Olympics: Organisers of the 2004 Athens Olympics have been warned they have no room for error in their race to get the Games ready for the opening ceremony in exactly 500 days.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Co-ordination Commission president Denis Oswald said any unexpected developments might put part of the Games at risk.

"Everything that needs to be done in the next 500 days is feasible," Oswald said yesterday after a three-day visit to check on the progress of the Games.

"If anything unexpected beyond our control would happen, then of course some of the projects would be at risk," he added.

"The organisers need to sustain the sense of urgency and co-ordinated efforts that have led to substantial progress over recent months.

"Preparations must now move from their curent high quality of operational planning to actual delivery.

"We monitor the progress day by day," Oswald said.

In February the IOC expressed its concern over broken promises to speed up construction at the football, basketball and handball venues, the boxing stadium and an overhaul of the main Olympic stadium.

But with the progress made over the last few months, Oswald said he was confident they would meet the tight schedules.

"Our assessment is certainly more positive than it was in February . . . solutions have been offered," Oswald said.

Oswald said the Greek goverment had given them assurances that a controversial glass-and-metal arched roof at the Olympic stadium would be built as planned.

In the previous weeks, IOC sources said the roof was expendable as they did not want the Games to take place in a half-built stadium.Throughout the city, skeletal struts and scaffolding dominate the skyline and construction work continues deep into the night.