common approach, without differences. I hope that the IPC will demonstrate this capacity for union at the General Assembly to be held in November.