r 8, 2002 -12 FRIDAY Focus The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 40 AP PHOTO egfnnnu t& tnrfct-£ightinjof the (9Munic to"sd, the 2002 Saf £ e( a4 (&jpc (pm&~wilt? 4jnite&fre &unched4 of miiiooof li ff iewe'so. JhR e et /of77the Oe~tlepndth next 17 dayp 4iinq, 3ap'inting, 4ating and otedding in the wo' mtaut wid teei ed wt. a ft wa y 'theqena, wien tjak u ein np'aeUona anS.adc tmtW (ImedcaumajU4tioth umpoatance ofthio g 'ew'eento, gkhwa te cwvmeat nationaland inedsatiowud oitucatioe BY ANNA CLARKAND MARIA SPROW DAILY STAFF REPORTERS It comes as no surprise to most that the events of Sept. 11 are resulting in a heavy increase in security at the Olympic. Although security is typically tight at the Games, the massive force in Salt Lake City has sur- passed almost every other security effort in history. In fact, the extensive security measures prompted Home- land Security Chief Tom Ridge to call Salt Lake City the safest place in the world right now. Linda, a representative of the Joint Information Cen- ter who asked that her last name be withheld, said the government is pursuing "every type of security you can imagine and some you can't imagine." The new security measures include more than 10,000 on-location security personal, 4,500 of them from the military and National Guard. Also, airspace above Salt Lake City and other Olympic venues is restricted until Feb. 24. All spectators have to go through metal detectors before attending an event, and cameras have been placed all over the Olympic grounds. Seth Cook, a former Ann Arbor resident who cur- rently grooms snowboarding trails for Olympic com- petition, said he doesn't know of many people who actually feel scared. "There's definitely talk of concern, but I don't know of people avoiding anything," Cook said. University of Utah graduate student Robert McDaniel said the community is more excited than anything else. With February classes canceled for ele- mentary through college students, community resi- dents have an opportunity to volunteer and work for the Games. But McDaniel did know a few people who were leaving the Salt Lake City area "either because it's too crowded or because they think some terrorist event is going to happen." With the Secret Service in charge of Olympic secu- rity, the government is working hard to quell any fears people might have. According to a statement issued by the White House, "Security for these Winter Games will be more thorough, more visible, better planned and better coordinated than any Olympics in history." The statement went on to say that "We will show the world we can safeguard the Olympic ideal without sac- rificing our American ideals - openness, mobility, diversity and economic opportunity in the process." The total cost of security for the Games is an esti- mated $300 million, but security personnel have been careful to not make any pricetag guarantees. Still, this $300 million pales next to the $48 billion increase President Bush asked for in defense funds, a part of which will be used during the Games. Though a cease-fire is usually sought during the Olympic Games in order to promote unity among nations, Pen- tagon officials said there will be no cease-fire during the war on terrorism. "The idea behind an act like that, to foster peace and unity, is commendable and it would be great," said Pentagon spokesman Dan Philbin. "But as of now, we see no indication that they are willing to do that and we do not have plans to do that on our side, either," Philbin added. Philbin noted that a cease-fire is not called for because the war is against al-Qaida, not actually against Afghanistan. "They do not represent a standing army that repre- sents any nation state on the planet," he said. "It's kind of hard to have a cease-fire on a terrorist organization." A CONTESTED GAMES Although the planning for 2002 Games was quickly consumed in controversy, the original problems have seemingly vanished as the Olympic spectacle builds. The Olympic scandal hit three years ago when for- mer IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch was accused of accepting bribes from cities vying to host the Games. An investigation found that Salt Lake City officials offered the IOC more than $1 million in cash and other prizes, including college scholarships to the University of Utah. The bribe left the commission in chaos and eventual- ly instigated the firing of 10 IOC members, including Samaranch. A former Olympian from Belgium, Jacques Rogge, took over the IOC leadership. In effort to fully dispel the aura of suspicion over Salt Lake City, city officials and Olympic planners began to construct (( (6 the most elaborate W it wit m m Winter Games yet. 0 At an opening dmp, CUW't U I4tita WBn address on Sunday, Rogge said the scan- MgtJ, Wigt 6e tfM apC dal was so important that it almost Ct't4?It0fUJ, wFC . &f destroyed the IOC. He added that the WAtf& lie ipadh accusations have - caused him to re- think the Games, which he said have 'I become too elitist and large. "We are endeavoring to reduce the size of the Games to a more manageable level," Rogge said in a public interview. "A reasonable size for the Games is important because it must allow the continents that support them to be able to host them." If Rogge is fully successful in his mission to down- size, the 2002 Olympic Games - with 2,400 athletes and 78 events - will forever hold the record of being the largest Winter Games in history. TUNING IN Even though the 2002 Games, dubbed by some the Patriot Games, will be the largest Winter Olympic spectacle yet, the relative lack of attention from the press and fans have left some wondering what signifi- cance the events really have. University Prof. and sports expert Andrei Markovits said that in the United States, the Winter Olympics are almost unrelated to the sports involved. "The Olympics in America are basically very unim- portant," Markovits said. "Every four years, it becomes important and the rest of the time is not. In the United States, it will be a big event, it's a nice thing, but two or three days after the event, other than one or two things ... nobody will talk about it." Markovits said that generally, for the viewer, the Olympics are merely a grand spectacle. "Why is it that the largest viewership, other than women's figure skating, will be the opening and clos- ing ceremony, which has nothing to do with the sport?" Markovits said. "The viewership next week will be watching it because it's an event." But Olympic gold medal swimmer Samantha Arse- nault, an LSA sophomore, said that for the athletes who compete in the Games, the Olympics are much G more than just another competition - they are a life- long goal that takes years of extreme dedication. "Leading into it, it's built up so much. Once in every four years, it's highly publicized," Arsenault said. "But these people have been working hard day in and day out for the other three years also." But the actual competition and the gold medal that may follow it are inconsequential to what led up to it, she said. "I'm not going to take away from that moment because that was extremely special, but when I think of the Olympics, I think of the whole year that led up to it, training with my teams, the relationships that you form." Although Arsenault said she'd definitely be watch- ing the Games this month, other University students weren't so enthusiastic. "I don't know the major players involved," said Dave t 1f 0WW 0t Sackett, an LSA senior. "I'd have to be a pretty faithful tenk 6 kwat- bobsled follower to know , the athletes." UUJ andi CSome say the lack of public interest is due to less 26 to( do- dramatic competition. After all, there are no media-catching Tonya Hard- ing-Nancy Kerrigan assaults. & tmfetil't t A &WLt6 There are no three-time Olympic heroes without (fefs6t( p'w/f0r0/4 medals, like 1994 Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen, who fell twice in the 1988 Calgary games after finding out his sister died and then fell again in the 500 meter race at Lillehammer. Jansen finally won the gold and broke the world record the same year during the 1000m race, an event considered to be his weak spot. There are no tried-and-true champions like five-time Olympic gold medallist Bonnie Blair. Locally, there are no hometown athletes to support. The University's participation in the Summer Olympics has traditionally been strong -- at the 2000 summer games, 17 University students competed. The Winter Olympics have never been a premier attraction at the University, said Bentley Historical Library assistant archivist Greg Kinney. While the University has had more than 100 appearances in the summer games, fewer than 10 University athletes have ever competed in the Winter Games. "It's mostly just because of the sports ... the Univer- sity doesn't sponsor a ski team," he said, adding that the University's greatest Olympic moments have been in track and field and swimming. "Probably the thing about Michigan that is unique is that Michigan has had three track athletes that have won both the gold and the silver in three different Olympics in the 100 meter and 200 meter," he said. "It's a unique accomplishment for any one school." Despite the lack of University ties to the 2002 Olympics, Arsenault said there are still reasons to watch the Games. "I'm a huge fan of Picabo Street. She's one of the most amazing athletes," said Arsenault. "During my rehab I read her autobiography and she has overcome so much," Arsenault continued, referring to her recent shoulder injury. "Two years ago, (Street) shattered her leg. She's a down-hill skier, and she's back. She's not afraid to be herself either, I think that's great." a ABOVE: Ski jumper Alan Alborn of the United States takes a practice jump during a training day for the K90 Individual ski jump at Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah, yesterday. TOP: The Olympic cauldron sits in front of a mountain range near an old Pony Express route just east of Fairfield, Utah on Wednesday for the Torch Relay. The torch arrived in Salt Lake City yesterday. LSA sophomore Elise Ray, who captained the U.S. women's gymnastics team in the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney, now competes for the University. Ray, who is recovering from an ankle injury, has taken a back seat to other team members but has said she is saving her energy for Nationals. H OME TOWN HEROES 0 PAST OLYMPIANS I. ,1 L"I(, im'