Athletes' Village is opened by the Mayor of Espoo, Mrs Marketta Kokkonen and the President of the City Council of Espoo, Mr Eero Akaan-Penttilä (© 2005)
The Mayor of Espoo is Mrs Marketta Kokkonen and the President of the City Council of Espoo is Mr Eero Akaan-Penttilä and Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin of the USA officially opened the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics Athletes’ Village today at 12:00.
Consisting of 25 residential buildings and the Radisson SAS Village hotel, the Athletes’ Village is situated in the Otaniemi area of Espoo, the centre of Finnish technology, approx. a 15 minutes drive from Helsinki’s Olympic stadium. The village can accommodate up to 2900 persons
Located in the middle of the campus area which is formed by the teaching premises of Helsinki University of Technology and its Student Village, the 750m wide village also offers plenty of opportunities for relaxing strolls and jogging on the seashore.
Otaniemi already served as an Athletes’ village at the Helsinki 1952 Olympic Games and is hosting athletes now for the fifth time. 20% of the residential buildings are brand new and will be used for the first time by the athletes during the IAAF World Championships.
“On behalf of all the athletes, I am looking forward to spending the next few weeks in the Village,” said Justin Gatlin, before Kokkonen and Akaan-Penttilä cut the ribbon to officially open the Helsinki 2005 Athletes’ Village.
A piece of the ribbon signed by Gatlin will be kept by the City of Espoo.
The Village offers full outdoor and indoor training facilities to all athletes, a gym and a medical centre. Recreational activities available in the village include an Internet Café, the Village Club with a disco, video games and other games and a projection room where each night a different film will be shown.
The IAAF Athletes’ Commission also have an office in the Athletes’ Village where all athletes are welcome to gather information concerning IAAF rules, IAAF competition, IAAF whereabouts system etc…
For the first time ever, the Athletes’ Village will also host the “Outreach Programme” organised in co-operation with WADA, where athletes will be distributed the “Keep Athletics Clean” brochures.
IAAF
