Greece To Allow Armed Foreign Guards For Athletes At Olympics

ATHENS, July 22 (AFP) - Foreign athletes will receive armed protection from their countries but only outside Olympic venues at next month's Games, Greek Public Order Minister Yiorgos Voulgarakis said Thursday.
Security personnel from embassies in Greece accredited here for a long while could accompany athletes from their countries carrying arms, but will have to part with them when entering Olympic venues, the minister told an Athens radio station.
"All teams can have their escorts... if these escorts are security personnel from their embassy accredited by the (Greek foreign ministry) for a long time, (they) will get to the stadiums, leave their weapons and enter the stadium," Voulgarakis said.