A "tired-looking" IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch
has returned to Sydney following his wife's funeral in
Spain: "It has not been easy days for me. But I am happy to
be back taking my responsibilities." Samaranch held a
"brief" meeting with the IOC Exec Board yesterday (REUTERS,
9/21)....In DC, Rajiv Chandrasekaran writes that Australia
"is doing more than just playing host" to the Olympics, it
is "turning the Games into a national obsession" as TV
viewership "has been off the charts, with almost 7 million
people in a nation of only 18 million viewing during peak
periods" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/22)....In Salt Lake City, Mike
Gorrell writes that 185,000 people "moved uneventfully" to
Olympic Park Friday in Sydney for the start of the track &
field competition. Olympic Roads & Transport Authority
(ORTA) Dir of Corporate Affairs Paul Willoughby: "We didn't
have anything we would refer to as a problem." ORTA
officials projected that by the end of the day, 400,000
people "would pass through the park" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE,
9/22)....In Detroit, Bob Wojnowski writes that at the
halfway point, the Games "have been fun, sunny and largely
snafu-free. But memorable? We're still working on
memorable and yes, memorable is still possible" (DETROIT
NEWS, 9/22)....Official Canadian Olympic Team Clothing
Supplier Roots co-Founder Don Green said that Canada's "low
medal count" is not "helping business" for the company,
"even though sales are strong." Green: "We're hoping Canada
can win some more medals. As the medal count gets higher,
we do better (sales). But we've been very satisfied with
the sales to date" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/22).
